Have a quick look at who won what competition in football this year and few
if any will be surprised, especially when it comes to the adult grade
competitions.
In senior football, the big three Ballinacourty, Stradbally and The Nire
were all expected to be the main contenders for the Conway Cup, while An Rinn,
Kilrossanty, and Clashmore all vying for the last spot in the semi final draw
with little separating the rest for the two remaining sports in the quarter
finals.
In Intermediate Football, the Brickeys relegated from the senior grade at
the end of 2013 were always the front runners to make swift return to the
senior grade at the first attempt and in Junior Kill who were beaten in the
2013 Eastern final, who in 2014 would be stronger as they could count on the
services of the Fenor players after the two clubs came together for the year
just ended were always going to be the strongest team in the East of the county
while Colligan, winners of the championship in the West of the county in 2013
and the defeated by Mount Sion in the county final were expected to be the
strongest side.
In the senior championship, as expected 2013 champions in group one and had
little difficultly getting through the league section of the competition. In
their five games they averaged just over 20 points a game while conceding just
under an average of 8 points a game.
Going on form in recent years An Rinn and Kilrossanty were always going to
finish in the top four positions at the end of the league, the only thing to be
resolved was there they would finish.
They did not disappoint finishing second and third respectfully, leaving
the last remaining place in the group to be fought out between Rathgormack,
Clashmore and Ardmore.
In recent years, both Rathgormack and Clashmore looked better equipped than
Ardmore, and it was no surprise that the Round Tower men trying to juggle been
a duel senior club again in 2014 after the sides hurlers played in the
Intermediate Championship was always going to find the going tough and the fact
that they were unable to call on many of the players that had served them best
in recent years at different times of the year was also not a help and it was
no surprise to see them finish bottom of the six team group.
This meant that the last place in the quarter finals was going to be taken
by Clashmore or Rathgormack. The side from close to the East Cork border
struggled to get their best team out at different times of the year early in
the competition and after loosing to Rathgormack in the second round of games
in the league section of the competition, the side from under the shadow of the
Comeragh Mountains were going to take the final quarter spot.
In group two, the biggest issue to be resolved was who would finish one and
two from The Nire and Stradbally. On the night, The Nire looked the stronger of
the two sides for much of the game and although the Cove Men would serve up a
late fight back, they were powerless to going under to their fierce rivals.
Group two was somewhat weaker this year than group one.
The battle for the last two quarter final spots was always going to be a
hard fought one, with little separating three of the four sides east of the
divisional divide down the county and Ballinameela who won the intermediate
championship twice since 2009.
Ballinameela put a lot of eggs in their hurling basket this year and it was
no real surprise to see their football results suffer as a result. They finished
bottom of the group, their best result being a draw against Gaultier. It was no
real surprise to see them relegated at the end of the competition but rest
assured with the players Ballinameela are able to call upon, their stay in the
Intermediate grade could be a short enough one and they will be expected to be
back playing senior in 2016.
That meant the two remaining quarter final spots would rest between De La
Salle, Saint Saviours and Gaultier.
The side from just off the Cork Road after many relegation struggles in
recent years reached the quarter finals in 2013 and a good year for them in
2014 would be to repeat that act.
As Intermediate champions De La Salle’s main hope would be to retain their
senior status in their first year playing top flight football in almost thirty
years and anything else would be a bonus. For the men from the Barony, they are
always expected to be there or there about when it come to the formation of the
quarter final draw, but in recent years despite having some quality footballers
they were struggling a little.
The mini league between the three clubs was always going to be a battle.
As things worked out De La Salle beat Saint Saviours but lost to the men
from the Barony, while Saint Saviours beat the Barony men, meaning that in the
three games, each side had two points from four.
The respective games between Ballinameela were now going to be the telling
factor. De La Salle and Saint Saviours both beat the Western club while
Gaultier failure to beat Ballinameela by two points or more cost them a place
in the last eight. (the game ended in a draw).
Had Gaultier won the game by two points, it would have meant that all four
would have finished on four points each and also with a score average of -10
each, meaning that a series of play-offs would have been needed to see what two
advanced to the quarter finals.
The quarter final pairings saw Ballinameela play Saint Saviours for the
second year in a row, Kilrossanty took on Stradbally, An Rinn played De La
Salle and Rathgormack played The Nire in a cross Comeragh local derby.
When Ballinacourty played St Saviours at Carriganore in 2013 the Ballybeg
men made the eventual champions fight hard for their win but this year it was
all one way traffic as ‘Courty ran out 5-18 to 0-3 winners.
In one of two local derby games in the quarter finals Stradbally proved far
too strong for Kilrossanty winning 1-14 to 0-6, the other local derby game saw
The Nire beat Rathgormack 1-8 to 0-8 while the fourth semi final spot was taken
by An Rinn who reached the semi finals for the second year in a row after a
0-18 to 0-6 win over De La Salle.
The semi final draw saw the two defeated semi finalists in 2013 paired
against each other with the semi final winners in 2013, a repeat of the county
final also pitted against each other.
Both semi finals proved much closer affairs than they were in 2013.
Stradbally gained revenge for their county final defeat in 2013 by beating a
previously unbeaten Ballinacourty 1-10 to 1-6 while the other semi final proved
to be even tighter as The Nire ran out 0-10 to 0-9 winners despite not hitting
any scores in the last 22 minutes of the game.
The County final proved to be one of the most enjoyable in a long number of
years as The Nire beat a fancied Stradbally 0-11 to 0-6 with Conor Gleeson
putting in a Man of the Match performance.
Benjie Whelan’s men went on to beat Limerick side Ballylanders in the
Munster Quarter final, a fancied Cratloe side in the semi final after another
enjoyable game and in the Munster Final many expected them to beat Austin
Stacks at Pairc Ui Chaoimh but mistakes on the day was to cost them.
The Brickeys were always expected to be the favourites to win the Intermediate football championship in 2014 and they did not
disappoint.
The win five of their six games in the league stages of the championship, their
only defeat coming in their final league game against Ballinacourty’s second
string team, a game that decided which of the two would top the group at the
end of the league section of the competition.
The final two places in the semi finals rested between Geraldine’s,
Dungarvan, Ballyduff Upper (who contested the 2013 county final), Sliabh gCua
and The Nire’s second string team.
Not surprisingly, the side from Aglish took one of the semi final spots while
Dungarvan took the final spot after they finished on six points from a maximum
of twelve, two ahead of Ballyduff Upper and Sliabh gCua.
In the first of the two semi finals, Ballinacourty proved too strong for
their near neighbours Dungarvan winning 2-15 to 0-3 while the second semi final
proved to be a closer affair as Brickeys beat Geraldine’s 0-17 to 2-8.
The final saw the top two at the end of the league section of the
competition do battle and it was no real surprise to see Brickeys gain some
revenge for their earlier defeat between the two sides as they beat
Ballinacourty 0-9 to 0-5.
In the east of the county, the competition saw the nine competing clubs
split into two groups, which were won by John Mitchel’s and Portlaw who
advanced to the semi finals.
The quarter finals saw Dunhill beat Newtown 1-6 to 0-8 while Bunmahon were
too strong for Saint Molleran’s winning 1-11 to 0-8.
The semi finals saw the two group winners as expected prove too strong as
John Mitchel’s had a 2-11 to 0-12 win over Dunhill while Portlaw beat Bunmahon
4-10 to 2-10.
In the final many expected John Mitchel’s to win but its worth while
remembering that Portlaw have always produced some good footballers and they
were worthy winners of the game on a 0-9 to 1-4 score line.
The county final was expected to be a cake walk for Brickeys. While they
achieved that win (3-8 to 1-11) at Walsh Park, Portlaw made them work hard for
it and on another day or maybe had Lady Luck shun on the Tannery Town side on
the day the outcome could well have been different.
In the Munster Championship, Brickeys always faced an uphill battle against
Kerry side Ardfert who won the game 1-13 to 0-7 at Fraher Field.
With so many games won in the east this year by means of a walk over, the
competition could well be described as bit of a non event.
As expected, Kill proved to be the best side, winning all their games in
many cases much easier than many would have liked.
Roanmore, Ferrybank and Naomh Pól were the other sides to advance to the
semi finals of the competition.
In the penultimate round of games Roanmore had a 2-12 to 1-9 win over
Ferrybank while Kill advanced to the final by virtue of a walk over.
In the final Kill proved too strong for Roanmore to set up a county final
in which they could be seeking to move back up a grade after two years playing
Junior.
In the west, the seven teams involved played a league competition with
where each team finished in the league deciding at what stage you entered the
knockout stages of the championship.
Neighbours Modeligo and Colligan finished one and two, Modeligo topping the group and
they won the league final between the two at Bushy Park on a 3-14 to 1-11 score
line.
In the first round, Shamrocks had a 6-8 to 1-6 win over Kilgobinet but they
went out of the competition at the quarter final stages loosing 2-9 to 0-4
against a strong Old Parish side while at the same stage of the competition
Tallow had a 3-8 to 2-6 win over Affane.
The semi finals saw Old Parish record a 3-10 to 2-12 win over Modeligo and
Colligan beat Tallow 2-12 to 0-8.
The final between Old Parish and Colligan ended in a 1-9 to 1-9 draw but
‘The Shock’s’ had to thank goal keeper Aidan Power for keeping them in the game
making a brilliant save at the end.
The replay proved to be a clearer cut affair as Old Parish proved too
strong for the favourites and 2013 champions Colligan, winning 3-7 to 0-7.
The county final seemed to be heading the way of Kill for much of the
afternoon as for 50 minutes they were without doubt the better of the two sides,
but Old Parish staged a great late comeback to earn a second bite of the apple
(1-8 to 2-5), but in the replay, the mid county side proved too strong for ‘The
Shocks winning (5-10 to 0-7).
In the Munster championship Glin from Limerick proved too strong for Kill
winning 1-8 to 0-8.
In the new Junior (Senior Attached) Championship which was run on an all
county basis, two sides from the West reached the championship decider at
Fraher Field. At the first attempt Ballinameela and Kilrossanty could not be
separated, the game ending Ballinameela 0-12 to Kilrossanty 2-6, but in the
replay Ballinameela ran out winners on a 0-9 to 0-6 score line.
In the Junior Intermediate attached competition (it must be confusing if
you are not from Waterford, and maybe is confusing if you are from Waterford),
Brickeys and Bunmahon reached the final where victory went to the sides from
the West on a 1-6 to 0-7 score line at Walsh Park.
At underage level, in under 21 level there was a county final win for Saint
Oliver’s who beat Rathgormack 2-8 to 1-10. In their respective divisional
finals Saint Oliver’s and Rathgormack beat The Nire and De La Salle. In the ‘B’
Championship, the title again went west as St. Declan’s (Ardmore) had a 2-14 to
3-7 win over Saint Mary’s (East). In there respective divisional finals there were
wins for Ardmore and Saint Mary’s over Cois Bhride and Kilmacthomas.
At Minor level The Nire won the ‘A’ Championship beating Stradbally 3-11 to
0-6. Ballinacourty and Dungarvan were the sides beaten in the semi finals. In
the ‘B’ competition Clashmore proved too strong for Cois Brid winning 2-11 to
2-6. In the semi finals the sides had wins over Rathgormack and St. Oliver’s. In
the ‘C’ competition Naomh Deagláin Thoir proved too strong for Saint Patrick’s, winning 3-10 to 0-7. Mount Sion and
Affane were the defeated semi final teams.
County Football Final winners in 2014
County Senior Football The Nire 0-11 Stradbally 0-6
County Intermediate Football Brickeys 3-8 Portlaw 1-11
County Junior Football Kill 1-8 Old Parish 2-5
County Junior Football Replay Kill 5-10 Old Parish 0-7
Junior ‘Senior Attached’ Ballinameela 0-12 Kilrossanty 2-6
Junior ‘Senior Attached’ replay Ballinameela 0-9 Kilrossanty 0-6
County U21 ‘A’ Football Saint
Oliver’s 2-8 Rathgormack 1-10
County U21 ‘B’ Football St.
Declan’s 2-14 St. Mary’s 3-7
County Minor ‘A’ Football The
Nire 3-11 Stradbally 0-6
County Minor ‘B’ Football Clashmore 2-11 Cois
Bhride 2-6
County Minor ‘C’ Football Naomh Deagláin 3-10 St. Patrick’s 0-7
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