AFTER just one year out of the top flight, Ballyduff Upper will be plying their hurling trade in senior ranks in 2006.
Their return to their “true’’ home was confirmed at the magnificent Ballygunner venue last Saturday when they romped to a 1-15 to 0-8 victory over Passage in the replayed county intermediate final. It was a victory every bit as comprehensive as the eleven point winning margin suggests, and from an early stage it was as clear as day that this time round there would be no Houdini like escape for the Passage men.
Ballyduff, all fired up and rarin’ to go, took this one by the scruff of the neck literally from the off. There was a huge element of good fortune about Brian Kearney’s goal in the 4th minute, but if Ray Barry between the Passage posts must shoulder the blame for it he more than atoned for the uncharacteristic lapse with a string of magnificent saves subsequently.
By half time Ballyduff were an unflattering four points to the good and motoring comfortably. Stephen Molumphy and John Twomey were masterful at mid-field, and with Ger Feeney and team captain Michael Drislane inspirational in the heart of their defence there really was little or no way back for Passage.
To their eternal credit they fought the good fight right to the inevitable end, and in wing back Rory Walsh had one of the most accomplished players on view. But the truth of the matter is that Passage would have needed half a dozen other players of his class to deny rampant Ballyduff.
On the day no ifs or buts about the result. Ballyduff are worthy county champions, their return to senior ranks ever so richly deserved. Welcome home boys!
MUNSTER GLORY
If the county final victory was epic what about the Ballyduff performance just twenty four hours later when they outscored Tipperary champions Burgess by 3-13 to 0-14 in a riveting first round game in the Munster intermediate championship in Lismore.
Just where they garnered those reserves of energy from I’ll never know, but this victory will rank as one of the greatest ever by the club in any grade or either code.
The village, the parish, the whole county has every right to be proud of their weekend heroics, and now they can look forward to a semi-final joust with the Limerick champions Grannagh /Ballingarry next Sunday with Lismore once against the venue (2.30).
Can they pull off another five star result? In their present rich vein of form there’s much more than a possibility that they can.
Searching test for the Gunners - again
Having to beard the Garryspillane in his own den in the first round of the Munster club hurling championship was always going to be a challenge of formidable proportions for Ballygunner. That they came through it however with such flying colours is a testament to the progression the side has made and the renowned battlers they have always been in this provincial arena.
Another test of their mettle confronts them on the more familiar confines of Fraher Field on Sunday when they entertain the best the Banner can offer, with Clarecastle certain to throw down a very firm gauntlet to them.
For the victors there’s the lucrative prize of a place in the Munster final next month against the Cork or Tipperary champions. One certainly worth battling for, and the realistic expectation is that this will be a tense and even thrilling semi-final that is likely to be played out to a nail-biting finale.
Don’t expect too many changes by the Gunners from the side that dispatched Garryspillane in round one. I saw that game and liked what I saw from the men in red and black. I liked it a lot in fact. More of the same on Sunday will do very nicely thank you!
Reports from the Banner suggest that Clarecastle are a solid rather than spectacular outfit, but one that can be very difficult to beat as favourites Wolfe Tones found out to their cost in a low scoring county final. Like the Gunners theirs is a side with a mixture of young and old with names like Sheedy and Canny still surviving from a decade ago.
Rest assured they’ll be all fired up for this one, with no inhibition in the world about having to come to Fraher Field. And let it be remembered that the past record of Clare teams against the Gunners in this championship is impressive by any yardstick. That said, it’s a game that’s there for the taking by our champions.
Their key men - Hartley, Flynn, and Moloney most readily springing to mind - proved their mettle in the first round, and youngsters like Tommy Power, Gearoid O’Connor, Wayne Hutchinson, and Shane O’Sullivan will have benefited enormously from the experience of what was their Munster championship debut.
Yes, it has the makings of a cracking semi-final and one that could go either way. My euro however will be on the Gunners, believing that they will be an even better side than they were in the opening round. And they were good, really good, that day. Good luck to them in their bid to reach yet another provincial final.
Passing of Abbeyside stalwart
Another stalwart Gael answered the Final Call last week. Se·n O’Brien of Abbeyside, passed peacefully away at the local Dun-abbey House where he had been resident for a decade or more.
Eighty-two-year old Se·n hailed from an Abbeyside family that is steeped in the GAA tradition. His brother Séamas deservedly enjoys legendary status within Deise Gaeldom having served as secretary of the Western Board for nigh on a generation, and he is of course Waterford’s representative on the Central Council for many years.
Sean was a sterling hurling defender in his day, rock solid in the white heat of battle and a player whom very few forwards ever made any significant inroads off. He captained Abbeyside when the club won the county junior hurling championship for the very first time in 1950, a win that was to pioneer the way for some great sub-sequent days for the Village at senior level.
Fittingly his coffin was draped in the blue and gold of Abbeyside and the green and white of Ballinacourty with club members also providing the guard of honour. A sportsman to his fingertips, he retained an avid interest in the affairs of club and county to the very end.
To Séamas and the entire O’Brien family the sympathy of the column and columnist is extended. Go ndéine Dia trócaire ar a anam dílís.
Glory for ‘Courty minors
A 15th county minor football title for Ballinacourty at Fraher Field and handsome compensation for the defeat of the Abbeyside hurlersintheminorhurlingdecideragainstthe same De La Salle opposition just a few short weeks ago. ‘Courty displayed tremendous resilience,grit,andabilitytofashionthismagnificent2-10to2-3victory.TheyfoundthemselvesagoaldowninfiveminuteswhenKevin Moran rattled the rigging, and they were still twopointsadrift,1-2to0-3,athalftime.
Itgotinfinitelyworseforthemwithintwo minutesoftherestartwhenPaddyKennedy scored a second De La Salle goal, and they trailedby2-3to0-6goingintothefinalquar-ter. Then came an unstoppable ‘Courty resurgence inspired by Mark Fernhcombe’s 46thminutegoalaftercornerbackBrendan Walsh provided the pin point pass.
The bit now firmly between their teeth, theyreeledofffourmagnificentunanswered points between the 49th and 56th minutes, and the icing on what will have been a very sweet cake came in the form of Mark Fern-combe’s second goal with virtually the last kick of the game. A superb win by a superb team. The future of Ballinacourty is as safe and as sound as it has ever been.
