Rathgormack and Ballinacourty Clash in First Senior Football County Final

There is something special about this year’s County Senior Football Final in Waterford. For a start it does not involve either Stradbally or The Nire, the two sides that have proven most successful in the county in the last twenty years. Every year since Ballinacourty beat Ardmore in the 2007 decider at Fraher Field one or the other both on a few occasions have done battle for the Conway Cup.

Ballinacourty, the third most successful side in senior football in the Déise County in those last twenty years are involved, meaning that with Stradbally and The Nire not involved it means that for the second year running following on from Kilrossanty’s appearance in last year’s final it means that once more that we have a side from what some might call the next best sides in the county involved, something that can only be good for the game in Waterford.

Rathgormack have reached this year’s County Final as Ballinacourty’s opponents, the first time they have reached the final since losing out to Stradbally back in 2001, and will be looking to win a first title since 1999 when they beat the same opposition as they lost to two years later.

But under no circumstances should Rathgormack’s appearance in this year’s final should be seen as a surprise, far from it indeed.

Rathgormack were full value for their six point win over Stradbally in the first of the semi finals, and in truth could and should have won by a bigger margin than they did on the night.

In that semi final win Rathgormack was a delight to watch. Football at times can be very hard on neutrals to watch as coaches get players behind the ball at all times and hope that they maybe can manufacture a couple of scoreable frees at the other end and win the game that way.

Rathgormack against Stradbally ran and ran and ran more at them and it paid off for them with the likes of Billy Power, Jason Curry and Conor Murray kicking some good scores for them over the course of the hour.

Rathgormack played in Group A where they finished in second place beating Clashmore and Ardmore in their opening two fixtures before losing out to The Nire in their last group game, but finishing in second place, and with the best of the second placed teams they advanced as the fourth team to automatically play in the quarter finals.

In the quarter finals they played Gaultier where they won by two points which set up a semi final against Stradbally.

Ballinacourty won Group C with maximum points from their three games in the round robin section, beating Brickey Rangers and An Rinn before getting a walk over from Gaultier in their final game in the group section of the competition.

In the quarter finals they were drawn against last year’s runners up Kilrossanty, a game that many felt Kilrossanty had a good chance of advancing from, but despite playing nearly three quarters of an hour with a numerical disadvantage Ballinacourty did enough to force extra time and to win the game in the added twenty minutes.

In their semi final win over The Nire they started without Patrick Hurney who was suspended as a result of his sending off in their win over Kilrossanty and also without Shane Briggs from the start but he did come on late in that game. Both are hugely experienced players and would normally walk onto any side in the county and even beyond, but Peter Queally’s charges had more than enough as a backup to fill in for both players. Here Ballinacourty worked very hard against the reigning champions and were full value for their passage to this weekend’s County Final.

If we were to write the names of those expected to feature in Sunday’s final side by side on a piece of paper, it might look to most that Ballinacourty were the better or more balanced side.

Right throughout their team there is a mixture of youth and experience. There is players that have won senior football medals in the past in the team, whether it was as a starting player or as a sub on the day. They have some good young players that have come through from very successful underage sides, some of whom could well be involved in their first senior football final with the club, but may well have featured in last year’s hurling final loss to Ballygunner and will be looking to use the experience gained in that game to their benefit in this game, even if it is in different sports.

But the same could well be said of Rathgormack. They have some experience players, players that have played alongside players they will be up against this weekend on different Waterford teams. And just like Ballinacourty they have players that will be coming off some very successful underage teams.

For the betterment of Football in the county, the game needs the likes of Rathgormack contesting this year’s county final and Kilrossanty contesting last year’s final. The game needs more clubs, the likes of Ardmore, Clashmore, Gaultier, An Rinn etc to be involved in County Finals on a regular basis, and not just contesting them, the games needs these and indeed other clubs beating the likes of Stradbally, The Nire and Ballinacourty in the finals. The more clubs that we have able to challenge for and win titles the better the game will get in Waterford.

Both Ballinacourty and Rathgormack will go into the game believing that they can win this game. Many of the players on both sides will be very familiar with each other, having played with and against each other down the years on different teams.

Whichever of these two sides advance to represent Waterford in the Munster Club Championship will do so with pride and will carry a realistic chance of having a good run in the competition. Who knows, they might even go on to be the first Waterford side to win the competition.

So which side will win? Will the Conway Cup final a home across the bridge as they say in Dungarvan, or will it head to the east of the county.

The head and the heart is saying two different things. The head obviously tells me to go for the more experienced at this level anyhow – Ballinacourty side, but the heart like many others would love to see Rathgormack win and break the dominance of the big three in the county.

Listening to both I am a tendency to think that Ballinacourty will win, but to be honest, I don’t really mind who wins on Sunday. I want to see Football as the winner. All too often in the recent past the County Final has not got played till November, often in the wet and slop in Fraher Field, resulting in the fact it was difficult for most sides to play football as it should be.

Full marks must go to the Officer Board of the County Board in getting this year’s final played just past the mid way point in October. The surface in Fraher Field has been good in the last few weeks and no doubt the ground staff will be doing all in their power to ensure it is once more for Sunday’s final. Hopefully their work in getting the final played earlier this year than in other years will result in one of the biggest gatherings for the final in recent years. Something is telling me that we will see a fine crowd inside Fraher Field well before the throw in on Sunday afternoon.  

 

 

Paths to the Final

Ballinacourty           1-16    Brickey Rangers      0-4

Ballinacourty           2-12    An Rinn                    1-8

Ballinacourty                       Gaultier                    Conceded by Gaultier

Ballinacourty           4-6      Kilrossanty               3-5

Ballinacourty           0-16    The Nire                    1-9

 

Rathgormack           3-8      Clashmore                0-4

Rathgormack           7-15    Ardmore                   1-11

Rathgormack           1-10    The Nire                    2-9

Rathgormack           2-12    Gaultier                    1-13

Rathgormack           0-14    Stradbally                 0-8

Ballygunner Make it Six Titles in a Row and Edge Closer to the Record

Ballygunner became only the third different senior hurling club within the county to win six county finals in a row at Walsh Park this afternoon when they comprehensively beat De La Salle, and in doing so moved a step closer to the record nine titles won in a row by Erin’s Own and Mount Sion in the past.

It would be a brave person now that would bet against them equalling and even bettering what their city rivals have done in the past such are the numbers and talent that they have at their disposal. In fact the club could have two teams playing in the senior grade next year as they have a very fancied second string intermediate side competing in the County Final next Saturday where they take on Ballysaggart and on the same afternoon their Minor team are also in the county final where they will take on Saint Carthage’s at the same venue.

And having won a considerable amount of underage titles in recent years with some excellent up and coming players coming through from these teams and making their way onto Ballygunner’s first string side, the chances of them staying where they are at present look extremely good for the club.

Ballygunner had a great start to this game racing into a 1-7 to 0-1 lead with just under a quarter of the game played, but credit De La Salle who came back and at the break they trailed 1-11 to 1-6 and even at one stage in the second half managed to bring the newly crowned champions lead down to just two, but eight unanswered scores in the final quarter of the game secured Ballygunner an 18^th title since winning their first at this level back in 1966 something that no other club in the county has achieved in this time span.

Former Brighton and Hove Albion player Dessie Hutchinson in his first final at this level with ‘The Gunners’ hit 1-3 from play in a Man of the Match performance as his side stretched their unbeaten run within the county in Senior Championship Hurling to 33 games from when they were last beaten against Passage in the 2013 decider at the same venue.

After Pauric Mahony had given his side a good start to this game with a brace of scores, his side grabbed the first goal of the game on five minutes when Mahony’s younger brother Michael found Dessie Hutchinson who finished to the net putting his side 1-2 to 0-1 in front. And when Conor Sheahan, Mahony and Hutchinson followed up with points giving their side a nine point cushion things were looking bleak for De La Salle who last won the title in 2012, beating Dungarvan at Fraher Field.

De La Salle are year were considered the side that were expected to challenge Ballygunner hardest and they showed why as they began to find the scores to draw closer to Ballygunner which along the way included a goal from Eddie Meaney on 20 minutes.

Mahony followed up with a point for Ballygunner but it was followed with scores from Eddie Meaney and Jake Dillon with a huge score to leave just four between the sides and giving the Gracedieu based club plenty of hope.

Tim O’Sullivan and Jack Fagan swapped scores and Meaney added another for De La Salle to make it a three point game, but a brace of scores before the half time whistle by Pauric Mahony gave The Gunners a 1-11 to 1-6 lead at the break.

Peter Hogan pointed for the winners just after the restart, but De La Salle enjoyed a bit of a purple patch after this as points from Jack Fagan, Adam Farrell and Cormac McCann moved them to within four of the eventual winners, who would respond with efforts from Conor Sheahan and Pauric Mahony.

De La Salle got the margin down to two but the Champions refused to bow to the pressure being put on by the challengers and five points, two from Peter Hogan and one each from Paddy Leavy, Barry O’Sullivan and Pauric Mahony in a two minute spell showed why Ballygunner are champions for each year past six years as they went 1-20 to 1-13 in front, going into the last ten minutes of the game.

Late points from Pauric Mahony, Dessie Hutchinson and Conor Power introduced as a sub mid way through the second half for Tim O’Sullivan ensured that the title was returning to Ballygunner who now play Clare champions Sixmilebridge on November 3 in Ennis after they beat Cratloe in the Clare County Final today in Ennis.

Ballygunner: Stephen O’Keeffe; Ian Kenny, Eddie Hayden, Barry Coughlan; Shane O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony, Billy O’Keeffe; Conor Sheahan, Paddy Leavy; Barry O’Sullivan, Pauric Mahony, Michael Mahony; Peter Hogan, Tim O’Sullivan, Dessie Hutchinson

Subs: Conor Power for Tim O’Sullivan (45), Wayne Hutchinson for Conor Sheahan (60), JJ Hutchinson for Leavy (60), Barry Power for Billy O’Keeffe (62).

Scorers: Pauric Mahony 0-12 (0-6f), Dessie Hutchinson 1-3, Peter Hogan 0-3, Conor Sheahan 0-2, Barry O’Sullivan, Tim O’Sullivan, Paddy Leavy, Conor Power 0-1 each.

De La Salle: Shaun O’Brien; Ryan Duke, Conor Giles Doran, Michael Doherty; Shane McNulty, Kevin Moran, Tom Moran; Eddie Barrett, Adam Farrell; Jake Dillon, Jack Fagan, Paidi Nevin; Cormac McCann, Thomas Douglas, Eddie Meaney.

Subs: Shane Ryan for Nevin (45), Dean Twomey for Farrell (51)

Scorers: Eddie Meaney 1-3, Jack Fagan, Cormac McCann, Jake Dillon 0-3 each, Shane McNulty (65), Adam Farrell, Eddie Meaney 0-1 each.

Referee: Michael O’Brien

I’m Looking Forward to Déise Today Tomorrow Morning on WLRfm

I can’t wait till tomorrow morning. I just log onto my twitter page, and there on the very top of my feed, news that I wanted to read with a long time. It was a tweet from ace reporter Damien Tiernan telling us his followers to tune into his radio short Déise Today on WLRfm from 10am in the morning.

Damien each evening on his social media pages give us the listeners to his show a hint of what will be coming up the next morning. What Damien has on tomorrow news for me that is better than winning the jackpot in the lotto.

Anyone that knows me will know that I am disabled from birth and will always stand up for what I believe are basic rights that we should have. I don’t look for anything out of the way, just simple things, things that should make our lives that little bit easier.

Earlier this year I was one of the first people to make a complaint when I noticed an advert in the Dungarvan newspapers that the Council were planning to close off parts of the quay in the town to all traffic each weekend in July and August.

I felt this was a kick in the teeth to disabled people that live and visit the town, as it was reducing the limited number of disabled parking spaces in the town by two, a small number I know, but a large number when you factor in the amount of fully fit able bodied people who are using the spaces. I said in my complaint that the closing off of the bays would not directly affect me as I am one of the lucky ones I can get around on a pair of crutches, something that not all disabled people who are not in a wheelchair can manage, and if the quay was closed off to traffic it would mean that many disabled people would not be able to get into the library at their ease or to one of the other premises on the quay if they wished to visit them. The funny thing about it for me is that the idea of closing off the quay appeared to be to get more people to visit it, but it seems not the disabled.

I am glad that others got behind me, both able bodied and disabled, business people and those that use the harbour all pointing out how closing the quay would make life tougher for them. Each and every one of those that made a valid point were listened to and it was decided that closing off the quay was not going to go ahead, something that I know disappointed some prominent people in the town and its hinterland.

This evening Damien Tiernan told his followers and me in particular some good news. He told us that a driver in Dungarvan (we don’t know if he or she is from the town or was visiting) who parked illegally in a disabled parking space was fined €500 and put off the road for three months.

This is something that I and I know others will welcome. The usual fixed charge for parking illegally in a disabled parking space went up from €80 to €150 in recent years. I am not sure if this is a minimum fine or now, but I hope it would be and that a Judge can use his or her discretion to up the fine if needed be. I do know that where clamping takes place and someone parks illegally in a disabled bay the fine to be released is a minimum of €80 so I am taking it that the €150 is also a minimum fine.

The illegal use of disabled parking bays in Dungarvan is frightening. I have seen time, time and time again people with nothing wrong with them park in disabled bays. It happens more over on a Sunday when there is no traffic warden working.

I have seen people (most women) root in a handbag or in the glove box of a car to search for a pass, slap it on the dashboard and head off and do what they have to do.

I know it is important that not every disability is clearly recognisable. But some of those that I have seen use them I will hand on heart say that there is nothing wrong with them.

I have seen one woman known to me pull into one of the disabled parking bays in the Plaza Car Park. She got out of the car, instructed her children to get out and go into the shopping centre. I said nothing to her at the time, I just stared at her as if to say what the F””K are you at. She knew I did not have to say anything for her to know I was not happy with what she was doing. She however spoke. She told me that the bays are handy when you have the children with you and have a bit of shopping to do. I have only seen her do it the once, but I am absolutely confident that she has done it far more than that one occasion.

I am also made aware that there is some who park their cars in public spaces in Dungarvan who are borrowing the blue disabled badges from others to park their cars. This to me is a total disgrace.

As a disabled person I have called a number of times for changes to be made to the way the Disabled badges are handed out. I renewed mine recently, and to do so is forever too easy.

First up in my eyes the photo of the person who is issued with the pass should have it on the front of the card, not hidden away. If you sit into a taxi and look at the drivers badge which they must have clearly on display their name and photo is clear to be seen. I understand that this is not allowed to happen with the disabled badges. Someone told me it is because some disabled people don’t want it known that they are disabled. Why is this I’d love to know? I am disabled and I don’t care who knows or not. You only have to look at me and you can see that I am anyway.

Secondly it is too easy to get a renewal once you have got your first card. You only have to thick a box to say that your disability has not improved in the two years since you got the last pass, put your passport photo and €35 into an envelope with the form you are issued with and you get a new one.

Some people have no problems with telling lies. I am not one of them. I have no problem with someone with a bad knee or a bad hip for example getting a pass but these disabilities in 2019 are very much able to be rectified, and most are through operations. But many it seems are not any better when it comes to renewing a pass.

I believe that each applicant should have to visit a doctor with their form and have him or her fill it up giving details of the person’s disability. I would even suggest that a person should have to do this without their medical card if they have one covering the cost. I would then call for that a certain number of people renewing their forms each year would have to be referred to a referee doctor to verify that a person is disabled and the extent of their disabilities.

As a disabled person I would love to meet the judge that imposed the fine of €500 and time off the road in Dungarvan and to thank him or her for standing up to some of the low lives that are to be seen in most towns and villages.

I hope that when Damien Tiernan takes to the air tomorrow morning that he and whoever he is talking to about the case will not be afraid to name and shame the individual involved. As things stand I don’t know who it is but would love to know. I am also hoping that both of the Dungarvan papers on next Wednesday when they come out on the newsstands will have full details of the case and the person involved.

Only when he name and shame those who illegally park in Dungarvan and other centres up and down the length of the country will we clean up what is a disgusting act by some mindless people.

Cappoquin Look To Dethrone Champions Gailltir In County Final

Cappoquin will look to win a first senior County Camogie final for the first time in over 60 years at the WIT Arena on Saturday afternoon when they take on reigning champions Gailltir in a final that could well attract the biggest attendance to such a game in many a year.

12 months ago the reigning champions won a second title in three seasons having gone eight years without one up to that point and later that year went on to win a second Munster Intermediate Final and earlier this year they contested the All-Ireland Final at Croke Park, but sadly had to second for second best on the day, which if it had ended in victory would have saw the Diamond Anniversary of their formation back in 1958 end on a very memorable note.

They will go into this game as the favourites and it is easy to see why when you look back at what they achieved last year and in the meantime with their underage players, but it would be a very foolish person that would write off the chances of the women from the Cornerstone going into this game.

The sides have already met in the competition as the pair were in the same group in a seven team competition split into two groups. On that occasion it was Gailltir that emerged as victors, but that does not mean that the result this time around will be the same.

If you are a reader of what I have to say on here and in reporting on the local papers over the past few years, you will know that when it comes to underage hurling and football games as well as competitions at all levels in Camogie and Ladies Football, I have a thing that when two sides meet for the second time in the same competition, often in these competitions it is the team that lost the first day that is the one that will have learned more from that game and they often come back and win on the second occasion.

Will that happen at the WIT Arena in Carriganore on Saturday evening? Right now we will have to wait and see.

Cappoquin’s second game in the group stages was against Dungarvan, a game that resulted in a win for the girls in Red and Black which set up a quarter final appearance against their neighbours Lismore.

The side from the Heritage Town would have gone into that game as favourites, but games between Lismore and Cappoquin pay little regard to what the bookies might be saying as when they face off against one another in any sport, it always brings the best out of the players.

In that game they fought out a very tight game where at the break the sides could not be separated and thirty minutes later things were just as close but Cappoquin did enough to emerge winners by the minimum in a game that produced seventeen scores, all of which saw white flags waved.

That win put Cappoquin into the semi final where they took on De La Salle. Again here the side from West Waterford went into the game as the underdogs but they pulled off a performance that will be remembered for some time against the side which contested last year’s League and Championship Finals, only to lose both to Gailltir and who only a few weeks ago had a great boost going into that semi final when they beat Gailltir to win the All-Ireland Seven’s Title in Dublin.

But again Cappoquin refused to what people were saying about their chances against such strong opposition as they ran out winners on a 1-14 to 1-12 score line with Aisling Power proving outstanding with her shooting on the day, and that win will mean that they will make the journey to the outer ring road around Waterford on Saturday afternoon in a very confident mood.

Cappoquin this year are under the guidance of Shane Coughlan, a player that had a long career playing with the Cappoquin/Affane Club and will be bringing a lot of what he learned over the years into his role as Manager/Coach to the sides Camogie team.

And no doubt he may well be calling on the advice of former Waterford Senior Camogie Manager Donal O’Rourke, a player which he played alongside for many years asking how he might be able to stop some of the Gailltir players which the former goalkeeper will know from his two years in charge of the county team.

Cappoquin while their players as a group might not be as known as what Gailltir’s are will not be left asking on the that day. Right throughout the team there is plenty of talent. Tracey Kiely as played in goal for Waterford at all levels. Lorraine Bray is a player that needs no introduction to anyone. She is one of the best in the country right now and was recently nominated for an All-Star for the second year in a row. And up front there is Aisling Power who like Lorraine Bray is the holder of a Intermediate All-Ireland Medal won in 2015. She was top scorer for Cappoquin in their win over De La Salle and if she was to prove to be just as sharp on this occasion then Gailltir could find themselves in a spot of bother.

And there is others that are more than capable of pulling off a big result in the Cappoquin set up, players like Carole, Elaine and Jenny McCarthy, Tina and Bree Coffey, no Cappoquin team would be complete without a Murray and this Cappoquin side has Laura. They have the two Róisín’s Uniacke and Cahillane, Coley Landers, Charlotte Connors, Sinead O’Brien and Emma Foley to name but a few of the remainder of their panel that will be looking to help their side produce the performance of their lives.

Gailltir in the group stages finished with maximum points from their games against Cappoquin and Lismore and in their quarter final they once more proved too strong for a West Waterford club beating An Rinn 5-21 to 1-7 and last time out they once more showed that they are a side to be reckoned with in beating Saint Anne’s 3-13 to 1-9 at the WIT Arena.

Nobody in Cappoquin will need much telling of the task they face when they face up to Gailltir. The reigning champions have not just a strong starting fifteen, but a very strong senior panel, and if they can build on what they have achieved so far, there is no reason to suggest that they won’t achieve big things in the years ahead.

In their semi final win recently they started 12 of the side that were beaten in the All-Ireland Final earlier this year, and they could start with a similar number this weekend.

With players like the Fitzgerald’s, the Jackman’s, Margo Heffernan, Claire Dunne, Anne Corcoran, Emma Roche, Kate Lynch, Clodagh Carroll, Áine Lyng, Emer Walsh, Ciara O’Sullivan, Áine O’Keeffe, Hannah Flynn, Emily Mahony and Leah Sheridan to name but a few that could feature this weekend, Gailltir have a very strong unit.

As I have said already often in Ladies Football and Camogie I often feel that when two teams meet in the same competition the team that loses the first game is often the side that learns most. As much as I would love to say it with Cappoquin connections in me, I can’t see them win this one. There is some that will tell you that you have to lose one to win one, something that is not always true. To me Gailltir appear have the stronger starting fifteen, and not only that they seem to have plenty of strength in reserve, some of who have won under age and colleges Munster and All-Ireland Medals in the last couple of years, and you have to think that this will stand to them.

But in saying that, don’t write off the West Waterford Club. It is often the longer that any Cappoquin side remain in a competition the harder they are to beat, and after beating Lismore and De La Salle, two of the stronger sides in the county in their last two games, they will not be short of confidence going into this game.

Ballygunner and De La Salle Clash in County Final for the Fourth Time

Last April when this year’s County Senior Hurling Championship got underway we did so with 12 teams taking part, a number that is not down to two and by tea time on Sunday evening barring the need for a replay, we will know who will represent the county in this year’s Munster Club Championship.

To see Ballygunner who are looking to win a sixth final in a row take on De La Salle is hardly a surprise to most. It is the final that most said would happen all year that is of course if they managed to stay apart in the semi final draw which we now know they did.

The two sides will be contesting the final for the fourth time, and as things stand Ballygunner lead 2 wins to 1, so it will be interesting to see if the Gracedieu side can draw level on head to head wins between the two or will Ballygunner open a gap between the two sides further.

Ballygunner go into this game as the favourites according to most. After all they are undefeated in Championship hurling since they lost the 2013 final to neighbours Passage on a 3-16 to 3-13 score line. De La Salle for their part in this Millennium have won three finals, the last coming back in 2012 when they took the News and Star Cup home out of Fraher Field, beating Dungarvan in the decider.

Both sides have proven to be very consistent throughout the year.

Ballygunner in their five games to reach this year’s final have used 22 players, four of which started every game played to now and of which three played every minute of the five games. They have had 13 different scorers with Pauric Mahony their top scorer with 57 points, 36 of which came from placed balls.

De La Salle have used two players fewer than Ballygunner up to this stage of the competition, 11 of which started all five games played to now and eight of these players have played every minute. They have more scorers up to now than Ballygunner, 15 in total and have Jack Fagan as top scorer hitting 2-38 for his side of which 25 points have come from placed balls.

Ballygunner are unquestionably the best side in the county in the last number of years. If there is a disappointment for Ballygunner in this time it has to be that they have won just the one Munster Title in the past five years.

They are the reigning champions in Munster as well as in Waterford and won’t want to give up both titles this weekend and will look to become the second Waterford Hurling Club to win an All-Ireland Final, and the first at this level at Croke Park on Saint Patrick’s Day. But there will be no such talk about the latter two competitions in the coming days. The focus will be on the retention of the Waterford Championship which would give them the right to fight for the other two titles they so desperately crave for.

But standing in their way this weekend is possibly the second best side in the county at this level over the past decade or so. Only Ballygunner have contested and won more finals than the Gracedieu based outfit in the last 11 years. They have won three titles, no other club has won that number in the past 11 years and they have contested one other final that a 2-18 to 0-16 loss to Ballygunner two years ago, a defeat which they will be seeking revenge for this weekend.

Ballygunner booked their place in this weekend’s final with an easy win over Dungarvan at Fraher Field recently in the first of this year’s semi finals. The writing was on the wall for Dungarvan early in that game as they trailed by double scores after 10 minutes, even if only six scores were registered in this time.  But in the next six minutes of that game the champions hit 1-5 without response the goal coming Peter Hogan after he was played in by Tim O’Sullivan.

At the break that day Dungarvan had one leg in this weekend’s final as they turned around holding a 1-14 to 0-6 lead and it was another of the younger Ballygunner players that notched their second goal Michael Mahony a younger brother of Philip and Pauric just short of the half way point in the second half.

The second game later that same evening in Walsh Park proved to be a much more entertaining game where De La Salle booked their place in Sunday’s final finishing strong at the expense of fellow city side Mount Sion who looked as if they could win a place in the County Final since they lost out to Ballygunner back in 2014.

A goal in the first minute of that game from Thomas Douglas was not good enough to give them the lead with ten minutes played as they trailed 0-7 to 1-2 as Evan McGrath, Michael Gaffney, Jack Meaney, Stephen Roche and Austin Gleeson split the De La Salle uprights as it looked that a shock could be on the cards. But De La Salle would have the better of the exchanges in the remaining time in the opening half and turned around locked at 1-11 each at the break.

The game dropped in its intensity in the second half but Mount Sion were shading it and just short of the midway point of the second half they held a 1-15 to 1-13 lead. A moment of brilliance by Kevin Moran after Jack Fagan had made it a one point game was the turning point as it was followed by two scores on the run by another of their experienced players Dean Twomey had De La Salle two in front going into the final 10 minutes. And in the final ten minutes they continued to be the better of the two sides and ran out deserved winners with four points to spare.

It might be only two year’s since these two sides contested a County Final against each other but in that time both sides have performed surgery on their sides. It is hard to see either side making too many if any chances to the fifteen they started in their respective semi final wins, but there could be some positional changes.

For Ballygunner nine of the side which started two years ago could well be starting for them this weekend. Stephen O’Keeffe will be between the posts while the defence of Ian Kenny, Eddie Hayden, Barry Coughlan, Shane O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony and Billy O’Keeffe will be hard to break down. While in the middle of the field it was Conor Sheahan and Paddy Leavy last day out and they will be looking to link up again this coming weekend.

When it comes winning it is often the forwards get the credit and whether it is right or wrong that forwards that get or make the scores that win games get all or most of the praise, Ballygunner have plenty of options.

Pauric Mahony is expected to once more be the central forward ad could have Barry O’Sullivan and Michael Mahony on either side of him, there is goals in their inside forward line which could well consist of Tim O’Sullivan and Dessie Hutchinson either side of Peter Hogan.

And if needed Ballygunner have options which they can bring in off the bench in the likes of Barry Power, Tadhg Foley, Tom Gallagher, Conor Power, Cormac Power as well as Wayne and JJ Hutchinson amongst others.

De La Salle could start with a slightly higher number that played the final two years ago than what Ballygunner which might give them a little advantage going into this game.

Shaun O’Brien is one of the best goalkeepers in the county. The only reason we have not seen him play for the county is because of Stephen O’Keeffe and Ian O’Regan two other terrific goalkeepers that would walk onto most inter county sides.

Conor Giles Doran and Michael Doherty will be in the full back line. It remains to be seen if Shane McNulty will drop back to try and curb the threat that the Ballygunner Full forward line pose or if they will go with Ryan Duke as they did against Mount Sion, while Tom and Kevin Moran should be in the half back line. Who plays beside them rests on where Shane McNulty is played.

In the middle of the field Eddie Barrett and Adam Farrell should get the nod to continue while Dean Twomey could be another option here.

Eddie Meaney, Thomas Douglas and Cormac McCann were all introduced as late subs two years ago but all three would be expected to start this time around and form the inside forward line for De La Salle, which leaves the half forward line. Here the three places could be fought out between Paidi Nevin, Jake Dillon and Jack Fagan the three that started in the win over Mount Sion recently while Shane Ryan who came on five minutes into the second half that day will also be in contention.

De La Salle has one of the biggest panels playing senior hurling this year and has plenty of options off the bench if needed. Players like Mikey Costigan, Lee Wall, Luke Flynn, Kenneth Byrne, Patrick Kennedy etc could all come in and do a job if needed for Bryan Phelan’s side.

Only one side will leave Walsh Park on Sunday evening with the News and Star Cup that is if they don’t have to return and do it all over again before we find out who will represent Waterford in the Munster Club Championship. This could well prove to be one of the closest finals in recent years. Ballygunner will be fired up complete the mix for six, but De La Salle will be just as fired up to knock their opponents of their perch. Don’t write off the need for a replay at this point, but something tells me that this is Ballygunner’s to lose.

Long Trip for Ballymacarbry in Munster Club Championship

Ballymacarbry Ladies Football Club fresh from winning their 38^th yes that is 38 County Senior Football Final in a row make the 260 km round trip journey to Rathmore in Kerry on Saturday afternoon to play Southern Gaels from Kerry in this year’s Munster Senior ‘B’ Championship Semi Final.

It comes as no real surprise that these two clubs are set for battle this weekend. The Kerry side along with Rathmore are the most consistent sides when it comes to Ladies Football in Kerry over the last number of years, while Ballymacarbry’s 38 titles in a row tells its own story here in Waterford, but it must be said that other sides are closing in on them, and it would be no surprise to see the likes of Comeragh Rangers who have ran Ballymacarbry close on more than one occasion in recent years and Abbeyside who won this year’s Intermediate title to name but two clubs push the Ballymacarbry ladies in the coming years.

In the Kingdom, Rathmore have not won the title since they won it in 2015 but those closest to the game in the county were making them favourites to beat Southern Gaels in the county final which was played some weeks back near Killarney.

The Kerry champions went into their County final on the back of a 2-14 to 2-11 win over Na Gaeil in the quarter finals and then put up another very good score in the semi final when beating Mid Kerry on a 5-10 to 3-10 score line.

In the County Final they found scoring that little bit tougher but still did enough to beat a fancied Rathmore side on a 1-9 to 0-10 score line.

On the day they had an inspired performance by Rachel Dwyer who registered 1-4 for her side, while Sinead Sheahan at full back was very impressive.

The Kerry side are bye and large a very young side with most of their players still eligible to play underage football. They handed seven players their senior championship debut in their quarter final which may well be a disadvantage when it comes to a game playing in the provincial championship so soon afterwards, but with youth on their side one would expect the side to have plenty of life in their legs and will not be afraid to run at the Ballymacarbry backs when given the chance, especially if the likes of Siofra O’Shea and Anna Galvin can get enough of the ball to feed it to other players around them.

Anna Galvin a member of the Kerry inter county panel might well be Southern Gaels best known players, but that does not mean that they are a one lady team.

Sisters Megan and Ellie O’Connell will have to be watched carefully, in defence Sinead Sheahan at full back Caoimhe Teahan directly in front of her are capable players, while in the Ballymacarbry half of the field players like already mentioned Megan O’Connell, Siofra O’Shea, Shannon O’Donnell and Rachel Dwyer can cause trouble if allowed.

What can be said about Ballymacarbry that has not been said before? There record is there for all to see. Time and time again people have predicted their demise since the breakup of the great side which helped Waterford win so much in the 1990’s, but still they are coming back for more.

In the recent County Final at Lemybrien Comeragh Rangers to their credit did all they could to try and end their great rivals run of successive titles, literally throwing everything at their opponents bar the kitchen sink but still it was not enough.

Right throughout the side there is players of the highest calibre, including many with All-Ireland Medals at different levels.

Goalkeeper Lauren Fitzpatrick recently won a second All-Ireland Intermediate title with Tipperary. She plays with Ballymacarbry as there is no club in her native Newcastle. Sisters Karen and Michelle McGrath are known up and down the country as fine footballers in defence or in the middle of the field. In the Ballymacarbry defence they are joined by another hugely experienced player Mairead Wall.

In the middle of the field there is two players at opposite ends of their careers. Michelle Ryan is one of the longest serving players in the country but still plays like a player many years her junior, showing that you never lose ability. In the middle of the field she is joined by Kelly Ann Hogan a young player who made a big impact with the Waterford seniors this year and is a player that we will hear a lot more about in the years ahead.

In attack sisters Louise and Sinead Ryan just like their older sister Michelle have done it all in the past and still have so much to offer the game. Between the three of them they have 58 County Senior Football Medals. When you add in those by their brother Shane with The Nire, it brings up an impressive number of medals in the one family. Their experience alone is so telling around the younger players that are brought in each year, while another player that is known up and down the country is Aileen Wall.

Ballymacarbry are not just about the players mentioned above. Take Abbie Dalton a relatively new player to the club. She is someone that can play in defence just as easily as she can play in attack. Brigita Valuntaite is another player that we will hear a lot about in the coming years and has played for the county at all levels already.

Add in the likes of Muireann Boyce, Maeve Ryan. Laura Mulcahy, Eibhlis Cooney etc and you can see that this is a Ballymacarbry side that will not be short of confidence to take on the ladies from the Kingdom.

You have to feel that Ballymacarbry’s greater experience should stand to them in this game and they should be good enough to advance to a Munster ‘B’ Final against a Kilmihil side that recently beat another fancied side Banner Ladies in the Clare County Final with the winners of that game advancing to play Cork Champions Mourneabbey in the Munster ‘A’ Final after they collected a sixth Cork County Final in a row last weekend against West Cork where they had three clear goals to spare.

Ballinacourty Knock Champions Out To Reach First Final in Three Seasons

            Ballinacourty’s involvement in this year’s County Senior Football Final after they knocked 2018 champions out of this year’s competition coupled with Rathgormack beating Stradbally in the first game of a double header semi final programme on Sunday evening at Fraher Field will mean that one or both from Stradbally or The Nire will not be involved in Sunday week’s County Final for the first time since 2007 when Ballinacourty beat Ardmore at the Shandon Road venue.

            This was a game that never reached the same levels of excitement as the opening game. Early on it looked as if the 2018 champions would back in the final and in with a chance of putting back to back titles together for only the second time in their history, the first time coming in 1993 and 1994 when they defeated Dungarvan and Gaultier respectfully at Cappoquin and Walsh Park, but in the end it was some crucial late scores from the eventual winners that secured that they would be returning to the same venue in two weeks time.

            Just as in the first game there was some fine performers for the winning side in particular, the Waterford management team could do a lot worse that to have a closer look with a number of players on the Ballinacourty team.

The performance of corner forward David Looby was particularly impressive. He has taken over free taking duties for his side in recent times and not for the first time this year has looked as having an eye for the posts. He took eight frees that you would give him a good chance of scoring from and took seven of them, an impressive return in any game, and more over when you take into account that some of the chances given to him would be considered from a difficult angle.

Others to have impressed in winning Ballinacourty a first county final appearance in three years over the course of the championship include players like Darragh McGrath, Conor Prunty, Michael Maher, Michael O’Halloran, Neil Montgomery, Sean Whelan Barrett and Mark Ferncombe to name but a few and if all of these were to click together on the one day then you would give not only Ballinacourty a great chance of winning a seventh title since winning their first in 1978 but to go on and have a major say in where the Munster Club Championship might find a home for the coming twelve months, who knows maybe they might even win that first title for a Waterford Club.

Sean Whelan Barrett opened the scoring in this game with a point for Ballinacourty on four minutes which was followed with an effort at the other end from Ciaran Walsh who showed a very unusual style while kicking frees, often starting his run with his back to goal, and a minute later the 2018 County Champions netted the game’s only goal as Dylan Guiry and Conor Gleeson played a one-two before Guiry planted the size five past Stephen Enright in the Ballinacourty goal.

Ballinacourty however wasted no time in getting back into their stride and two pointed frees from David Looby on 7 and 11 minutes meant that his side were only trailing by a single score.

The Nire were dealt a blow on 13 minutes when Craig Guiry was sent to the line after referee Tom Dee issued him with a black card, the first of a number of cards handed out by the John Mitchell’s club man in this game.

David Looby and Michael Maher split the uprights to put Ballinacourty back in front before the hugely impressive David Looby kicked another brace of scores, both from frees to give his side a 0-7 to 1-1 advantage on the score board with 21 minutes played.

Shane and Ciaran Walsh hit back with points for The Nire to leave just one between the sides with five minutes of the half remaining. David Looby and Shane O’Meara swapped scores to keep just one between the sides heading into the break, but points just before the whistle by Neil Montgomery and Mark Ferncombe ensured that Ballinacourty would turn around with an 0-10 to 1-4 advantage showing on the scoreboard over their heads as they headed to the dressing rooms.

David Looby kicked the first score of the second half three minutes after the restart, but they would not score again for another 15 minutes, in which time The Nire would kick four points to draw level.

Shane O’Meara got his first of the evening from a free on 36 minutes before inter county hurler Jamie Barron supporting a very tight hair cut followed up with a point with the games next attack. Shane O’Meara again from a free and Ciaran Walsh with another score from a placed ball had the sides level with ten minutes of the second half played, and the 2018 champions were starting to look like as if they would advance to meet neighbours Rathgormack rekindling some great battles they had in the past.

Neil Montgomery put Ballinacourty back in front on 48 minutes but two minutes later it looked as they might have blown their chances when Keith Guiry was fouled in the box resulting in a penalty but Shane O’Meara saw his effort come crashing off the blue paintwork at the end of the post.

            Neil Montgomery with a brilliant fist passed effort and Darren Guiry swapped scored within a minute of each other with five minutes remaining, but this was as good as it got for last year’s champions.

Late points from Mark Ferncombe, Michael Maher and John Elstead ensured that Ballinacourty would advance from this second semi final to meet Rathgormack in a first county final meeting of the two clubs.

Ballinacourty: Stephen Enright; David Collins, Brian Looby, Darragh McGrath; John Elstead, Richie Foley, Mark Twomey; James Beresford, Conor Prunty; Michael Maher, Mark Ferncombe, Michael O’Halloran; Neil Montgomery, Sean Whelan Barrett, David Looby

Subs: Tom Looby for James Beresford (45), John Hurney for Mark Twomey (45), James O’Mahony for David Looby (61), Shane Briggs for Michael O’Halloran (62)

Scorers: David Looby 0-7 (7f), Neil Montgomery 0-3, Mark Ferncombe, Michael Maher 0-2 each, Sean Whelan Barrett, John Elstead 0-1 each. 

The Nire: Stephen Ryan; Jake Mulcahy, Thomas O’Gorman, Dermot Ryan; Jamie Barron, Tom Barron, Darren Guiry; Craig Guiry, Michael O’Halloran; Ciaran Walsh, Shane Walsh, Shane O’Meara; Dylan Guiry, Conor Gleeson, Shane Ryan.

Subs: Larry Walsh for Michael O’Gorman (54), Conal Mulcahy for Jake Mulcahy (60),

Scorers: Shane O’Meara 0-4 (3f), Ciaran Walsh 0-3 (3f), Dylan Guiry 1-0, Jamie Barron, Darren Guiry 0-1 each. 

Referee: Tom Dee

Rathgormack Are Back In a Senior County Final for the First Time in 19 Years

Rathgormack were the first team to qualify for this year’s County Senior Football Final when they ran out winners by six points at Fraher Field on Sunday evening against a Stradbally side that most had expected to advance.

Seeing the side from under the shadow of the Comeragh Mountains reach this year’s final was no fluke. On the night they were by far the better of the two sides and if the score board told any lines it was that the winners could and should have won more than the six points which they did.

There was some that saw them earlier in the competition who were not impressed with the style of play against the opposition where the primary tactic seemed to be to stop the oppositions best players from scoring and having the influence which they could have on games, but on Sunday evening the Rathgormack players ran and ran and ran even more at every opportunity at the Stradbally players and they did not seem to know what to do to stop them.

I have no doubt that the Waterford Senior Football management team were amongst a big gathering inside the ground for this game and they could do a lot worse than to bring a number of the Rathgormack players into their plans for the year ahead.

Full back Conor Walsh impressed throughout even when marking Shane Ahearne before he was brought out the field to try and get Stradbally into this game really impressed and William Hahessey a player with two All-Ireland Hurling medals won at Minor and Under 21 levels in 2013 and 2016 caused Stradbally all sorts of problems often getting into the Stradbally half of the field from his wing back position where he was helping set up scores for others on his side.

And then there was the talented half forward line of Jason Curry, Billy Power and Conor Murray who contributed nine points between them of their sides tally on the night.

And while Rathgormack will go into Sunday week’s county final in Fraher Field as the underdog with most bookmakers, nobody with an interest in football in the county will be underestimating their chances as it is known only too well locally that they have produced some very good underage teams in recent years, winning both minor and under 21 championships many will feel that while underage success does not guarantee it will come at adult level, there is ability in this Rathgormack side to help bring their club to the next level.

Rathgormack’s win mean that they now will be contesting a first senior County Final since they lost to Stradbally back in 2001 and will be looking to win a first title since beating the same opposition two years earlier.

Rathgormack opened this game in whirlwind fashion racing into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead inside ten minutes, and in this time they were unlucky not to have added more to their tally as Conor Murray, Billy Power and Jason Curry all hit early wides for the side in green and red.

James Power who was listed as a sub but who started this game instead of John Kirwan opened the scoring on four minutes and they doubled their advantage three minutes later when the very impressive Conor Murray split the Stradbally posts.

Eoin O’Brien hit Stradbally’s first score on ten minutes but it was quickly followed with similar efforts from Robbie Flynn and Paul Drohan to extend their sides advantage. Rathgormack were very unlucky not to have been even further in front at this points as for Paul Drohan’s effort on 14 minutes Jason Curry raced down on the Stradbally goal and shot for goal but his effort was brilliantly saved by Eoin Cunningham in the Stradbally goal but when the ball fell to Drohan his shot on the volley ballooned high over the crossbar while facing an empty goal.

Michael Walsh hit Stradbally’s second score on 16 minutes. Kevin Lawlor took a quick 45 and found the veteran inter county hurler who made no mistake from in front of the Rathgormack posts. Billy Power and Conor Murray extended Rathgormack’s lead with points four minutes apart and when Jason Curry put over a free seven minutes from the break it was looking very good for Rathgormack.

Stradbally appeared to be handed a lifeline on 28 minutes. Paddy Kiely sent in a probing ball in around the town end of the ground and as Kevin Lawlor was about to get on the end of it, he was upended by James Power and referee Alan Kissane immediately indicated for a penalty. Lawlor placed the ball on the 12 metre line to face Padraig Hunt in the Rathgormack goal who saved pushing the ball off his right hand upright. The ball came back across the goal but no Stradbally player was able to get to it quickly enough and the chance was lost. A goal at that point would have seen the Cove Men trail by just one, but instead turned around trailing 0-7 to 0-3.

Stradbally at the break made changes bringing on Liam Fennell and Ger Power and early on it looked as if they could turn things around as they started with an early point off the boot of Eoin O’Brien.

But this was as good as it got for them as Billy Power, Conor Murray and Stephen Curry all pointed to give Rathgormack an impressive 0-10 to 0-4 lead with 41 minutes played. Jason Curry pointed from a free with 11 minutes to go. Shane Ahearne cancelled that score out in the next attack but Rathgormack would restore a seven point lead on 51 minutes when Jason Curry again split the posts from a free.

Conor Murray and Eoin O’Brien swapped scores as Rathgormack began to empty their bench to kill time. But there was still time to play and in added time both sides added one further score each, firstly Jason Gleeson put over a free in the second added minute and two minutes later Eoin O’Brien did likewise in the fourth added minute.

Rathgormack: Padraig Hunt; Liam Connolly, Conor Walsh, Cathal Crowch; William Hahessy, Robbie Flynn, Jamie Kirwan; Michael Curry, Tom Walsh; Jason Curry, Billy Power, Conor Murray; Stephen Curry, James Power, Paul Drohan.

Subs: Ronan Cahill for Jamie Kirwan (46), Seanie Lacey for Paul Drohan (54), John Kirwan for Stephen Curry (56), Declan Hennebry for Robbie Flynn (59), Ronan Crotty for Billy Power (63).

Scorers: Conor Murray 0-4, Jason Curry 0-3 (3f), Billy Power 0-2, James Power, Robbie Flynn, Paul Drohan, Stephen Curry, Jason Gleeson (f), 0-1 each.

Stradbally: Eoin Cunningham; Kevin Lawlor, Tony Grey, Jack Mullaney; Damien Sheehan, Shane Lannon, Tommy Connors; Paddy Kiely, Robert Ahearne; Ricky Power, Michael Walsh, Paul Connors; Paul Tobin, Shane Ahearne, Eoin O’Brien.

Subs: Liam Fennell for Paul Tobin (HT), Ger Power for Damien Sheehan (HT), Jack Navin for Ricky Power (43), Cormac Gough for Tommy Connors (46),

Scorers: Eoin O’Brien 0-4 (3f), Shane Ahearne 0-2, Michael Walsh, Kevin Lawlor 0-1 each.

Referee: Alan Kissane