Shocks live another day

What is it about teams wearing red in county finals played at Walsh Park and late come backs.

Just over twelve months ago, we say Passage capture their first Waterford Senior Hurling Championship, beating their neighbours Ballygunner by three points having found themselves seven points down with seven minutes of normal time to play.

On Saturday afternoon, at the same venue and with different teams involved, this time in football, a much harder game to get scores in, Old Parish with ten minutes to play found themselves seven points down.

I am sure that while it be admitted to loudly there was some in the stand watching on from Kill who believed that victory was theirs, they were going back to playing in the Intermediate grade in 2015 having played Junior for the past two years, and there would be some in the stand from Old Parish who were believing that their wait for a first county final since 1949 would have to be put on hold for another year.

However, no game is over till the final whistle is sounded. You have to expect the unexpected. You have to keep going, no matter what and this is what Old Parish did.

Kill in the eyes of many went into the game as the favourites to win. They appeared in last years Eastern Final where they were beaten by a Mount Sion side who were knocking on the door in Eastern and County Finals with a number of years, and with the Monastery Men having moved up to Intermediate for 2014 after winning last years final against Colligan, the mid county side were always fancied in the east of the county and more over so when they locked horns with neighbours Fenor.

Old Parish however were never going to be too far away from reaching this stage of the championship. Colligan who won the western final in 2013 and who were beaten in the 2013 co final were always going to be expected to be the strongest side in the west again this year but with Old Parish haven added Graham Guiry and Declan Ryan to their panel this year they were always going to be in with a major shout.

This was a game of two halves if ever there was one. No I tell a lie, it was a game where Kill not dominated the opening half, they were also the better side for twenty minutes of the second half.

Old Parish to be honest it has to be said only showed up for the final ten minutes of this game and the extra four minutes that were played at the end. Had they put in the effort they did in the final minutes of the game from the off, you can’t but wonder would the game have a different outcome for them.

Ray Hennessy the hero for Kill in their Eastern Final win over Roanmore was again to the fore for the mid county side in this game.

He gave his side a good start to this game with a point from a free on two minutes. Kill followed up with efforts from Anthony Kiely and Ben Gallagher but no score resulted from these efforts.

On eight minutes, Kill widen the difference between the sides when a good run from the right wing resulted in a Sean Cheasty goal.

Ray Hennessy, Ben Gallagher and Sean Cheasty followed up with points for Kill to give them a 1-4 to 0-0 lead with just twelve minutes on the clock and it was not looking good for OId Parish.

The Shocks first score of the game came on nineteen minutes through a Declan Ryan free, a score that was to prove to be their only one in the first half.

Kill however would add to their tally, Ray Hennessy not for the first time again proved to be the saviour converting a free seven minutes from the break to give his side a 1-5 to 0-1 lead as the sides swapped ends.

Declan Power kicked the first score of the second half to draw Old Parish to within six of Kill. However a Ray Hennessy point twelve minutes into the second half soon had them seven back in front once more.

At the end of the third quarter Tomas Curran with a fisted effort after he was picked out by Declan Ryan but five minutes later that score was cancelled out when Ray Hennessy put over a free and with ten minutes to play it was looking as though it was going to be Kill’s day.

Brian French pointed for Old Parish six minutes from the hour mark and when Declan Ryan finished to the net soon afterwards, there was just three between the sides and Old Parish fans must have been a Shock was on the cards in the eyes of some.

Three minutes from the hour mark, Old Parish cut the Kill lead to two when Padraig Healy pointed. The large Old Parish support now were wondering in the time that remained could they hit the scores to get something from the game.

Two minutes into four of added time at the end of the hour it looked as though it was curtains for Old Parish when Conor Rockett pointed for Kill giving them a three point lead, but Old Parish refused to give up.

At every opportunity they attached the Kill goal and with time almost up an attack by Old Parish began in their own half of the field. When it got near the Kill goal they attempted to strike for goal, but the effort was blocked. Again Old Parish tried for goal and again the shot was blocked but it was third time lucky when the ball made its way to Shane Power the team captain who successfully appealed a straight red card he received in the Western Final he was in the right place at the right time to slot the ball past Kieran Dunphy in the Kill goal.

From the restart after the goal Alan Kissane blew the full time whistle, meaning the two sides will have to head back to Walsh Park and do it all over again.

Strangely, the last time Old Parish won the final in 1949 they won it beating Kill after a replay. Can history repeat itself sixty-five years on?

Old Parish: Aidan Power; Ian Curran, Patrick Conway, Dan Murphy; Andy Walsh, Michael French, Stephen Conway; Cormac Nugent, Shane Power; Tomas Curran, Declan Ryan, Declan Power; Ray Terry, Graham Guiry, Padraig Healy. Subs: Bryan French for Declan Power, Brendan Hogan for Tomas Curran, Dermot Conway for Ray Terry, Padraig Keating for Ian Curran.

Scorers: Declan Ryan 1-1 (0-1f), Shane Power 1-0, Declan Power, Tomas Curran, Bryan French, Padraig Healy 0-1 each.

Kill: Kieran Dunphy; David Sullivan, Stephen Dunne, Luke Middleton; Fergal Whelan, Jim Halley, Brian Flynn; Conor Hennessy, Niall Hennessy; John Flynn, Anthony Kiely, Ben Gallagher; Paudie Raher, Ray Hennessy, Sean Cheasty. Subs: Mike Nicholls for Paudie Raher, Peter Kirwan for Niall Hennessy, Peter Torpey for Conor Hennessy (B.C.), Niall Flynn for Anthony Kiely (B.C.) Chris Rockett for

Scorers: Ray Hennessy 0-5 (4f), Sean Cheasty 1-1, Ben Gallagher, Conor Rockett 0-1 each.

Referee: Alan Kissane