They had to go into the fray without thiur most influential player, county defender Tom Feeney, and if that wasn’t enough injuries also sidelined Pat Molumphy and Mike Drislane. But the westerners made light of the handicap and turned in their most spirited display of the campaign todate and at hour’s end there could be no questioning the justice or merits of their 2-14 to 2-10 victory.

It was a victory to which their most experienced players made a monumental contribution. Goalkeeper Mike Leamy, full back Mossie Casey, wing back Donal Hannon, and Paudie Prendergast were all members of the last Ballyduff side to lift the “News And Star” cup in 1987.

In this latest victory they were as good as they have ever been throughout their long and glittering club careers.

Man of the match Michael Molumphy was another of their heroes on Saturday evening, and his teenage brother Stephen looks to have all it takes to make a star of the future.

Upper now join Lismore in the semi-finals alongside the ‘big two’ Ballygunner and Mount Sion. The pairings are Ballyduff v Mount Sion, Lismore v Ballygunner, with both games set to feature in a doubleheader that should bring the fans to Fraher Field in huge numbers on Saturday week.

KILROSSANTY THROUGH

It was a big weekend on the footballing side of things for Kilrossanty whose 2-5 to 0-7 victory over Ardmore last Friday evening may have taken some people by surprise.

No disputing the justice of the result however with the Kiely cousins, Jacko and Dermot, each scoring priceless matchwinning goals in the opening half.

Ardmore huffed and puffed throughout and looked a pale shadow of the side that provided us with so many thrilling moments in last year’s championship campaign.

In truth though the signs were there, and those of us who saw them beat St. Saviours a week before the Kilrossanty game saw a team playing several notches below what we had come to expect of them. The Kilrossanty victory sets up a mouthwatering losers’ group local derby with Rathgormack at Fraher Field on Sunday evening (6.30).

In essence it’s a quarter final tie with champions Stradbally awaiting the winners on the semi-final - a game most likely to be played on Sept. 29th.

CRUNCH GAMES IN INTER AND JUNIOR HURLING DOMINATE

While the county senior football championship quarter final between Kilrossanty and Rathgormack at Fraher Field next Sunday takes its own rightful pride of place on a busy weekend fixtures schedule, the Western Board faces into its busiest couple of days so far with crunch games in both the intermediate and junior hurling divisional championships down for decision.

IHC

There should be a cracker of an afternoon’s fare at Cappoquin on Sunday commencing with the meeting of Ballysaggart and St. Mary’s in intermediate hurling, followed by the eagerly awaited clash of Abbeyside and Shamrocks in the same championship (3.15).

From here on there’s no cushion of a back door for anyone, with elimination from the title race staring the losers coldly and starkly in the face.

Ballysaggart and St. Mary’s haven’t crossed championship paths all that often over the years, but when they have they’ve always managed to serve up lively fare. Sunday’s renewal of rivalry should be no exception.

That ageless, extraordinary, ‘Saggart servant, Pat Bennett, will again be central to their cause, and while the limbs are no longer as fleetfooted as they once were that shrewd and experienced hurling brain of his is as alert as ever.

Give him chances on Sunday and he will deliver. Just ask Lismore, victims of a tremendous first round Saggart display

St. Mary’s on the other hand remain a well balanced side and showed their worth in their comprehensive replay defeat of Abbeyside in that opening round.

The brothers J. P. and Aidan Fitzpatrick, Seanie Kerins, the Hallinans, Colin Geary, and John Ahearne are as skilful as you’ll find plying their trade in the intermediate grade, and all round there’s a very solid look to this Touraneena outfit.

Expect a rip roaring battle for the victory spoils, with not too many scores likely to divide them at hour’s end.

Ballysaggart could well pull it off, but on balance St. Mary’s appear to be the safer bet to prevail. One definitely not to be missed.

WIDE OPEN

The meeting of Abbeyside and Shamrocks is equally difficult to call, although Shamrocks will go into the game in buoyant mood following their impressive victory over Dungarvan last time out.

They will again be led by their inspirational senior inter county star Eoin Murphy, and if the long serving Dan Casey and Liam Dalton are again as influential as they have so often been throughout their respective long and glittering careers with the club, then the Knockanore outfit will be difficult to get the better of.

Abbeyside will be hoping that many of the players who missed footballing duties last time out again Rathgormack will now be available to them.

Players of the calibre of John Phelan and Laurence Hurney would make the world of difference to the Villagers title challenge, and at full strength they just might have sufficient in the tank to shade this one.

THIRD GAME

There’s a third game in the intermediate hurling title race also down for decision in Cappoquin on Sunday - the meeting of Clashmore and Lismore in another make or break game in the losers group. This one has a 6.30 throw in and should be well worth a visit.

Lismore disappointed when going under by seven points to Ballysaggart in their opening game, and that line of form suggests they are unlikely to have the beating of the Stephen Barron led Clashmore in this one.

However Clashmore themselves are less than a model of consistency, and with their intentions more football orientated right now they could be ripe for picking.

Should be a close affair, and in giving the nod to Clashmore to garner the spoils that vote is nothing more than a hesitant one.

FRAHER FIELD HOSTS REMAINING TIE

The remaining game in the intermediate hurling champiunship goes on at Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon (3.45), and has a strong local derby element involving Ring and Colligan Rockies.

Consistency certainly hasn’t been the plank of either club over the past few years, and that just adds to the difficulty of correctly forecasting this one.

JUNIOR SEMI-FINALS

The junior hurling A championship has provided many lively games so far, and now we’re down to the penultimate stage with both semi-finals going ahead on Saturday.

The meeting of Dungarvan and Tourin at Cappoquion (6.30) will revive memories of some great games between the clubs in this same championship during the 1960s and ‘70s when the now Fianna Fail TD Ollie Wilkinson was a collosus in the heart of the Tourin defence, and the recently deceased Frankie McGrath a last line of defence that the Blues forwards so often failed to break down.

Since then the two clubs have experienced contrasting fortunes with Dungarvan going to regain senior status before surrendering it a few years back, while Tourin landed on the slippery slope that at one time was heading for virtual extinction.

Stalwarts like the new TD, John Joe Scanlan, and many others however ensured that a great tradition, a proud tradition, would be maintained and now Tourin are back in full flight in pursuit of a divisional title that has eluded them for so long.

Rest assured too that there will be a Wilkinson presence in the team on Saturday which I expect will have too much firepower for what is Dungarvan’s second string. On all known form Tourin are a banker to reach the final.

GERALDINES OR KILGOBINET?

But who will their opponents be in that decider? That’s the 64,000 dollar question, the answer to which will only come after what I confidently expect will be a titanic Fraher Field battle on Saturday (2.30) between Geraldines and Kilgobinet.

From the very outset of the campaign most people would have had the Gers and Kilgobinet on their short list as potential champions. And fair play to both they have fully justified that rating en route to this eagerly awaited semi final showdown.

Kilgobinet are of course now in full flight of a junior championship double following the resounding semi-final victory of their footballers over Tallow. Unfortunately they picked up a few injuries in that game, the biggest concern being the ankle twist sustained by the brilliant Ricky Keane.

Geraldines on the other hand are reportedly injury free and go into the game on the back of a tremendous performance against Ballinameela whose challenge they swept aside with almost contemptuous ease.

It will take a braver pundit than I to go out on a limb for either side, but whoever survives it is certain to have earned that Western final ticket.

ABBEYSIDE’S UNDER 16 TITLE

It was, by any yardstick, an awesome display by Abbeyside who crushed De La Salle in last Saturday’s Under 16 A hurling county final at Fraher Field.

Good judges rate this the best Under 16 team to have captured the title in more than a generation and that’s just about the ultimate accolade for skipper Mark Gorman and his richly talented colleagues.

Incidentally Abbeyside’s last title win in this grade was way back in 1974 (they also won it the previous year), when players such as John Regan and Tiger Kiely.

The club’s minor hurlers are also through to the county A final against Ballygunner, and at least five of the Under 16s will make it into that team. And of course they have now completed the Under 16 championship double - for the very first time.

A marvellous win then last weekend and sincere congratulations to everyone concerned. Brighter days could well be ahead for one of the most tradition steeped hurling clubs in our county.

HAPPY RETIREMENT TOM

After many years of extraordinarily committed service, Tom Drummey has retired from his job as groundsman at Fraher Field.

A founding member, player, and administrator of the now defunct Eire Oge club in Dungarvan, Tom’s retirement has truly been well and honourably earned.

He was as courteous and facilitating in his role of groundsman as anyone could ever be, and that is something every club not just in the West division but the county as a whole would readily vouch for.

The column wishes Tom well in retirement, and it is our hope that he will enjoy many years of good health and happiness in the future. This most genial of men deserves nothing less.

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