Erins Own face Abbeyside for right to return

A BATTLE royal is in prospect at Walsh Park tomorrow when two of the most famous club names in Waterford hurling meet for the right to return to the senior grade in 2004.

Erins Own and Abbeyside provide the opposition in what is one of the most eagerly awaited county intermediate finals in years.

Erins Own can proudly lay claim to the phenomenal achievement of winning nine successive county senior championships in the 1940s, a feat equalled only by their great city rivals Mount Sion between 1953 and 1961.

In fact it was they who halted ’Sion’s record bid for a 10th title on the trot in 1962, but in the intervening forty- one years the title has eluded the club. Since then, lean times have been very much the order of the day, and while they have regained senior status on a few occasions, they have been unable to remain in the top flight for any extended time period.

This year, however, they believe all that is about to change. Their great veteran and former county full back Damien Byrne is still an inspiration, this time as a converted full forward, and in Noel Kelly, Brendan Doyle, Mark Gater, the prolific scoring Mark Kennedy, and outstanding goalkeeper Alan Robinson they have quality players who would comfortably grace the senior stage.

They were hugely impressive in the East divisional final defeat of the Colm Bonnar led Dunhill, and there is confidence in the camp that they could make a decisive impact in the top flight.

Although Abbeyside are still without a senior title they were ever so close to the breakthrough many times in the 1960s and 1970s when Mount Sion denied them in several finals. Those were the days of Austin Flynn, Johnny O’Connor, Pat Enright, and the late Donal ‘Duck’ Whelan, and it is one of the great injustices of Deise hurling that a team of such talents never lifted the coveted senior title.

Abbeyside have had more downs than ups over the last twenty years, but with a crop of exciting youngsters coming through on the back of outstanding success at under-age level it is only a matter of time before they are serious contenders again in the top flight.They will be without two players - Damien Cliffe and John Foley - and there’s also concern about Shane Briggs. Throw in is 2.30.