Ballinameela’s Experience To Tell At Fraher Field

Waterford’s record in the Munster Junior Club hurling championship in the last number of years has improved considerably after a number of years with the county champions struggling to win a game, but thanks to the likes of Ballysaggart, Modeligo and Ardmore Waterford sides now competing in the competition do so in expectation more than in hope, and so will either Tramore or Ballinameela next month when they play the winners of the quarter final involving the Limerick champions or the Kerry Intermediate Champions.

Who will represent Waterford should be known this Sunday when Tramore and Ballinameela clash in this year’s county final which will be the curtain raiser to the senior final, and it is expected that these two sides will add plenty of blue and white colours in what could well be one of the biggest crowds to attend a county final in the Déise county in a long number of years.

Some might suggest that it is a surprise to see Tramore in this year’s final, but those that are watching the championship in the east of the county this year are telling me with some time that while Ballydurn were the favourites to win this year’s championship in the east, Tramore were the side to beat.

When the two sides clashed recently at the WIT Arena at Carriganore in the final, the seasider’s proved on the day to be the better of the two sides and fully deserved their two point win over the fancied mid county side.

The newly crowned eastern champions produced a very strong finish to that game and this will give them plenty of confidence going into this game.

While best known as a football club, Tramore have some good players within their ranks. Brian Murray finished top scorer in their last game with half a dozen scores and they will want another big performance from their free taker again this Sunday, as they will from Ian Thompson their top scorer from open play and Ben Richards the scorer of the sides second goal in the final.

They will no doubt have turned up at Fraher Field last Sunday to watch the Western Final and no doubt will be impressed with what they saw.

Ballinameela played in the Intermediate grade in the west of the county with the last number of years but found themselves relegated last year despite playing in a western final in recent times.

The western side have some very good players within their ranks. The Phelan Brothers will have to come in for close watching from the Tramore players while the Curran brothers will also have to be watched closely as will Liam O’Brien.

Ballinameela will go into this final in good form. They have reached this final on the back of some good performances and even though the final score in last week’s Western Final suggests a close game they were much more comfortable winners than the score line suggests as they eased up in the closing minutes when Colligan hit some late scores.

If Ballinameela were to pull up again next weekend should they find themselves in a position to win the game it could cost them. They go into the game as favourites for a reason, but they will have to play for the full sixty minutes plus whatever is added at the end of each half.

Ballinameela should win here and if they do, they will be looking to replicate what western sides Ballysaggart, Modeligo and Ardmore have done in recent years.