Awesome Curran steers Stradbally to sixth final

THE resilience of five-in-a-row champions Stradbally extricated them yet again from another tricky situation in yesterday’s Waterford senior football championship semi-final in Dungarvan, when they carved out a four-point victory over Ballinacourty.

A week earlier the champions — chasing an unprecedented six titles on the trot — had to come from five points down at the halfway stage before overhauling Gaultier. This time they found themselves those same five points adrift inside 10 minutes, and with ‘Courty oozing confidence, things looked ominous for them.

After that lightening start, Stradbally began to dig deep and the recovery was kick-started by Niall Curran’s superbly pointed free on 16 minutes.