Relieved Fennelly hails battling spirit

IT wasn’t the classic many were expecting in Thurles yesterday, but it was a classic tale of two halves, Shamrocks dominating the opening period, denied on at least three occasions by exceptional goalkeeping from Newtownshandrum’s William Biggane.

But the Cork and Munster champions met an equally outstanding James Connolly for Ballyhale in the second-half.

A battle, then, rather than an exhibition, nip and tuck until the final whistle, and a very relieved Michael Fennelly (snr) afterwards. “We expected that,” said the Ballyhale boss. “We were unlucky we weren’t up by more than three points at half-time, though it was enough, as it turned out. The penalty save (37th minute, by Connolly off Ryan Clifford) was the turning point, a massive save. They had the better of the second-half, while we had the better of it in the first-half, even though we didn’t win the toss.