Saint Mary’s ends 26 year wait for Silverware

Saint Mary’s won what was only a third ever West Waterford Junior Hurling Final on Saturday evening as they overcame the challenge of near neighbours Colligan at Fraher Field.

The Rockies would have gone in the game as the fancied side in the eyes of many having appeared in the previous three finals at this grade of hurling, despite loosing to their neighbours in the league section of the competition.

The last time Saint Mary’s won the junior final in the west was in 1989 and then went on to win the county final beating Ballydurn at Walsh Park. Previous to that Saint Mary’s won the title in 1978 beating Ardmore 1-14 to 2-9 in the final and then beating Rathgormack in the County Final on a 0-16 to 1-6 score line.

For Colligan they have to go back nearly thirty years for their last success at this grade, capturing the title in 1984.

A large crowd gathered to see these two sides do battle with each other. Coupled with the Intermediate Football curtain raiser between another set of neighbours Ballinameela and Geraldine’s, patrons helped to improve the figure on the Western Board’s balance sheet by just over €4,000 and those that did go to view the game were not left disappointed with the winners full value for their win.

Saint Mary’s did much of the spade work for this win in the first half.

They got off to a great start with a Kieran Barron point after just fourteen seconds and followed it up with a brace of Eoin Kearns frees.

Colligan opened their account on five minutes with a point from Johnny Wall after he was picked out by Mark Flynn but it was soon cancelled out with an effort from Johnny Ahearne after some good work by Kevin Sheehan in the build up.

The Touraneena side continued to be the better of the two sides in the remainder of the opening half as Eoin Kearns put over three points from frees while Jason and Kevin Sheehan also added points. Colligan did manage to pull back scores from Ross Browne and Johnny Wall to leave them trailing by six with ten minutes of the first half still remaining.

Colligan in the last ten minutes of the first half faired better than they did in the opening twenty as Johnny Wall added two more points and inter county player Colin Dunford hit one to draw closer to their neighbours.

However Saint Mary’s would go in at the break leading by four (0-10 to 0-6) as Kieran Barron hit his second of the game late in the half following some good work by both JJ Coffey and Jason Sheehan in the build up.

Saint Mary’s opened the second half brightly as teenager Ronan Gleeson having come on for Aidan Fitzpatrick at the break split the Colligan uprights within a minute of the resumption.

And it got even better for the Touraneena men a minute later as David Whelan and Eoin Kearns combined to free up Jason Sheehan to fire home the first goal of the game.

This however would prove to be the Touraneena side’s last score of the game from play. Even though they would tag on another four points all from Eoin Kearns made up of three frees and a ’65 it may be a slight concern going into the county final against Fenor at Walsh Park that they went twenty-eight plus minutes without scoring from play.

In those closing twenty eight minutes, the Rockies put 1-7 past the Touraneena men.

Gavin Whelan hit three points in this time while John Wall added 1-3 and John Morrissey also got his name on the score sheet.

Colligan’s goal came ten minutes from the hour mark from a Johnny Wall close in free won by Colin Dunford as he barged down on the Saint Mary’s goal leaving just two between the sides (1-13 to 1-11).

Eoin Kearns restored a three point advantage for Saint Mary’s with a strike from ’65 metres out but it was soon cancelled with Gavin Whelan’s third score of the afternoon.

A minute from the end of normal time Eoin Kearns once more put three between the sides putting over his eight free of the afternoon, but again Colligan came back with an effort from John Morrissey.

Colligan did have chances in added time to get something from the game but some wrongly used use of the ball would cost them.

Saint Mary’s now will take on Fenor in the County Final and judging from what was seen here they could take a little beating. However they will not be under estimating the challenge of Fenor who this year are assisted by a number of players from the Kill Club who are not playing any hurling of their own.

Colligan here were best served by Mark Flynn, Gavin Whelan and Johnny Wall while Saint Mary’s over the hour had excellent performances from Eoin Kearns, Sean Fitzpatrick, Kieran Barron, Mike Kearns, David Whelan, JJ Coffey and Jason Sheehan.

St. Marys : JP Fitzpatrick; Tom Tobin, Sean Fitzpatrick, Jack Power; Dermot Tobin, Denis Coffey, Johnny Ahearne; Eoin Kearns, Kevin Sheehan; David Whelan, JJ Coffey, Mike Kearns; Jason Sheehan, Aidan Fitzpatrick, Kieran Barron. Subs: Ronan Gleeson for Aidan Fitzpatrick, Stephen Coffey for David Whelan.

Scorers: Eoin Kearns 0-9(8f, 1’65’), Jason Sheehan 1-1, Kieran Barron 0-2,  Johnny Ahearne, Kevin Sheehan and Ronan Gleeson 0-1 each.

Colligan: Dean McKenna; Ray Bannon, Alan Walsh, Peter Moloney; John Nick Fennell, Mark Flynn, Darren Dunford; Colin Dunford, PJ Coffey; Ross Browne, John Morrissey, Gavin Whelan; Tom Kiely, John Wall, Richie Kiely. Sub: Alan Kinsella for Tom Kiely.

Scorers: Johnny Wall 1-7(1-6f), Gavin Whelan 0-3, Ross Browne, Colin Dunford and John Morrissey 0-1 each.

Referee: Pat Casey (Cappoquin).