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You are > Home > Ballyduff Upper are the role models for all so called ‘smaller’ clubs
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Friday, November 09, 2007
Ballyduff Upper are the role models for all so called ‘smaller’ clubs
SO Ballyduff Upper are Waterford senior hurling champions for 2007 after last Sunday’s epic encounter with Ballygunner at Walsh Park.
They have achieved this crown just two years after winning the intermediate championship and indeed just three years after being relegated out of the senior ranks.
Ballyduff Upper went into this game as underdogs and it was felt they needed a good start if they were to have any chance against favourites Ballygunner.
They switched newly crowned All-Star Stephen Molumphy to midfield from the start and this worked a treat for the men from the West.
Stephen’s work rate is phenomenal and he continuously won ball and pumped it into their always eager forward line. Meanwhile, Jamie Kearney was having the game of his life on the left wing, scoring four points from play in this first half, and leading a merry dance to whoever Ballygunner tried to put on him.
Pat Kearney’s goal after ten minutes, set up by Stephen Molumphy, was just reward for Ballyduff’s dominance at this stage and I feel it was only then that Ballygunner realised they had a game on their hands.
BETTER TEAM WON
Ballygunner were struggling at this juncture to get ball into their forwards and they were too dependent on puck-outs to Andy Maloney and Barry Mullane (which worked very well in recent games) to get scores.
Ballygunner in this first half had no real threat in their forward line and they were badly missing the poaching skills of Paul Flynn. Ballyduff’s six point lead at half-time was richly deserved but they knew there was still a long way to go. On the resumption, Ballyduff continued where they had left off and indeed increased their lead to eight points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. At this stage, Ballygunner introduced Paul Flynn and immediately the Ballygunner forward line looked to carry more threat.
This was when Waterford star Tom Feeney really showed his class. He had had a quiet game up to this but when his club really needed a big man in defence, Tom was not found wanting.
Ballyduff mopped up everything Ballygunner could throw at them. They survived a Stephen Power’s 60th minute goal, set up by Flynn, and each man hurled as if his life depended on it. What a cheer went up when young Adrian Power came out of goal to point a free (his second in the game — is that a record?), to put them four points ahead and safe in injury time.
Ballyduff Upper have some great people involved with them and this championship is just reward for their great work. For a small club from a small rural parish to win a senior title just two years after winning intermediate is just fabulous and an example to all other clubs as to what can be achieved. I wish them well in the Munster club championship and hope they make us all proud as they did last Sunday.
DECISION VINDICATED
Last year it was decided that the REAL junior championship should be for junior clubs only. That is only for the first team in each club. Sunday’s curtain-raiser was the REAL junior final between Ballysaggart and Bonmahon and this match definitely proved that this was the right decision. Both clubs added great colour, crowds and excitement to the occasion.
Ballysaggart were always favourites for this match but fair play to Bonmahon they pushed them all the way until ’Saggart got two late goals. It is only in recent years that Bonmahon have entered teams in the junior championship but they did themselves proud on the day and will surely be back on this stage again soon.
Ballysaggart have suffered some terrible tragedies in recent times and this victory is the best possible tribute to those who died. The ’Saggart supporters came in their hundreds and the outpouring of joy at the final whistle was a sight to behold.
VALUE FOR MONEY?
On what turned out to be a great county final day, the one disappointment was the quality of the match day programme. Basically, this programme gave the team lineouts and pictures of the teams and that was it. No roll of honour from previous years, no player pen pictures, no paths to the final of teams — nothing.
To charge people €2 for this on top of €15 entry was disgraceful. This is the biggest day on the local calendar for Waterford GAA and so should be used to tell and show people the progress we in Waterford have made in recent times. A county final programme should be made interesting and a source of facts and figures not just a means of selling more advertisements. People should want to keep programmes as a memento — not this year I’m afraid.
Finally, best of luck to Ballyduff Upper and Ballysaggart in their upcoming Munster club championships, I know both clubs will do Waterford proud
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