Ballyduff To Play Ballyduff In Intermediate Hurling County Final

I can at this point say with absolute confidence that Ballyduff will win this years Waterford Intermediate County Hurling Final. But whether it will be Ballyduff Upper from West Waterford or Ballyduff Lower from East Waterford at this point in time cannot tell you.

The two Ballyduff’s one from just inside the County boundary shared with the North East part of Cork or the other within shouting distance of Waterford City advanced to this year’s final after divisional final wins over the past weekend.

Ballyduff Lower were first to reach this year’s final after they came out on top against Neighbours Dunhill at Walsh Park winning by the smallest possible margin (2-18 to 1-20), while at Fraher Field for Ballyduff Upper things were much tighter. Playing against another side that shares a border with County Cork, Ballyduff needed extra time and a sudden death shoot out at Fraher Field in a game which if there was an attendance would have what in another year be a huge attendance have everyone sitting on the edges of their seats and at the same time biting their fingernails.

Inter county player Calum Lyons finished top scorer for the winners in this game finishing the hour with 1-7 behind his name on the score sheet, four points of which came from open play. At the other end of the field it was Shane Casey who was part of the Waterford set up while Davy Fitzgerald was in charge of the Waterford Senior Hurling team finished top scorer for his side with 1-5 behind his name.

It was Lyons goal coming from a late penalty that secured his sides passage to next weekend’s County final as they came from three points down with as many minutes to play to snatch the divisional title, and in doing so winning a first title at this level in 20 years.

Dunhill played with the breeze at their backs in the opening half and made full use of it early on as they raced into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the water break in the opening half with Shane Casey and Cillian Bonner inflicting much of the damage.

The game’s first goal came on 22 minutes when a shot by Dylan Dixon was deflected past Colm Keane off one of the Dunhill defenders. Points from Calum and Jack Lyons as well as Ronan Dunphy followed for “The Red’s” giving Sean Lyons’ side a 1-5 to 0-7 lead with half time looming.  

However in the closing minutes of the opening half it was Dunhill that finished the stronger of the two sides, as Killian Bonner pointed before Shane Casey buried a penalty on 30 minutes after Tomás Casey was fouled, and in added time at the end of the allotted 30 minutes, Eamon Murphy pointed twice and Dylan Swift hit one to give their side a deserved 1-12 to 1-5 at the turn around.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, Ballyduff Lower started strong. Jack and Calum Lyons as well as Ronan Dunphy shared equally the first six scores of the half to move within one of Dunhill by the 40^th minute.

The next 17 minutes saw the game go from end to end and with three minutes of the hour remaining Dunhill found themselves 1-18 to 1-15 in front, an often dangerous lead to hold going into the closing minutes of any game.

With a minute of normal time to play substitute Ross Coffey O’Shea was fouled inside the box and referee Anthony Fitzgerald awarded his second penalty of the game, this time to the Red’s and when one on one with Colm Keane Calum Lyons made no mistake to level matters.

Dunhill went back in front with an effort from Ben Gallagher, his second of the game, but the game was still not over and in stoppage time the Lyons brothers Calum and Jack shared three points putting “The Red’s” in front.

Jamie Sage pulled a point back for Dunhill and when former Inter County player Eamon Murphy went for the score that would secure the title for his side he saw his effort well saved by Michael Atkins.

BALLYDUFF LOWER: Michael Atkins; Adam Carroll, Kevin Cheasty, Colin O’Brien; Marcus Millea Cormac Dunphy, Dylan Reade; Calum Lyons, Declan Cheasty; Eoin Cummins, Jack Lyons, Ronan Dunphy; Dylan Dixon, Jack Kennedy, Josh Burns.

Sub: Ross Coffey O’Shea for Josh Burns (54).

Scorers: Calum Lyons 1-7, (1-0p, 0-3f), Jack Lyons (0-7, 0-3f), Dylan Dixon (1-0), Ronan Dunphy (0-3), Jack Kennedy (0-1). 

DUNHILL: Colm Keane; Walter Hally, Dylan Phelan, Killian O’Connell; John Roche Michael Harney, Conor Quinn; Daryl Swift, Jamie Sage; Tomás Casey, Shane Casey, Eamon Murphy; Eoghan Casey, Ciaran Buckley, Cillian Bonnar.

Subs: Ben Gallagher for Ciaran Buckley (42), Padraig Noonan for Tomás Casey (42), Sean McDonald for Killian O’Connell (51). 

Scorers: Shane Casey 1-5, (0-4f, 1-0p,0-1’65), Cillian Bonnar (0-4), Jamie Sage, Eoghan Murphy (0-3 each), Daryl Swift, Ben Gallagher (0-2 each), Conor Quinn (0-1).

Referee: Anthony Fitzgerald (Passage)

At Fraher Field on Sunday evening Ballyduff Upper possibly created history when they became the first club (certainly) in Waterford to capture a title courtesy of a penalty shoot out.

Andrew Casey proved to be hero for Ballyduff in this game as it was his score in a sudden death penalty shoot out which captured the title for his side after Clashmore’s Edmond O’Halloran with the penalty just before it shot wide.

Ballyduff had a great start to this game and raced into a very early four point lead with Clashmore not scoring till former Inter County player Brian O’Halloran put over on six minutes. Clashmore however came more and more into the game and by the water break mid way through the opening half they found themselves just one point (0-5 to 0-4) behind.

The second quarter proved to be equally as tight that Clashmore just shaded and turned around with a 0-9 to 0-8 lead showing on the score board, top scorer Luke Coughlan giving “The Still Men” the lead deep in stoppage time at the end of the allotted 30 minutes.

The game’s first goal came on came on 35 minutes when Sean Hickey finished to the net. However Clashmore soon responded with a goal of their own when a long range free from Tadhg Bourke went all the way to the Ballyduff net, giving his side a 1-11 to 1-10 lead with 40 minutes played.

The game continued to go from end to end and by the water break mid way through the second half it was the Still-men that were in front (1-12 to 1-11).

A brace of scores by Kevin Casey, and one each from Tadhg Bourke and Mikey Kearney gave Ballyduff a single score advantage with the game heading into its final ten minutes.

Ballyduff over the following minutes proved to be economical in front of goal with their chances they created and with seven minutes to play they found themselves 1-17 to 1-14 in front. Brian Ramsey not long on as a sub hit a second goal tying the scores once again. Inter county players Mikey Kearney and Tadhg Bourke hit scores for their respective sides to send the game into extra time.

Clashmore hit the first three scores of extra time to go three up, and this was the difference between the sides at the break in extra time as Clashmore turned around leading 2-22 to 1-22.

When Brian Ramsey pointed for Clashmore mid way through the second half in extra time to give his side a 2-25 to 1-24 lead it was starting to look good for the Still-men, but moments later a free was missed that if converted would have secured the title for Clashmore.

Mikey Kearney made it a three point game with just over a minute to play and moments before the final whistle Andrew Casey made a hero of himself when he finished past Mark McGrath to send the game into a penalty shoot out.

In the penalty shoot out Casey again proved to be a hero scoring in the initial five penalties and again in the sudden death shoot out after both sides converted three of their five penalties.

In Sudden death Tadhg Bourke saw his effort go over the crossbar (Only goals count) while keepers Mark McGrath and Michael McCormack saved the next two penalties, Shane Kearney had the chance to seal the title for Ballyduff but his effort rose to high. Edmond O’Halloran saw his effort go wide of the mark and when Andrew Casey stepped up to strike his second penalty of the evening he made no mistake.  

BALLYDUFF UPPER: Michael McCormack; Jamie Hannon, Oran Leamy, Shane Hannon; Seamus Hannon, Shane Kearney, Jamie Kearney; Conor Murray, Sean Casey; Fionnan Murray, Kevin Casey, Sean Hickey; Mikey Kearney, Eoghan Murray, Andrew Casey.

Subs: Stephen Molumphy for Eoghan Murray (48), Eoin O’Brien for Shane Hannon (60).

Scorers: Mikey Kearney 0-9 (7fs, 1 65), Kevin Casey 0-5, Andrew Casey 1-3, Sean Hickey 1-1, Stephen Molumphy, Fionnán Murray 0-2 each, Jamie Kearney, Seamus Hannon, Conor Murray 0-1 each.

CLASHMORE/KINSALEBEG: Mark McGrath; Sam Fitzgerald, Danny O’Mahony, Jason Seward; Sam Fitzgerald, Edmond O’Halloran, Cillian O’Keeffe; Tadhg Bourke, Declan Allen; James O’Leary, Brian O’Halloran, Aidan Trihy; Paul O’Connor, John Prendergast, Luke Coughlan.

Subs: Darren Foley for John Prendergast (HT), Adam O’Sullivan for Danny O’Mahony (43), Brian Ramsey for Declan Allen (52), Paddy Prendergast for Darren Foley (54), Declan Allen for James O’Leary (77), John Prendergast for Luke Coughlan (80).

Scorers: Luke Coughlan 0-7 (5fs), Tadhg Bourke 1-3 (1-2fs), Brian O'Halloran 0-5, Paul O’Connor 0-4, Brian Ramsey 1-0, Adam O'Sullivan 0-3, Edmond O’Halloran, 0-2, Sam Fitzgerald 0-1.

Referee: Tom Mansfield (Affane/Cappoquin)