Whyte inspired Kilrossanty take The Nire to the wire
Kilrossanty's Padraig Fitzgerald has his jersey tested by Nire's Tom Barron during their quarter final match of the Waterford Senior football champiuonship in Fraher Field. Photo Sean Byrne
A belter of a quarter final on Sunday came right down to the last kick.
In the third minute of injury time, Caoimhin Walsh launched a high ball around the house in search of an equalising goal for Kilrossanty. It sailed left and wide however and Paddy Smith’s final whistle was music to the ears of Nire players and management. A Paul Whyte inspired Kilrossanty pushed them all the way.
The former county man, dogged by hip injuries in recent times, reminded everybody in Fraher Field about his ability as he shot 1-7. Kilrossanty drove ball after ball on top of the number 30 and their target man troubled both Jake Mulcahy and James McGrath.
First-half goals from Ciaran Walsh and Dylan Guiry left The Nire seven up by the 34th minute but Whyte led a green and gold revival. Six second-half singles and one each by Padraig Fitzgerald and Alan Dunwoody brought them within a goal entering added time.
Pa Whyte crunched Sean Boyce with a shoulder and Kilrossanty went on the attack again. Paul Whyte dragged a point attempt wide however and injured himself in the process. He received a round of applause coming off the pitch. Then, that last gasp effort from Caoimhin Walsh.
The Nire survived the loss of captain Tholom Guiry to an ankle injury early in the second-half. Conor Gleeson didn’t start, due to an ongoing back issue, but came on in the final quarter. Two players Derek Lyons will want for Sunday’s semi final against Rathgormack. These fierce rivals have contested the last three county finals.
The 2023 runners-up led 2-5 to 1-3 after a helter skelter first-half. An end to end opening quarter saw goal chances galore as The Nire ran the ball through the hands and Kilrossanty went route one. Josh Kay produced a point blank save from Larry Walsh in the eighth minute but Ciaran Walsh fisted home the rebound. Alan Dunwoody hit back with a point despite the best efforts of James McGrath. Seamus Fitzgerald weaved in and out of Nire defenders and won an advantage. He didn’t need it as he swung the ball over off his right. Another artful dodger Jamie Barron beat two green and gold shirts and split the posts with his left.
On twelve minutes, Donie Fitzgerald went long into Paul Whyte. He caught the ball and stabbed it to the roof of the net in the tightest of spaces (1-2 apiece). Two minutes later, The Nire bore down on goal again as Barron and Aaron Ryan supplied Dylan Guiry who fired in at the near post.
Whyte then won a free and converted it himself. The goal chances kept coming with the crowd roaring their approval. Ciaran Walsh saw two attempts fly across the face of goal. At the country end, Padraig Fitzgerald tried to find Whyte with another direct delivery. It beat everybody however and came back off the post.
Kilrossanty failed to score in the last fifteen minutes of the half. They shot three wides including two from Dunwoody. Points from Ciaran Walsh, Dermot Ryan (free) and the brilliant Jamie Barron left the Ballymacarbry men five ahead at the change of ends.
Four minutes into the second-half, Tholom Guiry made an incredible catch to keep the ball in play and struck a point from an extremely acute angle (2-7 to 1-3). The Nire skipper rolled his ankle in the process however and limped off the field for the second game in succession. Padraig Fitzgerald burst forward to shoot Kilrossanty’s first point in 21 minutes.
Larry Walsh lashed a shot at goal that came off Stephen Prendergast. He was on an advantage and Dermot Ryan dispatched his fourth free. Jamie Barron won a free and Aaron Ryan restored the seven point gap. Three Whyte frees kept Kilrossanty in the hunt as Conor Gleeson entered the fray. Padraig Fitzgerald followed him everywhere.
Nire midfielder Sean Walsh sauntered through and fisted over to give The Nire a six point cushion with five minutes left. Whyte wasn’t finished yet. He curled in a glorious point off his left and converted a free after Barron fouled Alan Dunwoody off the ball. The green and gold faithful got excited when Dunwoody made it a one score game. They couldn’t force extra time however.
Ciaran Walsh 1-1, Dermot Ryan 0-4 (4fs), Dylan Guiry 1-0, Sean Walsh, Jamie Barron 0-2 each, Tholom Guiry, Aaron Ryan 0-1 each.
Paul Whyte 1-7 (6fs), Alan Dunwoody 0-2, Padraig Fitzgerald, Seamus Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Stephen Ryan; Sean Boyce, James McGrath, Jake Mulcahy; Dermot Ryan, Tom Barron, Fionn Hallinan; Tholom Guiry, Sean Walsh; Evan Spellman, Dylan Guiry, Jamie Barron; Aaron Ryan, Ciaran Walsh, Larry Walsh.
Michael Morrissey for Tholom Guiry (35), Conor Gleeson for Dylan Guiry (47), Ciaran Looney for Hallinan (50).
Josh Kay; Shane Power, Stephen Prendergast, Rian Hayes; Frankie De Paor, Pa Whyte, Martin Dunne; Caoimhin Walsh, Tommy Prendergast; Corey Kennedy, Donie Fitzgerald, Padraig Fitzgerald; Alan Dunwoody, Paul Whyte, Seamus Fitzgerald.
Eoin Power for Kennedy (39), Darragh Walsh for Paul Whyte (63).
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Paul Whyte proved once again that he is one of greatest club players in Waterford.
Dylan Guiry’s goal was the perfect response to Whyte’s three pointer.
An end to end first-half.
A county final rematch as The Nire tackle Rathgormack on Sunday.
