Devine Inspiration for Modeligo

They went into the game as Western and County Junior Hurling Champions, and on Sunday last Modeligo made sure that 2014 was going to end on a high for them when they became only the second Waterford club to win Divisional, County and Provincial titles in the one year when they beat Cork champions Castlemartyr at Mallow.

While the Cork side went into the game as the favourite’s to win, there was many, possibly more in Waterford than anywhere else who believed that Pa Kearney’s Modeligo charges could win this game, repeating what Ballysaggart did twelve months earlier, but few could have anticipated that the score difference between the two would be as wide as it was at the end of sixty minutes of hurling.

It’s possibly fair to say that at the start of the year that few could have envisaged that the year Modeligo had would end the way it did.

They would be second favourite’s earlier in the year to win Divisional honours even though it was they had run last years champions Ballysaggart closest on their run to an All-Ireland final appearance in Croke Park, and for the county title there would be three or four teams more fancied to win ahead of Modeligo.

But from the off this year they have impressed under the guidance of Ballyduff Upper man, Pa Kearney who in his mid 20’s is already regarded as one of the best up and coming coach’s not just in Waterford but in Munster and it would be no surprise to hear his name getting linked to positions at a higher standard in the near future.

Sunday’s win was the fifth competition that Modeligo have won this year. While some may talk down the side in green and white winning the Western League Final, remember they were a junior club playing against Intermediate clubs, some who had serious ambitions of playing senior in the near future, and winning the Western Junior Football League Final, it is worth reporting that a win is a win, no matter what it is in and that winning instills confidence into a side and all year Modeligo did not lack confidence.

They will have a short break from the game now before returning to prepare for their All-Ireland Quarter Final early in the new year against the British champions Fullen Gaels who last year reached the semi final’s where they played eventual All-Ireland winners Creggan Kickhams from Antrim, and should they come through the game with the Manchester Club in Birmingham, a game against Monaghan Senior Hurling Championship and League as well as Ulster Junior Champions Castleblayney in the All-Ireland semi final at the end of January. (Castleblayney, like St Joseph’s from Sligo last year, play in the junior championship owing to the level their senior inter county play at).

On the day of this game, Modeligo put in a magnificent team performance. Each and every player that got to taste action on the day played their part, as did the subs that were not called upon on the day.

But on the day one player above all stood out.

For Tom Devine the past year and a half have proven to be a special time.

He was part of a St. Augustine’s College side that won a Munster and All-Ireland Football title in early 2013. He was the captain of the Dungarvan Colleges side that won the Dr. Harty and Dr. Croke competitions. He was part of a Waterford Minor team that took Limerick to a replay in the Munster Final, part of a Minor Football team that helped the county to a win over Limerick championship and put up an terrific battle against Kerry in their own back yard in Killarney. He was part of the Waterford team that won a first minor All-Ireland final since 1948, hitting a score late on in the game which turned the game just as Galway were coming string against the Waterford defense. He was part of the Modeligo side that make Ballysaggart dig as deep as they did in last years Western Junior Hurling semi final. But his performance last Sunday would equal, maybe better what he had achieved in the past number of months.

He was magnificent on Sunday afternoon last. He scored two goals and helped set up two more. In fact he could have ended this game with a hat-trick if luck was on his side. All Modeligo did against the East Cork side at Mallow on Sunday last he was involved in or was never too far from been involved.

Modeligo opened the scoring in this game within ninety seconds of the game starting thanks to an effort from Kieran McCarthy who was back in the side after picking up an injury in the county final win over Bunmahon.

Barry Lawton was the player that Modeligo most had to keep quiet if they were to win this game. He was their scorer in chief all year winning the East Cork and County Championship and again in their only game in the Munster Championship prior to this game, a quarter final win over Kerry Intermediate Champions Kenmare.

It was he who got the Cork side off the mark with a pointed free on two minutes which leveled the scores on the score board.

Jamie Troy and Lawton would swap scores before the first of five goals scored in this game was registered on nine minutes. Not surprisingly Tom Devine played a part in the goal. It was he who picked out Michael Troy who drilled the ball past Eanna McGovern to give his side a 1-2 to 0-2 lead.

Barry Lawton pulled back a point for the Cork Champions two minutes later, but in the thirteenth minutes Modeligo would have the umpire reaching for a green flag again, this time Tom Devine turned from goal provider to goal scorer as he flicked over the advancing Eanna McGovern having been set up by former inter county hurler Pat Fitzgerald to give his side a 2-2 to 0-3 advantage.

Kieran McCarthy and Jamie Troy tagged on further points to give them a 2-4 to 0-3 lead with eighteen minutes on the clock.

Castlemartyr would pull points back through Barry Lawton and Briain Ó Tuama but Modeligo would end the half the stronger of the two sides as they were for much of the game to this point as Nicky O’Donovan set up by his older brother Pa and Jamie Troy from a free landed points and just before the half time whistle, Modeligo would add a third goal, a second in the game for Michael Troy following some good work by Kieran McCarthy and Tom Devine in the build up.

Whatever was said in the Castlemartyr dressing room at the break looked as though it was going to work in the second half, as they came out all guns blazing, hitting four points inside the first five minutes of the second half, three from Barry Lawton and one from his brother Brian to leave five between the sides.

But just as they had done at crucial points in the opening half, Modeligo hit back with another timely struck goal on thirty eight minutes.

Thomas and Pa Walsh linked up and when an effort from the latter was not dealt with properly by the Castlemartyr defense Jamie Troy bounced and with a ground stroke, Eanna McGovern was beaten for the fourth side.

Castlemartyr through Barry Lawton pulled a point back, but Modeligo would soon hit another purple patch when it came to scoring as Jamie Troy, Pa O’Donovan, Jamie Troy (again) and Kieran McCarthy in a eight minutes spell, a period of which the Cork side would only hit once score through Barry Lawton from a free which gave Modeligo a 4-10 to 0-12 lead with just over ten minutes to play.

There was still plenty of time for the East Cork side to come back into the game, but it was important that they scored next and it was important that the next score for them would be a goal, but it did not work out as they would have wanted.

It was Modeligo that scored next, and that score was a fifth goal. In fact it was the score of the game and it was no surprise that Tom Devine was involved.

The talented teenager bore down on the Castlemartyr defense with ten minutes to play and directed a bullet of a shot in the direction of the Castlemartyr goal which Eanna McGovern was powerless to keep out. This score gave the side in green and white a 5-10 to 0-12 lead and in effect made sure that there was going to be no late fight back.

Both sides in the final ten minutes tagged on a further two point’s each. Jamie Troy had the umpire reaching for the white flag on fifty five and fifty seven minutes. Either side of these scores Eddie Clifford and Colin Bowens both second half subs tagged on scores for Castlemartyr.

Next up for Modeligo as already pointed out is a trip across the Irish Sea and a meeting with Fullen Gaels in Birmingham.

This will not be an easy game for Modeligo and the winners will have just two weeks off before they play Castleblayney in the semi finals. Galway champions Annaghdown and competition favourites Bennetsbridge meet in the second semi final.

Modeligo will have taken much inspiration from Ballysaggart last year. The 2013 divisional, county and provincial champions could and possibly should have collected silverware on the steps of the Hogan Stand last February. Modeligo will know having run Ballysaggart so close last year they can go that step further this year.

A lot of water must travel under the Bridge between now and then if it is to happen. The Kilkenny champions may be favourites to win in Croke Park but Modeligo know they not favourites to win Divisional, County and Provincial titles a few months back, but they have come out on top in the games they have played up to now and now have to believe that they can come out on top in the games that are to due to be played.  

MODELIGO: Donal O’Keeffe; Johnny McGrath, Brian McCarthy, Robbie Buckley; Shane Troy, Pat Fitzgerald, Seanie O’Donovan; Tom Devine, Thomas Walsh; Kieran McCarthy, Jamie Troy, Nicky O’Donovan; Michael Troy, Pa O’Donovan, Pa Walsh. Subs: Rian Reddy for Pa Walsh, 53; Sean Hennessy for Robbie Buckley and Louis Queally for Thomas Walsh, both 55; Paudie McCarthy for Johnny McGrath, 59.

Scorers: Jamie Troy 1-6 (0-4 fs); Michael Troy, Tom Devine 2-0 each; Kieran McCarthy 0-3; Nicky O’Donovan 0-2; Pa O’Donovan 0-1.

CASTLEMARTYR: Eanna McGovern; Ollie Smiddy, Robert O’Donovan, Eoin Roynane; Donnacha O Tuama, Brian Smiddy, Adrian Bowens; Briain O Tuama, Barra O Tuama; Damien McAuliffe, Brian Lawton, Jamie Stack; Cian Haines Mike O’Neill, Barry Lawton. Subs: Eddie Clifford for Cian Haines, 40; Colin Bowens for Mike O’Neill 47; Peter Horgan for Jamie Stack, J. Lawton for Donnacha O Tuama, both 54; Jimmy Smiddy for Damien McAuliffe, 55.

Scorers: Barry Lawton 0-10 (0-8 fs, 0-1 65); Brian Lawton, Barra O Tuama, Colin Bowens and Eddie Clifford 0-1 each.

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).