Late scoring flurry flatters Mount Sion

IN near monsoon conditions that completely ruled out any chance of fluent and open play, Mount Sion grafted out a deserved but flattering victory over Stradbally in the Waterford senior hurling championship semi-final at Fraher Field, Dungarvan, yesterday.

The scoreline does scant justice to the brave and battling challenge mounted by a club appearing in a first senior semi-final. For 50, or more, minutes this game hung in the balance before Sion’s greater experience — and the combined brilliance of All-stars Tony Browne and Ken McGrath — rescued their side.

Another All-star, Eoin Kelly, who was left out of their starting 15, also had a crucial input into Sion’s victory, scoring their match clinching second goal in the final minutes after coming on in the second half.

That late scoring flurry well and truly burst the Stradbally bubble, but while they can have no argument about the result they can justifiably feel hard done by at the margin of defeat.

They matched Sion throughout the opening half, with county star Michael Walsh magnificent in the middle of the field where his partner Ger Power provided sound and solid support.

Wayward shooting didn’t help their cause — they shot five wides to Sion’s zero tally in that opening spell (11-2 was the final count) — and were punished by Ken McGrath’s opportunism on 11 minutes when he blasted a 20-metre free to the net past a defensive wall that expected him to opt for the point.

McGrath’s goal enabled his side to lead by 1-4 to 0-5 at the break, but it might have been very different had not Niall Curran’s ground delivery from close range whisked outside the Mount Sion upright two minutes before the break.

With conditions worsening both sides deserve credit for the way they battled on. Not a pretty spectacle for sure but there was no shortage of excitement as Stradbally continued to take the game to the favourites.

The winners were held scoreless throughout a third quarter that only yielded a brace of Stradbally points to level matters, and with Walsh continuing to drive on his side a major shock was on the cards.

But in times of crisis who better to turn than Browne and McGrath? More than anyone else they steadied the ship, with Michael White along with Eoin and Roy McGrath also having important input. Between the 48th and 52nd minutes McGrath rifled over three vital points — two from 65s — and White’s magnificent one from play was the confirmation the favourites had finally shaken off a gallant opposition.

Still worse followed for Stradbally with the 58th minute dismissal of centre-back John Coffey, and the final nails in the coffin came in the shape of further points from McGrath and Browne with Kelly’s goal in between.

Scorers: Mount Sion: K. McGrath (1-7, 1-5 frees, 0-2 65s); E. Kelly (1-0); M. White (0-3); T. Browne (0-1). Stradbally: M. Walsh (0-4, frees); S. Cunningham, G. Power, N. Curran, S. Lawlor (0-1) each.

MOUNT SION: I.O’Regan; B. Flannery, A. Kirwan, K. Flynn; J. Cleere, T. Browne, K. Stafford; M. Gaffney, R. McGrath; E. McGrath, K. McGrath, F. O’Shea; M. White, R. O’Keeffe, S. Ryan.

Subs: D. Kelly for O’Keeffe (half time); C. Ryan for Cleere (half time); E. Kelly for O’Shea (38 mins); J. O’Meara for S. Ryan (60 mins).

STRADBALLY: T. Curran; P. Doyle, J. Halpin, O. Costelloe; T. Costelloe, J. Coffey, K. Coffey; M. Walsh, G. Power; N. Curran, G. Walsh, J. Hearne; S. Lawlor, P. Foley, S. Cunningham; Sub: S. Lannon for Lawlor.

Referee: Tommy O’Sullivan, Cappoquin.