Hynes gives Shamrocks a helping hand in landing county glory
Neil Moore, Chairman Co. GAA Board presents the Junior A Football Cup to Shamrocks Captain Stephen Lucey.
The Shamrocks will compete in next year’s Western Intermediate Football Championship after they got the better of Butlerstown in this year's Junior A decider at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon last.
It was a miserable weekend for Butlerstown on the journeys to the Old Boro, as the previous evening their second-string side were beaten in the County Junior C Decider, losing out to Ballysaggart at the nearby Dungarvan Club grounds.
The Knockanore-based outfit had first use of the elements in the opening half. They made this advantage work, despite the Eastern Champions opening the scoring through Jack Kearney, as Billy Hynes pointed from play before the same player followed up with 1-1 inside two minutes. The Western Champions were looking comfortable as they led 1-2 to 0-1.
Butlerstown lost Paul Power to a black card in the eighth minute. When the same happened in the Junior C Final the previous evening, they found the going tough, but in this game, they did pretty well with a player down. Shane Kavanagh pointed from play, and Oliver McAllister drew a good smothering save from Bernie Kelleher as Shamrocks kept their lead intact, just about.
Scores in the second quarter were hard-won. Inter county player Billy Hynes added to his side's tally on the scoreboard, which helped his side to a 1-3 to 0-2 advantage, a lead that Butlerstown would have gladly taken going into the second half, but in first half added time, Billy Hynes put over a two-point score to edge his side further in front. Former Waterford Senior Footballer, Tony Grey, who has lined out in the colours of De La Salle and Stradbally in the past but now doing so with Butlerstown, responded with one for his side, but an effort from Stephen Lucey at the other end ensured his side turned around with a 1-6 to 0-3 advantage at the break.
Jack Kearney and Ed Lonergan, his early scores for their respective sides before Butlerstown, saw their numbers permanently cut to 14 when Luke O’Brien was rec carded for a high challenge on Billy Hynes. Butlerstown's cause was further hampered when they lost wing-back Jack Widger to injury.
Billy Hynes put over a free for Shamrocks to extend his side's advantage, but how many times have we seen a side play with a man down play better than if they had a full complement of players? Shane Kavanagh put over a fine two-point effort for Butlerstown before Tony Grey put over a similar score to leave three (1-8 to 0-8 between the sides), with the game in its final quarter.
A second Shamrocks goal, 11 minutes out from time, proved decisive. The Hynes brothers combined, with Billy helping set up Edward.
Butlerstown were not throwing in the towel, and two scores from Tony Grey, worth three points, saw Butlerstown trail 2-8 to 0-11 after 54 minutes.
Butlerstown however would not score after this, while at the other end the men from Knockanore ensured they would move up a grade in 2026 having gone closed on more than one occasion in recent times when Shane Roche pointed on 56 minutes, and late on when Butlerstown fell foul of the three-man back rule as they searched for something from the game, even with a man down on the field, Billy Hynes put over the resulting free.
Billy Hynes 1-7(1tp, 3f), Edward Hynes 1-0, Padraig Hynes, Ed Lonergan and Shane Roche 0-1 each.
Tony Grey 0-6 (2xtpf, 1f), Shane Kavanagh 0-3(1x2tp), Jack Kearney 0-2(1f).
Bernie Kelleher; Ciaran Lenehan, Ivan O Neill, Stephen Roche; Liam Motherway, Shane Roche, Adam Crawford; Stephen Lucey, Eoghan Lenehan; Billy Hynes, Padraig Hynes, Tom Dalton; Ed Lonergan, Edward O Neill, Kieran Crawford.
Edward Hynes for Edward O’Neill (36), Adam McSweeney for Ciaran Lenehan (55).
Fionn O Brien; Paul Jocky Power, Thomas Richardson, Luke O Brien; Shane Finnegan, Tony Grey, Jack Widger; Oliver McAllister, David Cheasty; Shane Kavanagh, Alex Cronin, Emmet Doherty; Cian Corbett, Keevan Doherty, Jack Kearney.
Mossie McQuaid for Jack Widger (40), Tom Scully for Cian Corbett (45), Paul Foxy Power (52).
Jack Bray (St. Saviours).
