Clare SHC: Ballyea seal back-to-back county titles
BACK-TO-BACK: Ballyea's James Murphy, Mossy Gavin, Fergal Ginnane and Brandon O'Connell celebrate with the cup. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady
Ballyea did what Ballyea do — they got the job done once more thanks to a stunning escape to victory for a fourth county title since 2016 that cements their status as the Banner’s best.
They did so because as ever they never said die — this county final looked lost from them as the Townies, hungry for a first title since 1990, led by 1-16 to 2-10 in the 59th minute of this rip-roaring contest.
A haul of 0-11 from top marksman Danny Russell, allied to a David Reidy goal sparked a great second-half display that had them within touching distance of a long-overdue return to the top.
However, it’s as if this was just the cue card that Ballyea needed, because from there the undisputed masters of Clare hurling summoned something special.
Yet again, because they never fail to do it.
“There is comfort in certainty,” gushed Ballyea manager Robbie Hogan afterwards, “and the one thing you know with these lads is that they never give up. They will play right to the last ball. They always do it and you know they’ll do it.”
They did it here thanks to a mirror image of last year’s victory over Inagh-Kilnamona when they were attacking into the same town end goal.
They were three points adrift in that game, but thanks to their bench came on strong at the death to win by the minimum, a feat repeated here as from deep within their hurling and their minds they did again to put county titles back to back for the first time.
They hit the last four points through Martin O’Leary, Tony Kelly, Cathal O’Connor and Niall Deasy to complete a rally that will rank as one of their greatest victories that left the Townies crestfallen and on the floor.
It was remarkable, as it was stunning for the men in black and amber, but a fate that the Townies scarcely deserved after their powerful second-half performance brought them to the cusp of a victory that would have ended 32 years of hurt at senior level.
And, as they went it looked as if Éire Óg had done it the hard way, recovering admirably from the concession of goals early in both halves to stay faithful to their game plan that ultimately created the free opportunities that Russell fired over with confidence.
Aaron Griffin got Ballyea off to a flyer with a fifth-minute goal and they held sway for most of the half only for a dogged Éire Óg side to stay with them. Russell’s scores and fine efforts from play by Oran Cahill, Darren O’Brien and Mikey Moloney cancelled out the efforts of Niall Deasy and Tony Kelly down the other end as matters rested at 1-6 to 0-9 at the break.
A superb Niall Deasy goal two minutes after the resumption briefly put Ballyea in the ascendency once more, but after Darren O’Brien’s speculative effort was inched over the line in a goalmouth scramble by David Reidy, it looked like being Éire Óg’s day.
Everything was going for them, and they hit the front for the first time a minute later through a Gavin Cooney point that left things at 1-11 to 2-7, but that Ballyea wouldn’t go away was hammered home just as the Townies were clearing their throats to toast a famous victory.
O’Leary and Kelly pulled it back to a one-point game before a long-distance effort from Cathal O’Connor had the sides level. Both sides would have taken extra time, but when Deasy landed a close-range free on 63 minutes, bringing another 20-minute installment was denied Éire Óg when Reidy missed a difficult free with the last puck of the game.
“A tough one to take,” reflected Éire Óg manager Mattie Shannon afterwards. “I thought we were in control for large parts of the second half, but we didn’t kick on and get that fourth point ahead".
It left the door ajar and the Ballyea boys kicked it down.
: D Russell (0-11, 9f, 1 ‘65), D Reidy (1-0), D O’Brien (0-2), O Cahil (0-1), M Moloney (0-1), G Cooney (0-1).
N Deasy (1-6, 6f), A Griffin (1-1), T Kelly (0-4, 1 '65), C O’Connor (0-2), M O’Leary (0-1).
P Walsh; J Collins, A Fitzgerald, N McMahon; O Cahill, C Russell, L Corry (C); D Reidy, C O’Dea; D McNamara, G Cooney, M Moloney; S O’Donnell, D Russell, D O’Brien.
: A McGrath for Russell (45-47) B/S.
B Coote; B O’Connell, P Flanagan,P Casey; G O’Connell, J Browne, J Murphy (C), M Garry, S Lineen; N Deasy, P Lillis, G Brennan; M Gavin, T Kelly, A Griffin.
C Brennan for Garry (23), C O’Connor for Gavin (34), M O’Leary for Lillis (54).
: J Donnellan.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
