O’Callaghan’s Mills stun Ballyea with 1-3 injury-time blast

In a first county final since 1993, the Mills are aiming to bring a first senior title back to the parish since 1937

Gerry Cooney of O'Callaghan's Mills grabs the ball as he falls to the ground with Ballyea's Marty O'Leary at Cusack Park. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Clare SHC semi-final: O’Callaghan’s Mills 2-17 Ballyea 1-17 

They are daring to dream in O’Callaghan’s Mills.

In a first county final since 1993 thanks to last gasp win over favourites Ballyea, they now have a mouth-watering local derby against champions Sixmilebridge to look forward to in their crusade to bring a first senior title back to the parish since 1937.

This daydream came alive in dramatic circumstances at Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon as a commitment and hunger that has seen the Mills come back from the brink of relegation to the intermediate ranks last season finally proved too much for the 2016 and ’18 champions.

A 65th-minute goal from their world championship-winning handballer Colin Crehan proved the difference between the sides in a gripping encounter that looked to have turned decisively in Ballyea’s favour thanks to the brilliant marksmanship of their talisman Tony Kelly.

The 2013 hurler of the year hit 1-8 from play, bringing his side back into the game after they were hit for 1-1 inside three minutes of the start, before his purple patch after half-time ensured that Ballyea were armed with a 1-15 to 1-11 lead at the second water break.

“In the last quarter it came down to heart and will,” said O'Callaghan's Mills manager Donach O’Donnell afterwards. “We knew we were fit enough and we knew we had the hurling. Goals change games and we thought Tony Kelly’s had taken it away from us, but when we needed it we went down the other end and got one”.

The Mills never said die. In the first half, they brought a real physicality to proceedings, with Conor Henry’s goal in the third minute giving them a dream start.

And even when Tony Kelly and Niall Deasy cranked Ballyea to life with a burst of scores either side of the first water break, a dogged Mills side hit back before the half with the last two scores from Crehan to leave matters deadlocked at 1-7 to 0-10.

After the sides traded a flurry of scores at the start of the second half it looked as if Ballyea had victory within grasp when Kelly’s 37th-minute goal helped them move four clear.

They still led by three points going into injury time, but after Kelly was denied a second goal thanks to a fine save from Killian Nugent, it was the Mills that finished the contest in whirlwind fashion when hitting 1-3 without reply.

Two Jamie Loughnane frees pegged the gap back to the minimum by the 64th minute before a defensive blunder created the opening for Crehan to bring Ballyea to their knees.

This stunning victory was then confirmed when All-Ireland-winning captain Pat Donnellan split the posts from distance with the last puck of the game.

Scorers for O’Callaghan’s Mills: J Loughnane (0-8, 7fs), C Crehan (1-4, 3fs), C Henry (1-0), P Donnellan (0-2), B Donnellan, Gary Cooney, M McGrath.

Scorers for Ballyea: T Kelly (1-8), N Deasy (0-7, 1f), P Lillis, C Brennan (0-1 each).

O’Callaghan’s Mills: K Nugent, M Cotter, C Cooney, Gerry Cooney, P Donnellan, A O’Gorman N Donovan, C Cooney, C Henry, A Fawl, B Donnellan, J Loughnane, Gary Cooney, M McGrath, C Crehan. 

Subs: C Murphy for McGrath (43), S O’Gorman for Donovan (47).

Ballyea: O Hennessy, B Carrig, P Flanagan, P Casey, B O’Connell, J Browne, A Keane, J Murphy, P Lillis, N Deasy, T Kelly, C Brennan, M Garry, M O’Leary, E Donnellan. 

Subs: A Griffin for Donnellan (43), T Lynch for O’Leary (51), R Griffin for Garry (55).

Referee: W King (Doora-Barefield)