Saint Mary’s and Ballyduff Lower all set for County Final Clash

The first of the big Adult hurling county finals takes place this Saturday afternoon when Ballyduff Lower and Saint Mary’s clash in the Junior Final at Fraher Field.

This promises to be an entertaining game between two sides with a nice mix of youth and experience.

Both sides have slipped back from the levels they were at a few years back, but would appear to be on the right road to getting back to where they were.

It is not so long ago that the newly crowned Eastern Champions were playing in the senior championship.

However, after a number of well-known players decided to move clubs things began to slip somewhat.

However, some of their better known players notably Jack Kennedy and John O’Leary returned to the club and this year are a stronger outfit as a result.

In their 1-20 to 0-9 victory over Ballydurn last Saturday, Jack Kennedy was their star player hitting 1-7 for his side, 1-6 of which came from play.

Brian Power at centre field also impressed hitting 0-8, all but two of which came from placed balls.

Along with Jack Kennedy at centre forward, Paul Kennedy at wing back will count amongst the sides most experienced players.

They also have some up and coming players in Calum Lyons at centre back while in attack Dylan Reade and Cormac Dunphy will play either side of Jack Kennedy while Jack Lyons will also be a threat on the edge of the Saint Mary’s square.

Reaching this stage of the competition is nothing new to the Touraneena side.

Just twelve months ago they made the journey to Walsh Park to play Fenor in the County Final.

On the day, in what was of the more lively games played in 2015 they were the better team for much of the game but in the end Fenor finished the stronger of the two sides hitting some late scores to secure victory.

Much of the side that contested the final twelve months ago for Saint Mary’s will be in action again this weekend.

But they will have to plan without Kevin Sheehan who was sent off late on in their recent Western Final win over Tourin at Walsh Park.

Like Ballyduff Lower the Touraneena men have a nice blend of youth and experience.

John Patrick Fitzpatrick is likely to be the oldest player selected. He was a member of the Waterford minor team that contested the All-Ireland Final against Galway in 1992 and went on to play a number of times at senior level for the county in the years that followed.

Younger brother Aidan who came on for Kieran Barron for the last twelve minutes of last year’s final is a regular in the team this year in his familiar number 13 shirt and has hit some vital scores for the side this year including in the Western Final win over Tourin.

Their first cousin Sean whose father Declan played for the county in the late 1970’s and early 80’s is at full back while Denis Coffey who played for the county when Justin McCarthy was in charge is the sides centre back.

The youth in the side is provided by the Tobin brother Tom and Conor at Corner back and older brother Dermot at wing back. Owen Barron has impressed in the other wing back position while brother Eoin and Mike Kearns are vital in attack as will Jason Sheehan.

Brendan McGourty has joined the panel this year and has helped strengthen the side.

This is a game that could well prove to be an evenly matched affair.

Both sides going into the game will believe that they can win.

Ballyduff Lower having played senior in recent years and having had the chance to play more competitive championship games this year and with big wins over Tramore (2-24 to 0-5) in the Eastern Semi Final and Ballydurn (1-20 to 0-9) in the Eastern Final will mean that they will go into the game as favourites.

Saint Mary’s on the other hand were made work hard to beat Abbeyside (2-14 to 1-13) in the Western Semi-final and then against Tourin (2-18 to 1-17) in the western final.

Sometimes having to work hard outweighs having an easy victory and helps build up fighting spirit in a team.

Many might make Ballyduff Lower favourites for this game, but the hunger that Saint Mary’s have to make up for last year’s disappointment could well stand to them.