Shamrocks sow early seeds of victory

WHATEVER about the holders ‘leaving it behind them’, as manager Pat Joe Whelahan suggested afterwards, the relative ease with which Ballyhale Shamrocks built up an eight points lead in the first-half undoubtedly inspired their sixth AIB Leinster Club hurling title win in Nowlan Park yesterday.

It was to sustain them in the face of a sustained Birr challenge which gained a steady momentum from powerful play from midfielders Gary Hanniffy and Barry Whelahan and others and which might have proved successful if they hadn’t to wait until six minutes from the final whistle for their only goal.

That came from Brian Whelahan, clearly limited by the knee injury he picked up against Ballyboden, but still able to make a valid contribution in the second-half after moving from the centre to full-forward. The killing part for the Offaly champions was that seven minutes earlier they were deprived of a great goal opportunity when Shamrocks’ corner-back Padraig Holden deflected a close-in shot from Paul O’Meara. It marked a serious turning point in the game.