Hurney points Ballinacourty to quarter-final win
Ballinacourty's Sean Whelan-Barrett about to score his sides second goal against Clashmoire/Kinsalebeg's Goalkeeper Jim Scanlon during their quarter final match of the Waterford Senior football champiuonship in Fraher Field. Photo Sean Byrne
There was never any likelihood of an upset in this opening quarter final of the Senior Football Championship in Fraher Field on Sunday last where the green and white striped wing of the Abbeyside/Ballinacourty set up took control early on and powered to a decisive win over a battling Clashmore side for whom nothing went right on the day.
With Ballinacourty fielding without top players Conor Prunty and Neil Montgomery, Clashmore’s chances of causing an upset looked brighter but the concession of an early goal and the loss of top scorer Paul O’Connor and the experienced Cillian O’Keeffe to injuries inside the opening ten minutes left their side with just too much ground to make up against a team led by the long serving Patrick Hurney in attack. Apart from shooting nine points of his side’s total Hurney was a primary ball winner for his side in attack bringing others into the game and posing a constant threat to a hard pressed Clashmore defence.
Ballinacourty won the toss and elected to defend the dressing room end in the first-half. With less than two minutes played the opening score came in dramatic fashion. The Clashmore defence was wrong footed when Sam Fitzgerald lost possession outfield and Michael Kiely raced clear though the centre of the opposing defence and, playing a clever one two with Patrick Hurney, beat a helpless Jim Scanlan in the Clashmore goal. A second goal looked on minutes later when Conor McCarthy broke through on goal but his shot was blocked for a ‘45’ which goalie Aaron Beresford sent wide.
A fine point by Paul O’Connor in the 6th minute steadied Clashmore but there were signs immediately that the player was in some discomfort. At the same time Cillian O’Keeffe had to be replaced by Adam O’Sullivan as Willie Beresford sent over a Ballinacourty point.
Clashmore were coming on strong with Josh Fitzgerald pulling a point back in the 10th minute but then came the signal from Paul O’Connor that he was unable to continue and he limped off to be replaced by Adam O’Sullivan. Adam Beresford was summoned forward to take a free on the Clashmore ’45 but again he shot wide and in the 15th minute Hurney made no mistake after he had been fouled close to goal. Clashmore hit back in the 19th minute with Tadhg De Burca, named at corner forward but on a roaming commission, sending over a free to leave two points between the sides.
Ballinacourty continued to look the more likely side as Hurney’s fist diverted a dropping ball over the bar in the 20th minute and Willie Beresford followed up with his second point for a four point lead. Clashmore hit back with a point after Josh Fitzgerald forced the concession of a ‘45’ which Brian O’Halloran converted but by the 30th minute two further points by Hurney and one from Michael Kiely had moved their side into a six point lead.
With the half in two minutes of added time Kyle Moloney pointed for Clashmore but in the following action the hard working Sam Fitzgerald again lost possession and Sean Whelan Barrett was sent away with a clear run at goal and he made no mistake, giving his side a 2-7 to 0-5 lead going into the second-half.
The opening ten minutes of the second-half saw Clashmore adding three points from Brian O’Halloran, Declan Allen and Cian Ryan to two in reply from Charlie Treen and Willie Beresford.
The scoring rate dropped over the next ten minutes as both sides missed clear chances before Patrick Hurney sent over three points between the 50th and 52nd minutes to kill off any chance of a Clashmore rally.
Diarmuid Mackle followed up with a point before Hurney completed his ‘tour de force’ with the last two points of the game from frees, giving his side a thirteen point win over a Clashmore side that had not scored from the 40th minute on.
Overall, Ballinacourty were convincing winners but Benji Whelan and Mark Comerford will be only too aware that they will face sterner opposition against Gaultier on Sunday next. Apart from Patrick Hurney others to impress here were Conor McCarthy, Brian Looby, Willie Beresford and Michael Kiely. For Clashmore, Brian O’Halloran, Tadhg De Burca, Sam Fitzgerald and Josh Fitzgerald did all they could on a well beaten side.
Patrick Hurney 0-9 (5Fs), Michael Kiely 1-1, Sean Whelan-Barrett 1-0, Willie Beresford 0-3, Charlie Treen and Diarmuid Mackle 0-1 each.
Brian O’Halloran 0-2 ‘45’), Paul O’Connor, Josh Fitzgerald, Tadhg De Burca (F), Kyle Moloney, Declan Allen and Cian Ryan 0-1 each.
Aaron Beresford , David Montgomery, Conor McCarthy, Colin Foley, Willie Beresford, Brian Looby, Charlie Treen, Michael Kiely, James Beresford, Diarmuid Mackle, Michael O’Halloran, Rian Walsh, Dean Beresford, Sean Whelan-Barrett, Patrick Hurney. Subs – Brian Callaghan for Whelan-Barrett (46), Niall McCarthy for Treen (55), Daire Slevin for J. Beresford (56), Oisin O’Riordan for Walsh (58).
Jim Scanlan, James Mooney, Ciaran Bourke, Kieran Connery, Cillian O’Keeffe, Ed O’Halloran, Cian Ryan, Declan Allen, Sam Fitzgerald, Kyle Moloney, Brian O’Halloran, Josh Fitzgerald, Aidan Trihy, Paul O’Connor, Tadhg De Burca. Subs – Adam O’Sullivan for O’Keeffe (6), Shane Coughlan for O’Connor (10), Ronan McCarthy for Allen (56), Ben Lombard for E. O’Halloran (59).
Tom Dee (John Mitchels).
