The Tale of Two Michael Kiely’s

Many a tail could be told of battles fought out at Dungarvan’s Fraher Field down the years. The famous ground often cited to be one of the most scenic in the whole country has seen it all. All sorts of games have been fought out there from Primary School games, Underage games, clubs games in all grades, Ladies Football and Camogie games. Even All-Ireland Final’s have been played at the field once rented by Touraneena man Dan Fraher who spent so much of his time living and working in Dungarvan so that the County could have a ground that it could be proud of and allow players and supporters of Gaelic Games in the Déise County gather and see rival teams do battle against each other.

Dungarvan’s Fraher Field has hosted the most senior All-Ireland Finals outside of Croke Park, even more that Semple Stadium in Thurles often called the home of hurling due to the large amount of classic games played there over the years, and for this reason the G.A.A. at National level should never forget the grounds history and should be putting vast sums of money into it so that games will always continue to be played there, especially at the highest level.

The latest Tail to be scripted at Dungarvan’s Fraher Field took place last night (Sunday September 1) where two neighbouring sides Dungarvan and Abbeyside separated by the width of the Colligan River as it flows into Dungarvan Bay gathered for the last of this year’s County Senior Hurling Championship quarter finals.

The Shandon Road venue is one that is sinfully underused. Yes it might be small compared to many other grounds, but there is great room for development at the site and when people flood in to see a game or even games like they did last night the atmosphere inside the ground can be electric.

Last night the tale at Fraher Field was about two men, two men with the same name, two men playing on opposite sides. For Dungarvan one Michael Kiely lined out in the middle of the field, for Abbeyside the other Michael Kiely lined out in attack.

Michael Kiely for Abbeyside finished the game with 2-4 behind his name on the score sheet. Michael Kiely for Dungarvan finished with half the tally which his name sake finished with.

Abbeyside reached last year’s County Senior Hurling Final for the first time in just over a decade and there was some that were hoping that they could go that step further this year. Dungarvan have not reached the County Final since they lost out to De La Salle at Fraher Field in 2012, and there is some that feel if there is a side that can wrestle the title off Ballygunner who are unbeaten in Championship hurling in the County since losing the 2013 Final to Passage, but if either of these two sides were to meet the expectations of some they would have to get over this game and then advance from a semi final before they play a sixty minute plus county final at Walsh Park next month.

There were no early leavers from Fraher Field on Sunday evening or if they were they were few and far between, and while Dungarvan and hurling was the winner of this game, the real losers were not Abbeyside but those foolish enough to have left the ground early, as they missed a finish not seen in the Déise County since Passage came from seven points down to win their one and only County Senior Hurling Final in 2013.

This was a game that was expected to go right to the wire and the 35 players used in this game did not disappoint.

Little separated the two sides throughout the course of the hour. When Mark Ferncombe netted a third goal for the Village side in the first minute of stoppage time it looked as if last year’s runners up would be advancing to the semi finals, but as we all know no game is over till the referee blows that final whistle, and in the time remaining minutes that followed Ferncombe’s goal there was time for plenty more action.

This was a fine sporting game and it must be recorded that referee Nicholas O’Toole played a big part in this. He could not be faulted in any decision that he made over the course of the hour and when things threatened to spill over on the occasional moment here and there he was quickly in to dissolve the situation and at one point he was overheard telling mentors on both sides that if they were not careful they would be sent to the stand to watch the remainder of the game with the paying spectators. All too often the referee is given out about during and after a game. To blame the referee when things don’t go right for a particular side is often the easy thing to do. Referee’s make mistakes during the course of a game in the same way that players and those on the line make mistakes, yet the latter two are seldom if ever are blamed for losing a game, it always seems to be the referee’s. When a referee has a good game as what Nicholas O’Toole had at Fraher Field it is only right that it is recorded, be it here or elsewhere as referee’s and officials seldom get the praise they deserve.

Abbeyside had a great start to this game as goalkeeper Stephen Enright put over a long range free on three minutes and when Michael Kiely followed up with a goal for the Village side it was not looking good for the Old Boro side.

Gavin Crotty and Michael Kiely swapped scores for their respective sides before Dungarvan hit three points in a row from Ryan Donnelly, Gavin Crotty and Patrick Curran to move to within one of Abbeyside with 11 minutes played. Neil Montgomery extended his sides advantage on 13 minutes and when two minutes later Patrick Hurney had a goal chance it was looking as if it was going to be curtains for Dungarvan but Gavin Power pulled off a good save to deny the Abbeyside man.

Kenny Moore and Ryan Donnolly struck points for Dungarvan before Mark Ferncombe and Gavin Crotty swapped scores at either end. Conor Prunty and Patrick Curran swapped scores with six minutes of the opening half remaining, but Abbeyside would finish the half marginally the stronger of the two sides as Mark Ferncombe and Mark Twomey landed scores for the Village side, but Michael Kiely would get his name on the score sheet just before the break to half Abbeyside’s advantage who went to the dressing rooms holding a 1-7 to 0-9 lead as darkness started to descend on the Shandon Road venue.

Dungarvan took the lead for the first time early in the second half as a brace of points from Ryan Donnelly frees edged them in front eight minutes after the restart. It was a short lived lead however as Michael Kiely levelled matters on 40 minutes and when Patrick Hurney got the ball just seconds later with Gavin Power beaten in the Dungarvan goal he saw his effort come crashing off the crossbar.

Michael Kiely put over a magnificent point from a sideline cut to put his side back in front. At the other end his name sake stood over a free while playing into the Country goal which the umpires waved wide. A large number of children behind the goal were adamant that Kiely’s effort had gone between the uprights as did many in the stand and on the bank opposite. Referee Nicholas O’Toole went into consult his umpires and before they had a chance to reposition themselves it was clear that a point was going to be awarded as the referee noted the score in his note book.

Ryan Donnolly and Neil Montgomery swapped scores before former inter county player Jamie Nagle pointed for Dungarvan after which Michael Kiely pointed at the opposite end. The same player netted a second goal for Abbeyside with four minutes left on the clock as he pulled on a delivery from Patrick Hurney.

Joe Allen goaled at the other end from the restart and Mark Ferncombe pointed as Abbeyside lead 2-12 to 1-14 with four minutes as many were beginning to think that this game would not be decided in the hour allotted under rule.

Ryan Donnolly and Gavin Crotty swapped scores before Mark Ferncombe put a break ball into the Dungarvan net giving his side a 3-12 to 1-16 lead with the hour played. Game over some were thinking, Abbeyside were back in the semi finals.

But Dungarvan had other ideas. A converted Ryan Donnolly free in the first of three added minutes left one between the sides, but they were not finished yet.

When Gavin Crotty played a ball across the Abbeyside goal in the third added minute it caught out a number of players and it was Michael Kiely who appeared to get the final touch beating Stephen Enright putting Dungarvan back in front.

The full time whistle soon followed. Dungarvan’s second goal scorer Michael Kiely was seen falling to the ground removing his helmet and putting his head into the ground. He appeared to feel that his side had fell just short, but the despair in his body language quickly changed when his teammates ran to him their hero of the hour as the Dungarvan players celebrated a huge win.

Dungarvan: Gavin Power; Darragh Lyons, John Curran, Sean Ryan; Jamie Nagle, Kieran Power, Kenny Moore; Michael Kiely, Jack Lacey; Joe Allen, Conor Sheridan, Ryan Donnolly; Cathal Curran, Patrick Curran, Gavin Crotty.

Subs: Kealan Daly for Conor Sheridan (HT), Luke O’Callaghan for Jack Lacey (57)

Scorers: Ryan Donnolly 0-7 (0-6f), Michael Kiely 1-2, Gavin Crotty 0-4, Joe Allen 1-0, Patrick Curran 0-2, Kenny Moore, Jamie Nagle 0-1 each. 

Abbeyside: Stephen Enright; Brian Looby, Evan Collins, David Collins; Darragh McGrath, Conor Prunty, Richie Foley; Maurice Power, Michael Maher; John Hurney, Neil Montgomery, Mark Twomey; Michael Kiely, Patrick Hurney, Mark Ferncombe.

Subs: John Elstead for Evan Collins (23), Michael O’Halloran for John Hurney (44), Tiernan Murray for Mark Twomey (57)

Scorers: Michael Kiely 2-4 (0-3f), Mark Ferncombe 1-3 (0-2f), Neil Montgomery 0-2, Stephen Enright (f), Neil Prunty, Mark Twomey 0-1 each.

Referee: Nicholas O’Toole.