Passage Set Up Repeat of 2013 and 2016 County Finals.

 

This year’s Waterford County Senior Hurling Final is a repeat of the finals in 2013 and 2016 after Passage came out on top in a high scoring affair at Walsh Park in the second of this year’s semi finals today beating Mount Sion 0-26 to 1-21 to set up a battle with neighbours Ballygunner.

Next Sunday’s shoot out at Walsh Park sees the two neighbouring clubs clash at this stage of the competition for the fourth time where things stand on the head to head clashes Ballygunner lead 2-1 on wins, with Passage’s win coming in the 2013 when they came from seven points down with as many minutes to play to win in stoppage time at the end of the hour.

The victors in this game will be very happy with their final tally of 26 scores in this game with scores coming from all over the field and will feel that if they can replicate what they did here in front of goal they stand a good chance of winning a second county final next weekend.

Mount Sion too while disappointed not to win will be happy with their championship campaign having reached the semi finals for the second year in a row and will know that they are moving in the right direction as they move closer to winning a first County Final since their last win back in 2006 and a place in their first final since 2014.

Passage played into the city end of the Keane’s Road venue in the first half with the wind at their backs but it was the Monastery men that started the better of the two sides hitting 1-1, the goal coming from the stick of Stephen Roche.

Passage however hit back and the remainder of the opening quarter proved to be an even contest with Roche’s early goal the difference (1-4 to 0-4) with the game ebbing near the water break, but Passage soon began to get on top and when Killian Fitzgerald pointed on 23 minutes the Reds were 0-8 to 1-4 in front.

Seven scores in a row put Passage in a very comfortable position as they turned around with a 0-17 to 1-6 advantage showing on the board.

While Passage were first to score in the second half though Liam Flynn, Mount Sion with the wind at their backs for the second half began to make it tell and with seven minutes of the second half played, they trailed 0-19 to 1-10 and ten minutes later the City based side had the lead down to four (0-23 to 1-16), setting up a grandstand final fifteen odd minutes to this game.

Points from Austin Gleeson and Luke O’Brien halved Passage’s lead with six minutes to go. Mount Sion continued to pile on the pressure but the Passage backs defended with all their might, even denying Austin Gleeson a late goal.  

PASSAGE: Eddie Lynch: Darragh Lynch, Noel Connors, David Jones; Adam Roche, Callum O’Neill, Ciaran O’Neill; Gary Cullinane, Owen Connors; Stephen Lynch, Killian Fitzgerald, Paddy Flynn; Jason Roche, Liam Flynn, Mikey Cummins.

Subs: John Whitty for Stephen Lynch (43); Thomas Connors for Paddy Flynn (48) 

Scorers: Mikey Cummins (0-6 frees)(0-9); Liam Flynn (0-5); Killian Fitzgerald (0-4); John Whitty (0-3); Owen Connors (0-2); Gary Cullinane, Adam Roche, Jason Roche (0-1 each).

MOUNT SION: Ian O’Regan; PJ Fanning, Mikey Daykin, Stephen O’Neill; Martin F. O’Neill, Liam O’Brien, Peter Penkert; Jamie Gleeson, Owen Whelan; Michael Gaffney, Austin Gleeson, Martin O’Neill; Stephen Roche, Evan McGrath, Alan Kirwan.

Subs: Jack Meaney for Michael Gaffney (15); Donal Power for Jamie Gleeson (37); Ben Frisby for PJ Fanning (39) 

Scorers: Martin O’Neill (1 65, 0-10 frees)(0-11); Austin Gleeson (0-4), Steohen Roche (1-1); Martin F. O’Neill (0-2); Michael Gaffney, Jamie Gleeson, Liam O’Brien (0-1 each).

Referee: Tom Mansfield (Affane/Cappoquin).