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Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Deano’s winning start with Abbeyside
By: John A Murphy
THE big GAA story of last week was the appointment of former Cork star Joe Deane as the new Abbeyside senior hurling coach working alongside team manager Neil Moore. The rumour mill had been at full throttle for days before Deane’s confirmation came to hand, ad he had his first meeting with the players last Friday night——less than twenty four hours before their final group championship victory over Ballyduff Lower.
I’m not privy to the circumstances that led to the bringing on board of the Killeagh clubman, but knowing Joe as I do I have no doubt that he will wield a hugely positive influence within his new surroundings.
His commitment to anything and everything that he ever involved himself in is widely known, and if he is given the level of response and commitment that he undoubtedly expects from the players then this could indeed by the Villagers long overdue year of senor hurling success.
He got his term with the club off to a winning start last Saturday night with the 2-20 to 1-19 victory over Ballyduff Lower, and while he can’t have been entirely happy with everything he saw from his charges he will know the undoubted potential that he has to work with and on.
Joe Deane is a hurling man through and through; his genuineness could never be questioned, and I really do believe that Abbeyside have chosen wisely and well in bringing him into their hurling set up. I wish him well in the testing challenges that lie immediately ahead.
RING OR STRADBALLY FACING THE DROP
The final loose ends of the county senior hurling championship were cleared up last Saturday with Passage failing in their bid to squeeze into the eight and final quarter final place when going under to arch rivals Ballygunner by a margin of six points.
The impact of that defeat however was considerably lessened for them when the news filtered through that Stradbally and Ring had both also lost their games against Tallow and Fourmilewater respectively thus ensuring their presence in the top flight for another championship season at least.
While that is undoubtedly a comforting thought for Eoin Kelly, Noel Connors and the rest of the Passage lads they can only reflect on what has been, overall, a hugely disappointing campaign for the team. They went into it full of justifiable expectation but literally fell flat on their face with just one win from five starts. Not nearly good enough to remain in title contention and just barely sufficient to keep them out of the dreaded relegation dogfight.
That winner take all scrap is now reserved for last year’s intermediate champions Ring and Brick Walsh’s Stradbally who were always struggling despite the inspired leadership of their county star. No date as yet for their crunch meeting, but I suspect it may be put on hold for a while as both clubs revert to undertaking some of their senior football championship commitments.
Whenever, and wherever, it goes ahead however most of the smart money will be on Stradbally to survive. True they have been hugely disappointing after all of the promise shown in the last few years, but the truth of the matter is that Ring are looking even more out of their depth in the top flight and would probably benefit more by a return to intermediate where they could best build again for the future.
That said however, nothing can ever take from their magnificent achievement in coming from being a junior “B’’ hurling outfit not all that long ago to mixing it with the top notchers this year.
MULLANE’S MAGIC NOT ENOUGH
The only game I saw among the six played last Saturday in the senior hurling championship was the Fraher Field meeting of Lismore and De La Salle. A fine advertisement it was too for the title race with victory going to Lismore literally at the death on a 1-18 to 2-14 scoreline.
Some super scores on both sides, some great individual displays too, but most of all for me this game was about the two De La Salle second half goals scored by the magical John Mullane. They were the best— -by the proverbial mile—-that I have seen in the entire championship campaign this year.
The first came in the 34th minute and was Mullane at his magical best. I honestly didn’t think it could, or would, be bettered on this day, but less than ten minutes later the county man was at it again, this time finishing off the great work of Paidi Nevin with the most wondrous of strikes.
Mullane scored a total of 24 from play over the hour, but still not quite enough to see off a Lismore side ignited by the excellence of Dan and Maurice Shanahan who between them chipped in with 1-13 of the Lismore total. Some shooting!!
WHERE WILL “QUARTERS’’ BE PLAYED?
We now know the quarter final line up in the county senior hurling championship after last weekend’s final round of group games, and to say that some mouthwatering pairings have been thrown up is no more than stating the obvious.
We also know that the four games will be played on the weekend after next, September 12th/13t,but what we don’t know for certain however—-at the time of writing—-is where all of the games will be played.
With Walsh Park unavailable, it remains to be seen where the County Board executive will plump to stage the Mount Sion versus Ballyduff Lower and the one all of the fans will want to see—-the clash of defending champions De La Salle and their great city rivals Ballygunner.
Geographically Fraher Field is less than ideal for the four protagonists, yet it may be the most suitable when all of the factors are taken into consideration.
The Abbeyside/Lismore game is a “banker’’ for Fraher Field, but where to play Tallow and Ballyduff Upper is another “food for thought’’ poser. I can see both Lismore and Cappoquin having strong claims to host this eye catching local derby, but don’t be surprised if at the end of the day it goes to Fraher Field in a double header bill with the Abbeside/Lismore fixture. Either way we await the outcome of the executive committee’s deliberations with interest.
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