Fraher Field or Forget It

            Normally when I am walking I do not talk to anyone as I tend to have all my focus on the ground ahead of me. I am not looking straight ahead as most people would. I tend to look at the ground in front of me, watching for any wet leaves at this time of the year, or any small bits of plastic that might be on the ground or any oil from cars or other motor vehicles that might be on the ground, making sure not to put my crutch on them and risking an embarrassing fall in front of people.

            On Sunday afternoon last I like many others left Fraher Field on the stroke of full time in a bid to get ahead of the four thousand plus that would be streaming out of the ground and with many heading in the one direction.

            Those that know me will know that I don’t drive, the roads are possibly safer as a result, and knowing that there would be a large attendance at the two games I had agreed with my driver home that I would walk as far as ‘John Foleys’ to be collected and make my way home rather than for them to be trying to drive into hundreds and possibly thousands of people all coming out at or around the same time.

            For much of my walk after coming out of the stand on Sunday last the same people were behind me. They were behind me at least to the Council Yard located on the ‘Ring Road’ around the town of Dungarvan and the conversation that they were having was along the line’s that Fraher Field is one of the best venues for a game in the country.

            I did not turn to see who they were nor did i recognise any of the voices, but those talking behind me were adamant when it comes to big games in Waterford it should defiantly be a case of ‘Fraher Field or forget it’ something said recently by County Chairman Paddy Joe Ryan when talking about a possible venue for Waterford’s Munster Senior and Minor Championship games against Limerick and Clare next year.

            Those that were talking were adamant that if the field was turned around and run alongside the road then Waterford could have a venue that we could be very much proud of.

            This is something that many feel should be done. As things stand there is plenty of room at the site for the field to be turned as can be seen on a photo that I spotted on twitter on Sunday evening posted by @ BUDWYZER.

            After the County Board purchased land behind the bank side of the field some years back now, and which is currently used as a car park there is ample room for the field to be turned around and for the building of a new field for sides to warm up on, something that which if Walsh Park was to be developed as the County Ground will never have, meaning that teams playing at Walsh Park have to call upon the generosity of clubs in the area to make their facilities available to them to warm up if there is a double header at the venue.

            We all know that the County Board were recently given permission to develop Walsh Park into a stadium catering for between 15,000 and 18,000 people. There are a number of people reporting that objections have been made against the granting of permission by Waterford City and County Council and from what I have heard in the last few days there is no guarantee that the objectors will lose their appeal against the decision given by Waterford City and County Council.

            This time last year when the idea of developing a County Ground was first been mooted, we were being told that it was a case of Walsh Park or nowhere when it comes to a County Ground in Waterford, and I have no doubt that this is what the big noises in Croke Park were telling our officers, telling them that all the county grounds are in the areas where the population is at its biggest, something we know is not entirely true as there is at least five County Grounds that are not in the county town or city.

            For two long people are treating G.A.A. Officials in Croke Park like what Priest’s and Religious, Teachers and Guards were treated like in the past. What they said was taken as law and everyone rode in behind what they had to say.

            But we saw earlier this year that if you stand up to them and put your foot firmly down with them they will back down in the corridors of Croke Park. Kildare showed that with their Newbridge or nowhere when it came to playing Mayo in the All-Ireland qualifiers.

            Everyone that has anything between their ears knows that Walsh Park is not fit for purpose when it comes to a county ground.

            There is club grounds of some small clubs which have a better lay out that whatever can happen at Walsh Park, having parking facilities, have warm up areas for teams playing at the venue and have ample spectator spaces. This is something that cannot happen at Walsh Park and whether we want to admit it or not, there is no skirting around the truth.

            If those who are reporting there is objections gone into An Bord Pleanála about the development of Walsh Park and if the objectors were to win their appeal it could make the development of Walsh Park a non runner, but there is other options available to Waterford for a County Ground, one which might take a little longer to take than developing Walsh Park and maybe cost a little more, but in the longer term might be much better options.

            I wonder if we as a county were to stand up to Croke Park Officials like Kildare did with their fixture with Mayo earlier this year, it could be worth it. We know for example that at least one former President of the G.A.A. and that one former Director General have a very high view on Fraher Field and it’s suitability for big games.

            Maybe if we were to go to them telling them that Walsh Park is not a suitable location for a county ground and it is not just me that says it, and to tell them that it’s Fraher Field for development or Forget it, it might be a battle that can be won.

Gunner’s Complete Drive For Five

            The Drive for Five is completed for Ballygunner who became only the third Waterford club to win Five County Senior Hurling Finals in a row, following on from Erin’s Own and Mount Sion who went on to win nine each in a row in the past, and right now there is many within the Déise County who are suggesting that ‘The Gunner’s’ could go on and maybe better what their city rivals achieved in the past over the coming years.

             And the signs are looking good for Ballygunner. The Average age of the 15 players that started last Sunday was just over 26 years. The average age of the 20 players used on Sunday last was just under 26. Just two of the starting fifteen was over the age of 30.

            Last weekend did not see Ballygunner only the Senior County Final at Fraher Field. 24 hours earlier at Walsh Park they won the Minor County Final and on the same day in Fraher Field their under 14 team were beaten by Abbeyside in the County Final. And if that is not enough, The Gunners are in this weekend’s County Under 16 final against city rivals Roanmore in Fraher Field.

            If Ballygunner as a club can get the best of the young players on these underage teams to gel with the current senior panel, coming in over time to take the place of the clubs more established players, then there is no reason to think that the club founded by local school teacher Jimmy McGinn back in 1954 can replicate and maybe better what those before them have achieved.

            But for many how good this group of players and those coming after them will not be measured on winning five county finals in a row up to now, and potentially what they will win in the years to come, but what they achieve after winning the championship locally, and right now you have to feel that they are good enough to add to the single Munster Title that they have won, and to even go on and become the first Waterford Club to win at Croke Park on Saint Patrick’s Day.

            Played in front of a bumper attendance of 4,275 which was almost double what attended the final twelve months ago when Ballygunner beat De La Salle at Walsh Park, the winners were always the better side in this contest and the only questions that needed filling for many from the off was what tally Ballygunner would put on the score board and what the winning margin would be

            This final however never was as good as many would have hoped it would be, but for now the Ballygunner players, their mentors and supporters will not be bothered by that fact.

            They played into the strong wind which blew into the Town (road) end of Fraher Field in the first half and turned around holding a 0-9 to 0-6 lead on the score board.

            The Village side won the toss before this game and got off to a good start when top scorer Mark Ferncombe was picked out by John Hurney and he split the posts.

            They doubled their lead with a point from Patrick Hurney and in between could have scored a goal but Sean Whelan-Barrett shot wide from close range from a tight angle. Had that chance got past Stephen O’Keeffe in the Ballygunner goal we will never know if this game would have had a different end.

            Ballygunner opened their account on six minutes when Pauric Mahony put over a free and the same player repeated the act less than a minute later to draw the sides level.

            Barry O’Sullivan and Maurice Power swapped scores by the end of the first quarter at which the sides were level at three points each on the score board.

            Abbeyside with the wind at their backs hit the next two scores both from Mark Ferncombe frees but this was as good as it got for them.

            A brace of Pauric Mahony scores, one from a free the other from play levelled matters with five minutes of the first half remaining and when he followed up with another brace in the next two minutes his sides were getting very much into their strive.

            Brian O’Sullivan and Billy O’Keeffe helped extend their sides lead either side of the thirty minute mark to go four in front, but a John Hurney effort just before the short whistle cut the Ballygunner lead to three as the sides went to the dressing rooms.

            Mark Ferncombe started the second half as he started the first with a point inside a minute of the restart, put three points in a five minute spell had Ballygunner five points up after 37 minutes.

            The games first goal came on 40 minutes when Tim O’Sullivan picked out Brian O’Sullivan with a smart pass and from close range he made no mistake in putting the sliotar past Stephen Enright in the Abbeyside goal.

            Pauric Mahony and Mark Ferncombe swapped scores before Patrick Hurney was sent to the line on a straight red on 45 minutes after he was reported to referee Thomas Walsh by his officials for interfering with Philip Mahony’s helmet.

            Pauric Mahony put over the score of the game on 49 minutes while falling to the ground which Mark Ferncombe responded to just seconds later, but with the next attack Ballygunner put the icing on the victory cake when Conor Power broke free of the challenge of Darragh McGrath and placed the ball under Stephen Enright to put his side 2-14 to 0-9 in front.

            Mikey Mahony and Michael O’Halloran traded scores just before Stephen O’Keeffe made a brilliant save going low to deny Michael O’Halloran and from the resulting ’65 Mark Ferncombe split the Ballygunner posts.

            Brian O’Sullivan and Pauric Mahony extended the Ballygunner lead before Michael O’Halloran pulled a point back on the hour mark. 

            Brian O’Sullivan and Pauric Mahony added scores in stoppage time for the winners with Mark Ferncombe hitting one for the Village side in between leaving them wait for their first Senior Hurling title for another time, but judging on what we saw here, it could be some time off, not because of the way Abbeyside played here, but because of the way Ballygunner played and with what they seem to have coming through in the years ahead.

Ballygunner: Stephen O’Keeffe; Eddie Hayden, Barry Coughlan, Ian Kenny; Wayne Hutchinson, Philip Mahony, Harley Barnes; Shane O’Sullivan, Michael Mahony; Billy O’Keeffe, Pauric Mahony, Barry O’Sullivan; Tim O’Sullivan, Brian O’Sullivan, Conor Power.

Subs: JJ Hutchinson for Billy O’Keeffe (48), Conor Sheehan for Michael Mahony (59), Barry Power for Wayne Hutchinson (61), Paddy Cooke for Stephen O’Keeffe (63), Mark Mullally for Conor Power (64).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-13 (8fs), Brian O’Sullivan 1-3, Conor Power 1-0, Billy O’Keeffe, Barry O’Sullivan, Michael Mahony 0-1 each.

            Abbeyside: Stephen Enright; John Elstead, Brian Looby, Darragh McGrath; James Beresford, David Collins, Sean O’Hare; Conor Prunty, Maurice Power; Patrick Hurney, Tiernan Murray, Neil Montgomery; John Hurney, Mark Ferncombe, Sean Whelan-Barrett.

Subs: Richie Foley for Tiernan Murray (H-T), Tom Looby for Sean O’Hare (H-T), Michael O’Halloran for Sean Whelan-Barrett (42), Mark Twomey for John Elstead (56), Eoin Kiely for Neil Montgomery (58).

Scorers: Mark Ferncombe 0-8 (3fs, 1 65), Michael O’Halloran 0-2, Maurice Power, John Hurney, Patrick Hurney 0-1 each.

Referee: Thomas Walsh

 

Ballinameela Bounce Back Up

            This was a final that Ballinameela were always expected to win and they duly obliged those that might have parted with some euro notes in the hope of recouping some more from their friendly bookmaker.

            Ballinameela were relegated from a very competitive Western Intermediate Hurling Championship at the end of the 2017 season and even playing in an even more competitive Western Junior Hurling Championship, they were always one of the favourites to move back up at the first time of asking, but nowhere along the line would they have taken for granted that they would move back up at that first time of asking.

            In this game like in some of their recent games in the Western Championship it is hard to tell how good this Ballinameela side are and it is only now that they will be playing the best sides at this level in other counties that we might find out.

            Without wanting to show any disrespect to other sides, the best game we can judge how good this Ballinameela side is was in their Western Semi Final win over a Saint Mary’s side that appeared in the three previous Western Final’s winning two of them.

            In the quarter final win over their fierce local rivals Geraldines they proved too strong. For much of their win in the Western Final over Colligan they again proved too strong. The Rockies did come back into that game late on in the game with some late goals, but they in truth put a gloss on the scoreboard, and it was the same on Sunday last as the recently crowned West and now County Champions raced into a nine point lead inside twenty minutes of this game starting and while they allowed their opponents last Sunday to get within a point of them at one stage in the second half, there was never any doubting that Ballinameela were going to win here and you can’t but feel that they could have upped their game a little more than they did if the need arose.

            As pointed out after twenty minutes of this game starting Ballinameela were nine points to the good playing with a stiff breeze at their backs into the town goal end of the ground, but they took their foot of the pedal a little after this and allowed their opponents to come back into the game, mainly through indiscipline which Brian Murray punished them for, and went in with their once impressive nine point lead cut to a much more manageable five (0-12 to 0-7).

            Had Tramore however gone man for man in marking the Ballinameela players they could have found themselves much closer at the break and would have the breeze at their backs for the second half but allowing the now Western Champions have an extra man in their own half of the field from any restart by Donagh Looby always gave them an edge in getting the ball into areas where they could hurt the seasider’s most.

            Tramore who finished the first half strong started the second half in the same way and they hit the game’s only game on 41 minutes when Murray played in Shane Rellis to be Looby in the Ballinameela goal, and in doing so leaving just a single score between the sides (0-13 to 1-9).

            But Tramore never pushed on after scoring that goal. In fact they hit just one further score after that and that score came in added time at the end of the hour.

            While Tramore registered the only goal of the game it was Ballinameela who created the games first real chance to have a green flag waved, that coming six minutes before Tramore raised a green flag at the other end of the ground, when Tom Curran cut in from the bank side of the field but he saw his effort go wide of the far post as he looked on, but had it gone in you can’t but feel that Ballinameela would have gone on by a considerably bigger margin than the eight points they won this game.

            Ballinameela after Tramore’s goal saw Brendan Phelan fire over five points which helped him to the Man of the Match Award from the Championship Sponsors JJ Kavanagh & Sons, while Jim Curran and Mikey Phelan who came on to join his four brothers on the field of play also raised white flags.

            Ballinameela will now go on and represent the county in the Munster Championship next month. For many year’s Waterford record in this competition was not the best, but thanks to the likes of Ballysaggart, Modeligo and Ardmore in recent years, Ballinameela will now go into the Munster Championship believing that they can do what other clubs in the West of the county have done, but they also will not need any telling that in Munster things will be somewhat tougher than in some of the games that they have played in of late.

Ballinameela: Donagh Looby; Rob Shine, Michael Shine, Kealan Looby; Kevin Phelan, David Phelan, Lorcan Looby; Paul Curran, Tom Curran; Cian Culloo, Brendan Phelan, Liam O’Brien; Conor Buckley, Brian Phelan, Jim Curran.

Subs: Mikey Phelan for Cian Culloo (42), Michael Culloo for Conor Buckley (53),

Scorers: Brendan Phelan 0-11 (6F, 1 ’65), Jim Curran 0-4, Tom Curran 0-2, Paul Curran, Brian Phelan, Kevin Phelan, Mikey Phelan 0-1 each.

Tramore: Shaun Hicks; Richard Hickey, Martin Whelan, Philip Griffin; John Clancy, Brendan Hogan, Michael Walsh; Matthew Thompson, William Cullinane; James Walsh, Craig Burke, Sam Lenihan; Shane Rellis, Brian Murray, Ian Thompson.

Subs: Ben Richards for William Cullinane (HT), Davis Acheson for Sam Lenihan (HT), Dan Morrissey for James Walsh (53), Ronan Walsh for Craig Burke (54), Adam Farrell for Matthew Thompson (62),

Scorers: Brian Murray 0-7 (6F), Shane Rellis 1-2 (0-1F), Matthew Thompson 0-1

Referee: Michael O’Brien

 

League and Championship Double For Old Boro

Munster Championship Camogie is set to come to the Old Boro this coming weekend after Dungarvan won this year’s Intermediate County Final at the WIT Arena at Carriganore on Saturday afternoon last beating Ferrybank in the decider.

The win secures a double for the Old Boro outfit as earlier this year without the services of a number of the players which featured in this latest win beat Butlerstown to take a league title at the Ballinameela Club Grounds.

Dungarvan had Kaiesha Tobin as their top scorer on the day landing five points’s four of which came from placed balls. While Sarah Lacey and Alix Fitzgerald were the side’s goal scorers on the day, but the accolade of the top scorer on the day went to Ferrybank’s Niamh Ahearne with the senior inter county panel member landing all 1-5 of her side’s scores.

Camogie is enjoying a revival in the Old Boro. They played in the adult grades for the first time in 2016 assisting the nearby Brickey Rangers Club having had competed in the different underage competitions on their own for some years and in doing so helped produce some players deemed good enough to represent the county at different age levels, and this win no doubt will do the game of Camogie in the Dungarvan area the world of good.

 For Ferrybank defeat to the Old Boro means that they have lost the last two finals at this level, but some great work is being done in the promotion of the game in the Ferrybank area and they have some quality players within their ranks and they will come back a stronger side and will be hoping that the old adage of ‘third time lucky’ will prove to be true in 2019.

Dungarvan played with the wind at their backs in the opening thirty minutes of this game and they made full use of it turning around with a 1-6 to 0-1 advantage at the break.

The winners had a tonic start to this game as Clodagh Tutty pointed inside the opening thirty seconds of the game, and they followed it up with another point this time from a Kaiesha Tobin free.

Ferrybank’s only score of the opening half came on five minutes when Niamh Ahearne put over a free, but Dungarvan by the end of the first quarter had extended their lead as Kaiesha Tobin landed two more points.

Twenty minutes into the game the first goal arrived. Orla Hickey another member of the Dungarvan Club that is part of the Waterford Senior Inter County set up dropped a free in around the Ferrybank goal and Alix Fitzgerald was on hand to poke the ball home to put her side 1-4 to 0-1 in front.

Further points from Kaiesha Tobin and Clodagh Tutty helped extend their sides lead before the Old Boro lost Orla Hickey with an injury in stoppage time at the end of the opening thirty minutes.

 Dungarvan began the second half with a point from Angela Tobin and while Ferrybank’s Niamh Ahearne with the wind at her back kept the scoreboard ticking over, all her hard work was to no avail as former Inter county player Dawn Power, Kaiesha Tobin and Sarah Lacey all helped Dungarvan to a ten point lead with a flurry of scores midway through the second half.

Dawn Power got her second score of the game when she was on hand to collect a Kaiesha Tobin free that fell just short of the target and on the hour mark if there was to be any disputing the outcome of this game, Dungarvan netted a second goal when Caoimhe Dwyer delivered a perfect ball to Sarah Lacey and the youngster whose grandfather won an All-Ireland medal with Waterford fired past Amy Boden.

Ferrybank did manage a goal with their next attack, Niamh Ahearne finishing to the Old Boro net, but it was to be a mere consolation score.

 Like with so many other clubs in the county, great progress is being made in the promotion of the game of Camogie within the Dungarvan Club thanks in no small part to a small but dedicated group of enthusiast, and they will be delighted to see all their hard work paid off with this win. For them a League and Championship double in the one calendar year makes 2018 a great year for the club and gives them plenty of hope going forward not just to 2019 but for the years that follow. 

Dungarvan: Catherine Murray; Kayleigh Veale, Taylor Murray, Ann Marie Tutty; Aisling Baumann, Orla Hickey, Niamh Curran; Sarah Lacey, Kaiesha Tobin; Clodagh Tutty, Caoimhe Dwyer, Angela Tobin; Alix Fitzgerald, Dawn Power, Caoimhe Denmead.

Subs: Hollie Keohan for Caoimhe Denmead, Mary Kate Prendergast for Orla Hickey, Amy O’Riordan for Angela Tobin, Shauna Harty for Alix Fitzgerald.

Scorers: Kaiesha Tobin 0-5 (4fs), Sarah Lacey 1-1, Alix Fitzgerald 1-0, Clodagh Tutty, Dawn Power 0-2 each, Angela Tobin 0-1.

Ferrybank: Amy Boden; Bronagh Power, Aisling Heffernan, Aisling Oates; Deirdre Heffernan, Iona Heffernan, Aine Prendergast; Orla O'Neill, Lydia Grant; Grainne Heffernan, Niamh Ahearne, Eimear Larkin; Roisin Oates, Siobhan Heffernan, Zoe Power.

Subs: Amber Cuddihy for Eimear Larkin, Helen McEvoy for Zoe Power, Clodagh Whelan for Siobhan Heffernan, Jane Myers for Bronagh Power, Laura Maley for Oates, Julie Sinnott for Deirdre Heffernan.

Scorers: Niamh Ahearne 1-5 (2fs).

Referee: Anthony Fitzgerald

De La Salle Beat Champions to Reach First County Final

The last number of years has been very good to the Lismore Camogie Club. Nobody can dispute that as so many honours have made their way to the Heritage town side.

County titles, Munster titles and even an All-Ireland title have been brought over the Blackwater River as it flows under Lismore Castle one of County Waterford’s most recognisable tourist attractions, by a brilliant group of players that has rotated over the past few years, but with a number of players involved in all that has been achieved in recent years.

On Saturday afternoon last however they relinquished the County and Munster titles won in 2017 when they lost out to De La Salle at the WIT Arena.

Good sides don’t become bad sides over night and despite this defeat, Lismore are no bad side and we will see them back challenging once more in the near future. The players that have achieved so much in recent years while they will be disappointed to give up their titles will be the first to admit that the more club sides we have challenging for honours in the Déise County the better it is for the game of Camogie and for the direction it goes in the future.

On Saturday the result was all about De La Salle who as a result of winning this semi final are through to their first senior county final. They are only playing in the adult grades a few short years and have already won both Junior and Intermediate titles at championship and league levels and will not be all out to win a first senior title.

Beth Carton is a player that needs no introduction to anyone with an interest in Camogie and she once more impressed in this game hitting 1-13 for the Gracedieu based outfit, but we also got to see another rising star in Abby Flynn who finished the game with 2-4 behind her name.

The winners in this game turned around trailing by two points (2-4 to 0-8). Lismore got off to the best possible start in this game when former captain Nicola Morrissey beat Brianna O’Regan inside thirty seconds, but the city side were level by the seventh minute.

Lismore however soon regained the lead with an effort from Johanna Houlihan and two from the hurl of Nicola Morrissey to go back in front by three.

Lismore won a penalty on 17 minutes following a foul on Ruth Geoghegan and brought goalkeeper Aisling O’Brien up field to take the resulting strike and she made no mistake.

With five minutes to go in the first half Lismore went six points in front when Nicola Morrissey slotted over another point, but it was the city side that finished the half stronger as Beth Carton fired over three points and Abby Flynn hit one to leave them trailing at the break.

It could be argued that De La Salle were unlucky not to even turn around in front and would have but for a brilliant save from Aisling O’Brien in the Lismore goal as she dived full length to keep an effort from Beth Carton out.

I never make any secret of the fact that I admire a good goalkeeper in Hurling or Camogie and Lismore in Aisling O’Brien have one of the best I have seen in my near 40 years attending matches, and have admired her ability since first seeing her play at primary school level some years back.

De La Salle were the dominant team in the second half of this game. They drew level with a brace of Beth Carton frees within six minutes of the restart and when Abby Flynn gave them the lead for the first time they were on a roll.

On 42 minutes Beth Carton set up Abby Flynn for the winners first goal of the game which gave them a 1-12 to 2-4 lead.

Nicola Morrissey and Beth Carton swapped scores before Megan O’Connor beat Aisling O’Brien for a second De La Salle goal on forty seven minutes. 

With the finish line almost in sight and a place in their first county senior final secured De La Salle notched third goal on fifty minutes this time from the Abby Flynn.

Niamh Murphy attempted to hit a four goal for De La Salle but her effort was kept out by Aisling O’Brien but the Lismore net minder was powerless to keep Beth Carton’s rebound from crossing the line.

An under strength Lismore side did hit some late scores from Nicola Morrissey and Sharon Williams but they proved to be mere consolation scores.

Lismore might have given up their County and Provincial crowns, but have no doubt about it, they will be back. But for now the day belongs to De La Salle who this coming Sunday will be appearing in a first County Senior Final, no doubt roared on by a huge support at the WIT Arena.

De La Salle: Brianna O’Regan; Jean Dooley, Taylor Healy, Siobhain Heylin; Ciara Twomey, Colette Hogan, Lucy Hogan; Courtney Healy, Niamh Murphy; Roisin Heylin, Beth Carton, Megan O’Connor; Holly Ryan, Abby Flynn, Chloe Dempsey.

Subs: Tonya Murray for Holly Ryan, Hayley Cox for Megan O’Connor, Ciara Flynn for Siobhain Heylin, Katie O’Keeffe for Chloe Dempsey.

Scorers: Beth Carton 1-13 (7fs, 1 45’), Abby Flynn 2-4, Megan O’Connor 1-0.

Lismore: Aisling O’Brien; Sarah Coughlan, Shauna Prendergast, Ellen Curran; Izabella Markiezch, Shauna Kiernan, Aoife Houlihan; Marie Russell, Sharon Williams; Lorna Foley, Shona Curran, Johanna Houlihan; Ruth Geoghegan, Nicola Morrissey, Abbie Roche.

Subs: Sinead Bennett for Johanna Houlihan, Becky McGlone for Ellen Curran, Alice Russell for Lorna Foley.

Scorers: Nicola Morrissey 1-6 (5fs), Aisling O’Brien 1-0 (1-0 pen), Johanna Houlihan, Sharon Williams 0-1 each.

Referee: Liz Dempsey

Fitzgerald Goal the Difference at WIT Arena

Gailltir are back in the County Senior Camogie Final after they had a goal to spare against a good Saint Anne’s side in the first of this year’s semi finals at the WIT Arena at Carriganore on Saturday afternoon last.

All-Star nominated Niamh Rockett finished as top scorer in this game with eight points behind her name on the score sheet but it was not to be enough.

For Gailltir Shauna Fitzgerald’s goal proved to be the most crucial score of the game, but she will possibly be one of the first to admit that her effort for a score had a touch of luck to it. 

Some great work has taken place with the promoting of the game within the Barony Club and those that have worked hardest are now getting to see the rewards of their work as they are in the championship decider for the third year in a row and will be looking to make it two wins in three years which is not bad consider that prior to 2016 the club that has achieved so much down the years had gone from 2008 without winning the title.

The winners opened the scoring in this game with points from Aoife and Annie Fitzgerald. But they were soon railed in as Niamh Rockett scored before Becky Kavanagh who has played for the county in the recent past levelled matters, but it was followed with another score from the impressive Annie Fitzgerald.

In a nip and tuck start to this game Claire Murphy tied the scoring once more for Saint Anne’s with a point on seventeen minutes, and they followed this up with a brace of points off the hurl of Niamh Rockett from placed balls, giving the Mid County side the lead for the first time.

Kate Lynch pulled a point back for the eventual winners in this one, but Saint Anne’s would turn around leading by two once more as Niamh Rockett who has had a brilliant 2018 for club and county fought off the challenge of the Gailltir defence to turn around leading 0-6 to 0-4, something they fully deserved.

The influential Rockett continued to torment the reigning County League Champions in the second half but she was somewhat restricted in what she could do following an accidental collision with her club mate Claire Murphy.

She did start the second half where she left off in the first with a fine point to extend her sides lead three minutes after the restart.

The sides were pulled level after Annie Fitzgerald twice split the posts and one from Ciara O’Sullivan who had her score created by the impressive Fitzgerald.

Saint Anne’s retook the lead on forty three minutes with another point from Niamh Rockett but it was cancelled out with effort from an Annie Fitzgerald free following a foul in another of Waterford’s All-Star nominations Áine Lyng.

Saint Anne’s missed two chances before the games most crucial score arrived twelve minutes from time, when a Shauna Fitzgerald effort was misjudged by Louise Murphy and went to the Saint Anne’s net.

Both sides landed two further scores each, Áine Lyng and substitute Hannah Hutchinson pointed for the winners while despite the best efforts of Niamh Rockett who landed another brace of scores Saint Anne’s fell short of the target set for them by the Barony Ladies.

Gailltir: Ciara Jackman; Emily Mahony, Margo Heffernan, Claire Dunne; Leah Sheridan, Emma Roche, Hannah Flynn; Kate Lynch, Aine Lyng; Clodagh Carroll, Shauna Fitzgerald, Annie Fitzgerald; Emer Walsh, Aoife Fitzgerald, Ciara O’Sullivan.

Subs: Ann Corcoran for Clodagh Carroll, Hannah Hutchinson for Kate Lynch, Eilis Cullinane for Aoife Fitzgerald.

Scorers: Annie Fitzgerald 0-5 (3fs), Shauna Fitzgerald 1-0, Aoife Fitzgerald, Kate Lynch, Ciara O’Sullivan, Aine Lyng, Hannah Hutchinson 0-1 each.

St Annes: Louise Murphy; Bronwyn Grace, Laoibhse Dunbar, Ashling Keating; Sheena McGuckian, Claire Whyte, Saoirse Bonnar; Sibeal Harney, Niamh Rockett; Roisin Dunphy, Pauline Casey, Claire Murphy; Mide Delaney, Becky Kavanagh, Ciara Sheahan.

Scorers: Niamh Rockett 0-8 (4fs, 1 45), Becky Kavanagh, Claire Murphy 0-1 each.

Referee: Martin Quilty

Ferrybank and Dungarvan Battle for Silver wear

The first major Camogie County Final of the year takes place this Saturday afternoon when Ferrybank take on Dungarvan in what could well prove to be a lively battle at the WIT Sports Arena at Carriganore.

Dungarvan earlier this year contested the Junior League final at Ballinameela where they beat Butlerstown and will be looking to add a championship to that title this weekend.

Ferrybank for their part are improving a great deal in the last number of years and only two years ago they won the Junior Championship at the Carriganore venue.

Both sides will know that the other has some key inter county players in their ranks and they will have to keep a close eye on them.

For the city side all with an interest in the game within the county will know all about Iona Heffernan a very versatile player for any side which she represents while many will also be aware of Niamh Ahearne who is also part of the Waterford Senior set up.

For the Old Boro Kaiesha Tobin is the player most will recognise while Orla Hickey is also key and was part of Donal O’Rourke’s Waterford panel this past year.

As with all sides no team resolves around one or two players and that there is no I’s or U’s in a team.

Ferrybank will be looking for big performances in this game from the likes of Amy Boden between the posts, Aisling Heffernan, Aisling Oates, Orla O’Neill and Clodagh Whelan in defence, from the likes of former Tipperary player Áine Prendergast in the middle of the field and from the likes of Róisín Oates, Laura Mayley, Julie Sinnott and Eimear Larkin in attack.

For Dungarvan they will want big performances from Alix Fitzgerald in goal, Kayleigh Veale, Aisling Baumann and Clodagh Tutty in defence, from Sarah Lacey around the middle of the field as well as from the likes of Isabelle Wade, former inter county player Dawn Power and Caoimhe Denmead in attack as well as Taylor Murray who missed the league final win earlier this year.

Ferrybank’s experience in winning competitions in recent years should stand to them in this game, but the chance for Dungarvan to win a league and championship double will spur them on in this game and will push the city side all the way.

After this game the two Senior County semi finals will take place at the same venue. In the first game at 2-30pm Saint Anne’s and Gailltir clash in a game that is too close to call. When the sides met in the fourth round of games in the round robin section of the competition Saint Annes won 0-16 to 2-9 and we can expect this game to be just as close.

The second semi final between De La Salle and Lismore follows 4pm.

Lismore are the reigning County Senior and Munster Intermediate Club champions. This could well prove to be a very tricky game for them. When the sides clashed in the second round of games in the round robin section of the competition the city side emerged as 4-11 to 2-12 winners and a repeat result this time cannot be ruled out, but it’s worth remembering that when sides clash for the second time in close proximity in the female games the results are often reversed on the second day.

Gunners to Succeed in Drive for Five

Ballygunner and Abbeyside clash for the second time in this year’s County Senior Hurling Championship this coming Sunday when the two battle it out to see who will take from the steps of the stand in Fraher Field, the Waterford News and Star Cup which they will have procession of for the next twelve months.

For whichever side does take the prize home with them it will be a day to remember. Should the city side emerge as victors they will be crowned champions for the fifth time in a row, something should it happen will be only the third time it has happened in the history of the championship in Waterford having already been achieved by Erin’s Own and Mount Sion but the Gunner’s still will have some work to do if they are to better what their city rivals achieved as both won nine in a row, the Poleberry side winning their nine between 1927 and 1935 while the Monastery Club side repeated the fete between 1953 and 1961 and were stopped from winning a tenth final in a row in 1962 when they were beaten by Erin’s Own on a 5-7 to 1-4 score line.

Should Abbeyside win the competition this coming Sunday they will take the winner’s prize into ‘The Village’ for the very first time, having previously appeared in only five county finals in 1955, 1957, 1964, 1969 and their most recent appearance in 2008.

When the two sides met in the first round of games in the group section of the competition back on April 1 it was the reigning champions that emerged winners on a 1-12 to 0-7 score line at Fraher Field.

After that game things got a little too easy for the champions in the group stages of the competition as they featured to two very one sided games first beating last year’s intermediate champions An Rinn 0-27 to 1-8 at Fraher Field and then beat Abbeyside 7-29 to 0-10 at the same venue.

For Abbeyside in the group section of the competition things were also easier in their two remaining group games as they firstly beat Ballyduff 2-9 to 0-10 while they finished off the group stages of the competition with a 5-19 to 1-9 win over An Rinn.

Ballygunner with maximum points from three games automatically qualified for the quarter final stages of the competition as group winners and they were joined there by Abbeyside who finished as the best second placed team after the group stages, so avoiding a potential banana skin first round knockout game.

In their quarter final game Ballygunner played their toughest game of the year when they beat Roanmore 1-16 to 1-13 at Walsh Park while at the same stage of the competition Abbeyside proved too strong for Tallow at Fraher Field on a 2-22 to 0-10 score line.

Abbeyside were the first of these two sides to play in the semi finals where they had a brilliant 0-14 to 0-13 win over a De La Salle side that most would be expected to challenge Ballygunner hardest for this year’s title.

A little under 24 hours later at Walsh Park Passage were expected to put it up to Ballygunner in the second semi final, but those expecting a close game were to be left disappointed as Ballygunner minus the services of a number of players which helped them win last year ran out easy winners on a 3-23 to 1-4 winners.

The reigning champions will go into this weekend’s game as the warmest of favourites and most while giving Abbeyside a good chance will be expecting Ballygunner to have that little bit too much for their opponents.

While most will be expecting Ballygunner to win, nobody in Ballygunner will be underestimating the challenge of Abbeyside.

They will not need any telling that their drive for five could be achieved with twelve months had they beaten Passage in the county final five years ago.

They will not need any reminding that back in 2013 Passage then coached by Peter Queally, now in charge of Abbeyside were trailing by seven points with seven minutes to go and many were filing out onto Keane’s Road but Passage came storming back and won the game by three points, and no doubt the former Inter County star will be telling his charges since they qualified for this game that if Passage can do what they did, winning a first ever senior title, then so too can the side he is in charge of this year if they are within touching distance of the reigning champions with ten minutes of the game remaining.

Most neutrals will be fancying Ballygunner to win this one, but in saying that most neutrals could not have seen Abbeyside getting within sixty minutes of winning a first senior hurling title this year, and that they are where they are they have to be given a chance.

For me, Ballygunner will complete their drive for five this weekend and go on at having a stab at the Munster Championship where (be they be Ballygunner or Abbeyside) will play Midleton (regardless of the result in the Cork County Final next weekend) at a Waterford venue, but in saying this, this is my head talking. My heart would love to see Abbeyside win.

Question: Is 2018 the first time in the history of the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship since it began to be played on a round robin league system in the early rounds, where the two teams in the county final and the two teams in the relegation play off all competed in the same group. The answer to the question I am not sure of, but I would say it is the first time it happened.

Ballinameela’s Experience To Tell At Fraher Field

Waterford’s record in the Munster Junior Club hurling championship in the last number of years has improved considerably after a number of years with the county champions struggling to win a game, but thanks to the likes of Ballysaggart, Modeligo and Ardmore Waterford sides now competing in the competition do so in expectation more than in hope, and so will either Tramore or Ballinameela next month when they play the winners of the quarter final involving the Limerick champions or the Kerry Intermediate Champions.

Who will represent Waterford should be known this Sunday when Tramore and Ballinameela clash in this year’s county final which will be the curtain raiser to the senior final, and it is expected that these two sides will add plenty of blue and white colours in what could well be one of the biggest crowds to attend a county final in the Déise county in a long number of years.

Some might suggest that it is a surprise to see Tramore in this year’s final, but those that are watching the championship in the east of the county this year are telling me with some time that while Ballydurn were the favourites to win this year’s championship in the east, Tramore were the side to beat.

When the two sides clashed recently at the WIT Arena at Carriganore in the final, the seasider’s proved on the day to be the better of the two sides and fully deserved their two point win over the fancied mid county side.

The newly crowned eastern champions produced a very strong finish to that game and this will give them plenty of confidence going into this game.

While best known as a football club, Tramore have some good players within their ranks. Brian Murray finished top scorer in their last game with half a dozen scores and they will want another big performance from their free taker again this Sunday, as they will from Ian Thompson their top scorer from open play and Ben Richards the scorer of the sides second goal in the final.

They will no doubt have turned up at Fraher Field last Sunday to watch the Western Final and no doubt will be impressed with what they saw.

Ballinameela played in the Intermediate grade in the west of the county with the last number of years but found themselves relegated last year despite playing in a western final in recent times.

The western side have some very good players within their ranks. The Phelan Brothers will have to come in for close watching from the Tramore players while the Curran brothers will also have to be watched closely as will Liam O’Brien.

Ballinameela will go into this final in good form. They have reached this final on the back of some good performances and even though the final score in last week’s Western Final suggests a close game they were much more comfortable winners than the score line suggests as they eased up in the closing minutes when Colligan hit some late scores.

If Ballinameela were to pull up again next weekend should they find themselves in a position to win the game it could cost them. They go into the game as favourites for a reason, but they will have to play for the full sixty minutes plus whatever is added at the end of each half.

Ballinameela should win here and if they do, they will be looking to replicate what western sides Ballysaggart, Modeligo and Ardmore have done in recent years.