Hartley’s golden dozen leads Gunners to minor county final glory
The Ballygunner team celebrate their win after Waterford County Board chairman Neil Moore handed over the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Co. Minor division one cup. Photos: Noel Browne
Ballygunner won a third Minor ‘A’ Hurling County final in a row and an eleventh title in twelve years when they overcame the challenge of Roanmore at Walsh Park on Wednesday evening last.
This year’s decider was a repeat of last year's. The competition in the Déise County twelve months ago was an under-17 competition, but this year the clubs voted to restore it to an under-18 competition, meaning that many of the players lining out on both sides were very familiar with each other.
In last year’s final Cormac Spain who helped Waterford capture this year’s All-Ireland Minor Hurling title and in doing so was judged to be the outstanding player of the competition, finished that game with 2-14 of his sides tally of 3-22, but he has had to sit out this year’s club championship after picking up an injury, which meant they would have to find a new scorer-in-chief if they were to put back to back titles together.
Mark Hartley, who was too old for this year’s Inter County competition, was the player who stepped up to the mark, finishing the game with twelve scores, nine of which came in the opening half, and nine of his twelve scores coming from open play.
With a number of the Waterford panel that won the All-Ireland back in June involved in both sides, the early exchanges suggested that this could be a tight contest, but after Ballygunner netted the opening goal just short of the midway point of the opening half, there was only going to be one winner as they slowly began to pull away.
Dylan Murphy opened the scoring on two minutes, and while Andrew Burke quickly drew the sides level, points from Steven Cooke and Eoin Burke gave the Sky Blues a two-point advantage with six minutes played.
This was as good as it got for Roanmore, however, as a brace of points from Mark Hartley and one from Ollie Fives in between gave Ballygunner a one-point lead. Eoin Burke levelled matters when he pointed from a free, but efforts from Jack Power and Mark Hartley, who had a goal chance but saw his effort go over the crossbar, had Ballygunner 0-6 to 0-4 in front after 12 minutes.
The game's first goal came on 13 minutes. A feature of some games played in different competitions is side playing long balls into their forwards and reaping its reward, going back to a direct style of play that many supporters enjoy watching. Fiachra Cooney drove a long ball in around the Roanmore goal, which fell to Andrew Power, who got a touch on the ball before it fell to Mikey Moloney, who fired to the net.
Mark Hartley followed up with a brace of scores, the second a delightful score hit from out near the sideline on the uncovered stand side of the field after Fiachra Cooney again played a long ball, which Hartley won and broke free of his marker before firing over.
Eoin Burke struck twice for Roanmore before Jack Power and Dylan Murphy swapped scores.
The winners finished the half strong with Mark Hartley hitting four late scores and Mikey Maloney also adding one, with Kayden Drennan finding the range for Roanmore on 28 minutes to give Ballygunner a 1-14 to 0-8 lead at the break.
Roanmore started the second half brightly. Eoin Burke pointed before Ballygunner missed a great chance for a second goal. A long Adam Mills effort was not controlled by the Roanmore defensive players, and when the ball fell to Andrew Power, he had more time than he realised, and he saw his effort go just wide of an empty goal.
At the other end, Roanmore soon struck for a goal. Eanna McHugh appeared to miss-hit an effort, but he got enough on the ball to send it to Caoilinn Reville, who picked the ball and shot to the net to leave five (1-14 to 1-9) between the sides.
Hartley, Moloney, and Andrew Power followed up with minor scores for the Gunners. Eoin Burke pulled one back from a free. Harley and Alex Furlong swapped scores to give Ballygunner a 1-18 to 1-11 lead after 40 minutes.
Jack Power and Ollie Fives helped extend their side's lead before Reville pulled one back for Roanmore. Hartley pointed for the Gunners, and Jack Power struck twice to give Ballygunner a 1-23 to 1-12 lead with ten minutes remaining.
Eoin Burke and Alex Furlong narrowed the deficit when they struck one each, as both sides began to empty their bench. Another Eoin Burke effort made it an eight-point game, but that lead went back to nine in added time when Andrew Burke pointed for Darragh O’Sullivan’s side.
Mark Hartley 0-12 (3f), Mikey Moloney 1-2, Jack Power 0-5, Andrew Power 0-3, Ollie Fives 0-2.
Eoin Burke 0-8 (6f), Caoillin Reville 1-1, Dylan Murphy, Alex Furlong 0-2 each, Steven Cooke, Kayden Drennan 0-1 each.
Ben Power; Richard Crowley, Adam Dawson, Adam Mills; Rian Alward, Fiachra Cooney, Eddie O’Reilly; Ollie Fives, Eoin Kelly; James Comerford, Mark Hartley, Jack Power; Cian O’Sullivan, Mikey Moloney, Andrew Power.
Callum Crowley for Richard Crowley (53), Darragh Hickey for Rian Alward (55), Matthew Flynn for Mikey Moloney (60), James Bowe for Ollie Fives (60), David Cullen for Eddie O’Reilly (60).
Jake Power; Conor Melo, Darragh Hearne, Ben O’Riordan; Alex Furlong, Benji Mesta, Aaron McCabe; Eoin Burke, Eanna McHugh; Dan Ryan, Dylan Murphy, Caoilinn Reville; Adam Dobbyn, Kayden Drennan, Steven Cooke.
Harry Hennessy for Aaron McCabe (44), Ollie Delahunty for Kayden Drennan (55), Sean Murphy for Caoillin Reville (60).
Seaghan Walsh (De La Salle)
