Hurney points Courty to final face off with Rathgormack
Ballinacourty's Manager Benji Whelan and his selectors Ian Kiely and Mark Ferncombe can look forward to another county final. Photo: Sean Byrne
Abbeyside/Ballinacourty will face Rathgormack in the county senior football final next weekend. Their third meeting in the Waterford showpiece over the last six years.
A second half goal from Déise senior Sean Whelan Barrett and six points from 38 year old Patrick Hurney saw Ballinacourty squeeze past Gaultier by 1-9 to 11 points in a scrappy second semi final at Fraher Field. Benji Whelan's men bounced back from four points down in the first half.
Gaultier talisman JJ Hutchinson struck seven points (four frees and three from play) but finished on the losing side. He blasted a 66th minute free over the bar as the Eastern side searched for a match winning goal. This was their fourth semi final loss in the past five years. They haven't reached a county final since 1996. Two black cards proved costly for the men in green and gold.
Wind assisted Gaultier led 5-1 after 19 minutes. JJ and Dessie Hutchinson slotted two points each while a goal saving tackle by Tommy Martin led to a white flag for Billy O'Keeffe. Martin saw a shot at goal blocked by Aaron Beresford. Niall McSweeney slotted the subsequent 45 to help them into a 6-3 half time advantage.
Patrick Hurney hit two frees at the other end while Dean Beresford supplied Courty's solitary point from play on 28 minutes. The leaders lost Callum O'Neill to a black card in first half injury time.
Five minutes into the second period, Dean Beresford tapped down a high ball from Willie Beresford to Sean Whelan Barrett who slammed the ball to the bottom corner. Charlie Treen gave Courty the lead for the first time (1-4 to 0-6).
Gaultier went 21 minutes without a score. They were left frustrated as Mark Fitzgerald was denied a couple of frees. JJ Hutchinson showed his class with a point off his left and a point off his right. 0-8 to 1-4 entering the last quarter.
Willie Beresford levelled matters for the third time before Patrick Hurney stepped up with three frees in a row. The veteran full forward shook off two earlier misses from placed balls. It got worse for Gaultier when Darragh Lynch was shown a black card.
Five minutes of added time were announced and a pair of Hutchinson frees made it a one point game. Hurney then fired wide with Gaultier goalkeeper David Whitty 50 yards off his line. The number fourteen made no mistake in the 64th minute when he fisted over following a Michael Kiely solo run. Hutchinson won a last gasp free in front of the road goal but belted the ball over instead of under the crossbar. Amazingly, one of the classiest forwards on the Waterford club scene still hasn't lined out in a county final.
