DJ seals it for Young Irelands
Fitting, too, perhaps, that, having suffered an accidental but heavy and dangerous head-high tackle that necessitated his temporary substitution, it was DJ Carey who came out on top in those shooting stakes.
Into the second minute of three minutes of injury time, with the score at 0-16 apiece, Joe Murray stood over a free, with every chance of seeing James Stephens through to the final. In fairness, however, it was far from an easy offering right-side striker shooting from wide left on the 20m line and as the hitherto accurate Murray's effort flew across the face of the uprights and out wide, to the dismay of the James Stephens followers in the huge (10,000-plus) crowd, this one looked to be headed the way of the earlier semi-final, replay-land next Saturday. The drama wasn't quite over, however.
In the 53rd minute, having otherwise been relatively quiet in open play, Carey took off on one of those slicing, speeding, slalom runs that have so many times, for club and county, ended in a green flag. Young Irelands were ahead by two points, and such a score would really have decided what had been a finely-balanced contest. On this occasion, however, after the Peter Barry hit, the run ended with Carey walking groggily to the sideline, assisted by a team mentor on each side, and to the consternation of the huge Gowran presence, his interest in this game
appeared over. Corner-forward Dick Carroll did point the resultant free, but when the Village came back to tie the game up in the 58th minute, 0-16 apiece, the fear for the Gowran fans was that Carey's absence would prove critical. Understandable, then, the huge roar that greeted the reappearance of The Genius in that same minute, and four minutes later, it was that presence that would prove critical.
A rash challenge on Charlie Carter (what a pivotal second half Carter had, with three superb points from play, a magnificent fourth from a sideline ball) by Stephens sub Hugh Gannon, wide left, 55m out from goal, left side.
"It's going wide, lads," a hopeful shout from a defender, but it didn't. Not as true a strike as some of his earlier efforts from a greater distance, not over the black spot, but between the posts nevertheless, and that was enough. More drama, more glory, in a drama and glory-filled year for surely the finest hurler of his generation.
Not a one-man show by any means: Philly Larkin, Peter Barry, Brian McEvoy, James Stephens, Eoin Farrell, Stephen Byrne, Jack Carey and Carter outperformed Carey. In a contest that matched the first for excitement and surpassed it in hurling skill, it displayed the full range of hurling skills, from tight defence to sparkling point-taking. The pity was that referee Denis O'Sullivan was not up the same standard.
Seven points to six it was at the break, but even with two teams that like to play pure hurling, an indication of the way that half had gone was that five of Young Ireland's seven points had come from Carey-placed balls (he had one from play, as had James Fitzgerald, operating on the other wing), while Joe Murray had four from frees, one from a 65, full-forward Tomas O'Dowd with James Stephens's only first-half score from play. It was not so much the number of frees being given, more the timing of them, the eagerness to call back play for no advantage.
The second half was more open, more fluid, and much the better for that. A terrifically-entertaining battle, points being swapped by the minute, one topping the next in the text-book stakes. Principal exponents of the art here were Carter on the one hand, for Young Irelands, McEvoy, now operating to much more effect on the 40, for James Stephens. Stephens, in fact, had all their intercounty big guns down the middle, and all three, Larkin, especially, at the back, were extremely effective. By contrast, Young Irelands struggled to get Carey into the game. Operating between the left wing (where he made an explosive start) and full-forward, the star of this year's All-Ireland semi-final and final was far more peripheral than any of his intercounty colleagues in that second half. Peripheral, that is,
until that final, defining moment.
Going wide? Never, not the way this year is going.
Scorers Young Irelands: D.J. Carey 0-8 (0-6 frees, 0-1 65); C. Carter 0-4 (0-1 s/l); O. Carter, J. Carey, D. Carter, J. Fitzgerald, D. Carroll (free), 0-1 each.
James Stephens: J. Murray 0-10 (0-7 frees, 0-2 65s); B. McEvoy 0-4; E. Larkin, T. O'Dowd, 0-1 each.
YOUNG IRELANDS: M. Carey; C. Carroll, E. Farrell, C. Fitzgerald; S. Byrne, T. Drennan, M. Carter; J. McDermott, O. Carter; J. Fitzgerald, D.J. Carey; D. Carroll, C. Carter, D. Carter. Subs: C. Phelan (M. Carter 35); L. Phelan (D.J. Carey, inj. 55); D.J. Carey (D. Carter 58).
JAMES STEPHENS: D. Brennan; J. Morgan, P. Larkin, D. Grogan; V. O'Brien, P. Barry, M. Phelan; R. Hayes, J. Tyrell; E. McCormack, E. Larkin, B. McEvoy; J. Murray, T. O'Dowd, N. Tyrell. Subs: H. Gannon (Hayes 54).
Referee: D. O'Sullivan (John Lockes).
