Goalscoring hero, Sean Hogan, is mobbed at the final whistle in Walsh Park.
There is no denying that 2013 will be forever remembered as one of the greatest ever years for the wonderful sport of hurling. All year we have been treated to brilliant game after brilliant game on the inter-county scene in what was one of the best championships ever played and last Sunday that theme was continued by the Waterford County Senior Hurling Final when we had one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen in a Decies SHC decider as Passage came back from the dead to get their hands on the News & Star cup as senior hurling champs for the very first time.
The scenes at the end of the match in Walsh Park reminded me of earlier this summer in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick when the crowds poured onto the field to salute their Munster Champions or back in 1995 when Clare finally broke the curse of Biddy Earley by lifting Liam MacCarthy in Croke Park. Passage is a proud hurling club who has waited an awful long time (over fifty years) and had to endure the heartbreak of three previous county final loses before finally getting over the winning line in such amazing fashion on Sunday last.
Of course the village ofPassage also this year had to endure the absolute nightmare of the Bolger Brothers tragedy and surely if any village or club deserved something positive to take their minds of their grief then it was this one and I’m sure they will enjoy every minute of it, and so they should.
As I said above, Passage’s three previous County SHC final appearances all ended in defeat and as the game ticked towards its conclusion on Sunday in Walsh Park it looked awfully like this was going to be number four. With less than seven minutes remaining they trailed by seven points and you could only see one possible outcome – a Ballygunner win. But huge credit must go to the Passage players and management. They never ever gave up, kept going to the final whistle and in the end the got their just rewards – a magnificent victory against all the odds.
The entire game mightn’t have been a classic but for the entertainment and the unbelievable finish then this game is one that will live long in the memory. Of course it takes two teams to make a great game and credit must go to Ballygunner, who for the most of the game, looked the most likely victors. I’m sure they are absolutelygutted this week but they’ll be back, of that I have no doubt.
So what were the mainreasons why Passage became Waterford Co. senior hurling champions for the very first time on Sunday last?
1. NEVER GAVE UP
After a very even first-half the sides went to the interval deadlocked at 1-6 apiece. I don’t think it’s unfair to say thatPassage were doing better than many people had predicted and the outcome was still very much in the balance. However eleven minutes into the second period, following goals from Paudie Mahony and JJ Hutchinson, meant that Ballygunner had marched into a 3-9 to 1-8 lead and the writing looked to be on the wall for the Passage men as they trailed by seven. 13 minutes later, with just six minutes to play, the Gunners still had a seven point lead, now leading by 3-13 to 1-12. That writing still looked to be on the wall for Passage as Ballygunner looked to be easing their way to a 13th county crown.
But massive credit must go to the Passage men because they never ever gave up or threw in the towel and boy did they get their reward…the ultimate reward…a first ever county title. It just shows that perseverance really does pay off.
2. GRABBED THEIR OPPORTUNITIES
Never giving up is one thing but you still have to create the opportunities to turn things around and more importantly you have to take those opportunities when you get them and that’s exactly what Passage did. They didn’t create too many goal chances in the opening half but when they Conor Carey did create an opening with a great run through the middle, man of the match Owen Connors was on hand to raise a much needed green flag.
And then came those amazing two injury time goals. First came a brilliant effort from a really tight angle from substitute Sean Hogan (still a minor next year) and a minute later the match winning bullet from joint captain, Conor Carey.
3. OWEN CONNORS
It may be a cliché but this really was a team effort by Passage. Every man played his part, as well as the management team but every team needs heroes and no player filled that mantle better on Sunday last than Passage’s number ten, Owen Connors. Owen has been superb for the Passage men all year and he turned in another magnificent display on Sunday, ending the game with an outstanding personal tally of 1-7.
But apart from his excellent free-taking and his superbly taken goal, his all-round display really drove Passage on and kept them in the game when they looked as though they were on a hiding to nothing for most of the second-half. Thoroughly deserving of his man of the match award…..and his first county senior hurling medal.
first county senior hurling medal.
