When it came to the club hurling scene in
Waterford in 2014, it was a year in which we expected a lot. While along the
way, there were some surprises and memorable days for some clubs in the main
2014 was possibly a disappointing year for most hurling supports at a local
level.
I cant really comment on whether 2014 was a
good year or otherwise on the club scene as I missed out on seeing games for
much of the year as a result of surgery at the end of 2013, but from speaking
to those who were watching what was happening during the year it appears that
the year was a disappointing one, especially at senior level.
In the lower grades, things were much more
exciting as we saw clubs reach and win county finals in the autumn that would
not have been favourites when the different championships began.
At senior level, 12 clubs again took part in
2014. The same number will again take part in 2015 but at the end of the year
the numbers will be cut by two. This is something that many will welcome as it
should make the competition a little more competitive. It remains to be seen
how the ten clubs that are expected to play senior in 2016 will be got. Will
three teams be dropped from the grade at the end of the 2015 championship and
the Intermediate Champions promoted, or will two teams be relegated and no team
promoted.
if the latter was to happen, could we see the
introduction of a senior B or Premier intermediate championship be formed like
in Cork and Limerick, therefore lessening the blow somewhat for the relegation
of two teams as compared to one in recent years, and also making up for the
fact that no team would be moving up to senior from Intermediate.
In Senior level, in group one it was no
surprise that De La Salle (winners on 2008, 2010 and 2012), Passage (winners in
2013) and Abbeyside who were beaten in the 2013 semi finals all reached the
2013 championship all reached the knockout stages of the competition.
For Roanmore who have done well to retain
their status in the top flight since coming up in 2010 to reach the knockout
stages of the competition was going to be a tough ask.
The final place in the group to win a place
in the quarter finals was expected to rest between Fourmilewater who have never
won the senior Championship, who reached the semi finals in 2012, and Lismore
who last won the championship in 1993 and whose best finish in recent years was
a county final replay defeat to Ballygunner in 2009 at Walsh Park.
That final place in the quarter finals from
group one was won by the men from the Heritage town thanks in no small part to
securing a draw in the clash between the two western clubs in the last round of
games in the league section of the competition.
If there was a surprise in group one it was
that Fourmilewater finished bottom of the group even though they had the better
score difference after they lost the head to head game with Roanmore after the
two finished level on three points from a maximum of ten.
In group two of the championship, three of
the six sides involved were always going to reach the knockout stages of the
championship. The only thing to be decided was to find out where Ballygunner,
Dungarvan and Mount Sion were to finish.
As things worked out, the sides finished as
mentioned above, with Ballygunner finishing with maximum points and the side
from the Old Boro finishing two points behind and two ahead of the Monastery
Men.
Ardmore having come up from Intermediate at
the end of 2013 were always going to be happy just to retain their senior
status for 2015, meaning the last place to be decided was going to rest between
neighbours Tallow an Ballyduff Upper.
The two sides from the far west of the county
met in Lismore on August 8 in the third round of games, a game that the
Bride-siders won 1-13 to 0-15 which effectively booked their place in the last
eight of the championship.
In September the real serious stuff started
as ten of the twelve clubs were engaged in knockout hurling games.
The relegation play off game saw
Fourmilewater take on Ardmore. All year Ardmore suffered with losses to key
players be it with injury, suspension or players moving abroad.
On the night Fourmilewater’s greater
experience was a telling factor and they went on to record what was a
comfortable win to secure their place for the year ahead.
In the quarter finals of the championship, De
La Salle and Tallow were pitted against each other, the holders Passage took on
the runners up from the previous year Dungarvan, Abbeyside and Mount Sion, the
defeated semi finalists from 2013 and Lismore and Ballygunner were all pitted
against each other.
From these games there was wins for De La
Salle, Dungarvan, Lismore and Ballygunner.
In the semi final draws, Ballygunner were
pitted with Dungarvan at Fraher Field and Mount Sion and De La Salle clashed at
Walsh Park.
In the game at Walsh Park the old adage that
goals win games won through as Mount Sion recorded a 2-17 to 0-16 win and at
Fraher Field in a game that finished with darkness setting in fast and there
was controversy as to whether the lights at the ground should be turned on or
left off and who makes the call as to whether they should be used or not,
Ballygunner kept their winning steak in tact winning 0-17 to 1-12.
The final was played at Walsh Park in mid
October and proved to be a disappointing affair as Mount Sion who had impressed
in games running up to the decider failed to bring that form into the game and
‘The Gunners’ easily won a thirteen county final, winning on a 2-16 to 0-9
score line.
Ballygunner as a result of the win
represented Waterford in the Munster Club Championship but had to settle for
second best against a strong Cratloe side in the quarter finals at Walsh Park.
The Intermediate Championship as in recent
years proved to be a lottery. In both division’s there was a number of sides
who were fancied to go on to represent the county in Munster.
The west saw an emerging Ballinameela win
group one with six points from a possible eight, their only loss coming at the
hands of 2013 West, County and Munster junior champions Ballysaggart in round
one on a 2-18 to 4-11 score line.
Top spot after the league section of the
competition gave them an automatic place in the semi finals, with the two
quarter final places from group one taken by Ballysaggart who lost three points
from their maximum of eight and Stradbally who beat Shamrocks in the last
league game to secure the spot. The Knockanore side went into that game in
third place and only needed to avoid defeat and they would be playing knockout
hurling.
As a result of Stradbally’s win, Clashmore
who were amongst the favourites to win the title finished bottom of the pile
and were relegated as a result, but there could be some good news for them to
come on that front yet.
In group two, Cappoquin, Brickeys and An Rinn
al finished level on six points from a maximum of eight.
Cappoquin topped the group on score
difference over the other two, with Brickeys finishing above An Rinn who were
regarded as favourites by many to head back up to senior after loosing their
status after just one year.
Tourin would finish fourth in the group and
Abbeyside’s second string XV would finish bottom of the group loosing all four
of their games.
An Rinn proved too strong for Ballysaggart in
the quarter finals, having nine points to spare, while Brickeys needed two
attempts to beat Stradbally, drawing 1-22 to 3-16 before advancing to the last four after a
3-11 to 3-7 replay win.
In the semi finals, Cappoquin proved too
strong for An Rinn who beat them in the league stages of the competition. The
Corner-stone men won on a 2-12 to 1-12 margin, while the second semi final in a
local derby game Ballinameela proved too strong for Brickeys winning on a 5-11
to 1-12 score-line.
The Western final was another local derby
side. Both sides were very familiar with each other as both sets of players
would have played a lot of hurling together in the past. Cappoquin would run
out winners in a tight game on a 2-15 to 2-13 score line at Fraher Field.
In the east, things proved to be just as
tight as they were in the west.
In group one, just one point separated
Clonea, Ballygunner and Dunhill after each side played five games, Clonea and
Ballygunner finishing on eight points each from ten, while St. Molleran’s took
the last quarter final spot from the group with three points from their five
games.
Mount Sion finished bottom of the pile on
score difference over Butlerstown after the two sides finished on two points
each, and the sides drawing the clash between the two.
In group two Erin’s Own topped the group with
eight points from ten, followed by Ferrybank who finished one point behind,
with Portlaw and Saint Saviours finishing level on six points each to secure
the last two quarter final spots, the Tannery side finishing in the higher
place after they beat the side from the outskirts of the city 3-19 to 4-14 in
the league section of the competition.
De La Salle would finish in fifth place
finishing on three points after drawing with Ferrybank and Tramore who finished
bottom of the pile with no win, after they were promoted from in a break from
the normal were promoted from the junior grade without winning the county final
the previous year.
Mount Sion won the relegation play off
beating Tramore 2-16 to 0-15 at Kill.
In the quarter finals, Ballygunner beat
Portlaw 0-17 to 0-16 at Walsh Park, Erin’s Own comprehensively beat St
Molleran’s 3-18 to 0-4, Ferrybank beat Dunhill 3-11 to 0-17 all at the Keane’s
Road venue while in Kill Saint Saviours beat a fancied Clonea side 4-10 to
2-13.
In the semi finals, Saint Saviours won a
local derby game 2-15 to 2-14 against Erin’s Own at Walsh Park while
Ballygunner proved too strong for Ferrybank at the same venue winning 2-14 to
0-14.
In the Final Saint Saviours beat Ballygunner
1-19 to 2-12 at Walsh Park.
In the County Final Cappoquin finished
stronger against Saint Saviours to win a first Intermediate county final since
1976. The Corner stone men would go on to beat Clare Champions Feakle in the
Munster Semi Final after getting a quarter final bye after the Tipperary
championship was not complete on time and in the final The Corner-stone boys
again beat fancied opposition in Limerick champions Bruff to set up an
All-Ireland semi final against O’Donovan Rossa from Antrim in the New Year.
The Junior championship in both divisions
this year can only be called a farce due to a lack on numbers involved. Five
clubs took part in the east and four in the west.
In the east of the county, Bunmahon,
Ballydurn, Fenor and Ballyduff Lower all qualified for the semi finals, with
Naomh Pol finishing bottom loosing all four games.
In the semi finals, both proved to be very
close. Fenor beat Ballydurn 0-18 to 0-17 while Bunmahon beat Ballyduff Lower
1-8 to 0-8.
Fenor were favourites to win the title, but
as we all know, goals can often win games, and in the Final Bunmahon raised two
green flags to win on a 2-7 to 0-9 score line.
In the West of the county, Modeligo topped
the table with seven points after the group stages to win an automatic place in
the divisional decider. Saint Mary’s finished bottom of the four sides, on two
points, while Colligan and Geraldine’s finished in the mid table spots so
contested the semi final spot which Colligan won 0-12 to 0-11.
In the final, Modeligo finished winners on a
1-19 to 0-11 score line meaning The Rockies finished as the runners up for the
second year in a row.
In the County Final, Modeligo proved too
strong for Bunmahon at Fraher Field, winning comfortably and went on to beat
Limerick side Feohanagh-Castlemahon in the Munster Semi Final and then a
fancied Castlemartyr from Cork in the final at Mallow. They now play British
Champions Fulhan Gaels in the All-Ireland quarter finals at Birmingham in the
new year with the winners playing Castleblayney from Monaghan in the semi final
at the end of January.
In the Junior Senior attached hurling championship,
Passage, Clonea, Roanmore and Mount Sion advanced to the semi finals in the
East of the county.
Clonea beat Roanmore 1-16 to 0-9 and Passage
proved too strong for Mount Sion winning 3-19 to 1-5 in the semi finals and in
the final Clonea won a close battle on a 1-17 to 1-15 score line at Walsh Park.
In the West, Ballyduff Upper, Dungarvan,
Lismore and Fourmilewater all reached the last four.
Ballyduff Upper beat Tallow 2-14 to 1-14 and
Dungarvan beat Lismore 4-13 to 4-11 in the semi finals and in the final
Ballyduff Upper beat the Old Boro 1-14 to 1-12.
In the County Final, Clonea proved too strong
from the side which borders the North Cork border at Fraher Field.
In the Junior ‘Intermediate’ attached
competition Dunhill and Erin’s Own finished in the top two positions to book a
place in the semi finals.
In the Quarter Finals, Dunhill beat Tramore
3-18 to 2-12 while Ferrybank proved too strong for Butlerstown 0-13 to 0-7.
In the semi finals Erin’s Own beat Ferrybank
1-11 to 1-10 and Dunhill beat Portlaw 5-13 to 2-8. The final saw Dunhill beat
Erin’s Own 0-18 to 2-5 at Walsh Park.
In the west, the competition was played in
two groups. Glen Rovers won group one with maximum points from their five games
to book a place in the semi final. The two available quarter final places in
group one were taken by Clashmore and Shamrocks.
Kilgobinet won group two again with maximum
points to book an automatic semi final spot while Abbeyside and Ballysaggart
took the quarter final spots in group two.
In the quarter finals, Abbeyside proved too
strong for An Rinn winning 1-17 to 1-10 while Clashmore beat Ballysaggart 3-10
to 0-10.
In the semi finals, Kilgobinet beat Abbeyside
1-12 to 0-11and in the other semi final Glen Rovers and Clashmore drew 2-9 to
1-12 before Clashmore won the replay 0-20 to 1-16.
In the western final Kilgobinet beat
Clashmore 3-10 to 1-12.
The County Final saw Kilgobinet beat Dunhill
at Fraher Field with one point to spare. The final score was 2-12 to 2-11.
Senior
Hurling County Final
Ballygunner 2-16 Mount
Sion 0-9
Intermediate
Hurling County Final Cappoquin 2-19 St Saviours 2-11
Junior
Hurling County Final Modeligo 2-25 Bunmahon 0-8
Junior ‘Senior
Attached Co. Final Clonea 2-17 Ballyduff 2-6
Junior ‘Inter
Attached Co. Final Kilgobinet 2-12 Dunhill 2-11
Under
21 ‘A’ County Final Ballygunner 2-12 Dungarvan 0-11
Under
21 ‘B’ County Final An Gaeltacht 3-12 Tramore 0-7
Minor ‘A’
County Final Dungarvan 1-13 De La Salle 0-13
Minor ‘B’
County Final Abbeyside
1-16 Glenshelane 4-4
Minor ‘C’
County Final Fourmilewater
1-14 Naomh Brid 1-14
Minor ‘C’
County Final Replay Fourmilewater
0-14 Naomh Brid 1-10
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.