Record Equalling Win for Stradbally in Classic County Final

Stradbally are County Senior Football Champions for a record equalling 19 time after they came from behind to beat holders The Nire in a brilliant County Senior Football Final at Fraher Field this afternoon.

Sadly, the senior county football final is often an instantly forgettable occasion, often played in lashing rain or freezing cold conditions, but this game was so much different to many that have come before it.

When these two sides clashed back in September in the second round of the championship, the two sides battled out a very entertaining contest, and this game proved to be every bit as entertaining and it could be argued even better, watched by an attendance in the region of 2,000 people.

The sides clashed eight times in previous contests at this stage of the competition and half of these required a replay to find a winner so it was no real surprise that these two terrific sides at the end of sixty minutes were locked together on the score board.

Many in the stand on amongst the sizeable amount of fans on the bank side of the field were about to make their way to the exits after referee Anthony Fitzgerald who played a role in making this game so entertaining blew his full time whistle, but an announcement over the speakers informed all that the two sides were to play extra time, something that appeared to be agreed between the sides late on in the day should the game end in a draw as it was obvious that not all officers of the rd were informed of such a decision, and no note was noted in the programme indicating that there would be extra time played on the day.

Nobody objected to staying at the Shandon Road venue for about another half an hour to see these two sides battle it out over another twenty minutes to try and find a winner, but had there being no extra time played on the day, even fewer would have minded returning to the same venue next weekend for another battle between these two terrific sides.

It was The Nire who won last year’s final with a comfortable win over Ballinacourty that proved to be the better of the two sides for much of the game and at the interval they held a 1-8 to 1-5 advantage on the scoreboard.

Stradbally over the course of the initial hour played in this game never lead the 2016 champions and they only drew level with a minute of the hour to spare when Daniel Weldon put the size five over the head of Diarmuid Murphy.

A minute into extra time corner back Jack Mullaney proving that traditional positions on the field of play means very little in the modern game where all players are expected to be able to both defend as well as attack, broke forward and edged his side in front for the first time and as anyone that has been watching football games in the Déise County since the turn of the Millennium knows, the Cove Men seldom if ever give away an advantage in a tight game and this one was no different.

Early in this game it looked as if it was going to be very much a one way battle as The Nire raced into a very comfortable lead.

Conor Gleeson opened his sides account on four minutes when he put over a free. Shane Walsh extended that lead four minutes later and when Conor Gleeson pointed again on ten and eleven minutes things were looking very good for the reigning champions.

Although Daniel Weldon pulled a point back for Stradbally on twelve minutes, things got even better for The Nire a minute later when Tom Barron a brother of Inter County star Jamie ran at the Stradbally defence and brilliantly finished past Eoin Cunningham in the Stradbally goal.

It was now that we were going to see how good this Stradbally side were and they did not disappoint.

Robert Ahearne put the ball over the head of Diarmuid Murphy on fourteen minutes and when his side won the kick out after that score Daniel Weldon played in Ger Crowley and the youngster brilliantly finished past Diarmuid Murphy.

Tom Barron pointed for The Nire a minute into the second quarter but points from Shane Ahearne, Eoin O’Brien and Robert Ahearne followed for Stradbally to level matters with six minutes of the half remaining.

Now it was The Nire’s turn to show what they were made off and just like Stradbally they did not disappoint as points from Shane Walsh and Conor Gleeson who was causing the Stradbally defence a lot of problems were added before Gleeson three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the opening half split the posts once more to give his side a 1-8 to 1-5 lead at the break.

Stradbally brought Tommy Connors on at the break and he made a big impact straight away.

Eoin O’Brien who has impressed this year for the new county champions made it a two point game when he put over a free in the first minute after the restart after which Tommy Connors split the posts less than sixty seconds later.

Conor Gleeson put over one of the scores of the championship off the outside of his right boot kicking a 20 metre free five metres from the sideline on thirty three minutes and the 2016 champions were somewhat unlucky not to have added a second goal five minutes later but veteran net minder Eoin Cunningham did well to keep Shane Walsh’s effort out.

Diarmuid Murphy landed a free for The Nire on forty one minutes which was cancelled out with an effort from play by Michael Sweeney just before the end of the third quarter.

Conor Gleeson was again unlucky not to strike a second Nire goal at the start of the final quarter, as he saw his effort go just over the Stradbally crossbar.

Two minutes later Stradbally lost Luke Casey to a black card which he could have no arguing about and from a quickly taken free from the resulting incident Dermot Ryan edged The Nire further in front.

However points from Eoin O’Brien with a brace inside a minute of each other and one from the boot of Shane Ahearne made it squeaky bum time for The Nire.

Shane Walsh put his side two up with four minutes to play but Stradbally were not going to give up without a fight and they were rewarded when Michael Walsh and Daniel Weldon had white flags waved before the hour was complete.

Had referee Anthony Walsh blown up at this stage nobody would have complained, but there was still time to be played.

When Stradbally won a late free and with Shane Ahearne standing over it, many especially the neutrals inside the ground would have felt it would be an injustice to The Nire if it went between The Nire uprights, but he saw his effort drop short and Diarmuid Murphy was able to get a touch on the ball and put it to safety.

When the full time whistle blew soon afterwards with the sides locked at 1-13 each no doubt many were already looking forward to the venue next weekend hoping that the two sides could serve up a third terrific battle this year between these two great sides.

In the extra twenty minutes played over two ten minute periods no player showed any side of tiredness as each and every one of the thirty players on the field of play gave it their all for their side.

Stradbally took the lead in the first minute of extra time and never went behind after doing so.

It was his point that was the difference between the sides at the short break, but The Nire will be cursing their luck as they did have chances through Conor Gleeson and Shane Walsh to be in front but neither player took the chances presented to them.

Three minutes after the restart Robert Ahearne extended his sides lead when he put over from play, but that score was cancelled out two minutes from the end when the hugely impressive Conor Gleeson split the posts for the eight times.

It was the side that showed the greater hunger and who had what luck may be going that would win, while many were looking for The Nire to land one more score to ensure that there would be need for a replay.

In the first minute of stoppage time it looked as if that was going to happen when Dermot Ryan sent in a ball but he saw the size five clip the outside of the right hand post as he looked on and deep in stoppage time it looked as if they might get another chance when a free was awarded inside the Stradbally 45 metre line and when Diarmuid Murphy came up to kick off the ground, many were willing it to go over but he saw his effort to the left hand upright as he looked on.

That proved to be the last chance of the game. Stradbally had come from behind to win a record equalling 19 title, and take the Conway Cup home with them, but in truth it was football that was the real winner in this game.

Stradbally: Eoin Cunningham; Ciaran Cusack, Kevin Lawlor, Jack Mullaney; Tony Grey, Shane Lannon, Luke Casey; Michael Walsh, Shane Ahearne; Daniel Weldon, Nicky Connors, Eoin O’Brien; Michael Sweeney, Robert Ahearne, Ger Crowley. Subs: Tommy Connors for Nicky Connors (HT), Andy Doyle for Luke Casey (47 BC), Ger Power for Get Crowley (49), Stephen Keane for Michael Crowley (56), Cathal Cusack for Daniel Weldon (68), Ger Crowley for Eoin O’Brien (73), Kevin Coffey for Jack Mullaney (80+2).

Scorers: Eoin O’Brien 0-4 (1F), Robert Ahearne 0-3 (1F), Ger Crowley 1-0, Daniel Weldon, Shane Ahearne 0-2 each, Tommy Connors, Michael Sweeney, Michael Walsh, Jack Mullaney 0-1 each.

The Nire: Diarmuid Murphy; Justin Walsh, Thomas O’Gorman, Michael Moore; Dermot Ryan, Shane Ryan, Darren Guiry; James McGrath, Tholom Guiry; Seamus Lawlor, Conor Gleeson, Dylan Guiry; Tom Barron, Craig Guiry, Shane Walsh. Subs: Jake Mulcahy for Seamus Lawlor (44), Michael O’Gorman for James McGrath (49), Shane O’Meara for Tholom Guiry (55), Stephen Ryan for Craig Guiry (60+1), James McGrath for Stephen Ryan (E.T.), Seamus Lawlor for Michael O’Gorman (76), Kenny Brazil for Tom Barron (79).

Scorers: Conor Gleeson 0-8 (4F), Tom Barron 1-1, Shane Walsh 0-3, Diarmuid Murphy (F), Dermot Ryan 0-1 each.

Referee: Anthony Fitzgerald