Power’s dramatic winner seals Ballygunner’s nine-in-a-row
Cumann na mBunscol chairman Tim O'Byrne presents the Roinn A Huling cup to Ballygunner Captain Rory Power. Photos: Maurice Hennebry.
The boys’ Eastern Roinn A Cumann na mBunscol hurling final was played in Walsh Park last week between St. Mary’s Ballygunner and St. Declans. It was a windy day with a few clouds and the pitch was in great condition.
The match started with St Declan’s playing with the wind in the first-half. The first point was scored by Rory Power of Ballyguner and it turned out to be his first of many. St. Declan’s fought back to get a score of their own. With about five minutes left in the first-half St. Declan’s worked up the pitch to get their only goal of the game. After the goal by Dara Caulfield, Ballygunner went into the second-half four points down.
Now that Ballygunner had the strong breeze in their favour, there were a few positional changes for both teams. With ten minutes gone in the second-half it now was a one point game to St. Declan’s who scored as the ball was worked in well from a puck out. Then a low ball went into the Ballygunner full forward line. A great pass was played by Robbie Mallon to Brain Coughlan who quickly struck it in the back of the net.
The score was 1-10 to 1-10 with only seconds to go. No one could have guessed the dramatic ending that was ahead.
A late free for Ballygunner was played in and then deflected out for a ‘65. With Rory Power standing over the ‘65, Ballygunner had a chance to win the game. As Rory had been doing all game, he successfully put it over the black spot in the last puck of the game. Ballygunner had won the game with the score being 1-10 to 1-11.
Both teams played their hearts out but there can only be one winner and that was St. Mary’s Ballygunner. After such a great effort from all their players, St. Declan’s were devastated. It was a great day of hurling and everyone enjoyed it.
Conor King, Neil Russell, David Dempsey, Tommy Murphy, Oran Murphy, Noah Moroney, Conor Flynn, Robert Bourke, Darragh Russell, Conor Mills, Rory Power, Brian Coughlan, Robbie Mallon, Darragh O’Sullivan, Ryan Anderson, Ethan Hough, Ollie Hughes, Will Cullinane, Niall Petitt, Tadhg Power, Alex Purcell, Mathew Halpin, Seán Moriarty, Spencer Gleeson, Harry Jackman, James O’Donnell, Ferdia Cooke.
Tommy Hearne, Reece Fanning, Sean Kennedy, Sam Hanrahan, Aaron Hartery, Joey Kirby, Joe Burke, Daire Herlihy, Robbie McCarthy, Darragh Caulfield, Charlie Nolan, Ryan Egan, Noah Kirby, Scott Fitzgerald, Louis Daly, James Hall, Ódhran Reid, Daragh King, Jack Ryan, Ryne Hennessy, Tiernan Ball, Tyler Gater, Tom Finnerty, Brayden Casey, Jeff Grant.
