Stephen O'Keeffe heroics can't deter forewarned Ballyhale
STUNNING STOP: Ballyhale Shamrocks' Adrian Mullen sees his shot saved by Stephen O'Keefe of Ballygunner. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher
“Remember February” was the rallying cry from Pat Hoban to his Ballyhale Shamrocks charges in the closing stages. He needn’t have worried. As Eoin Cody said afterwards, they weren’t going to be caught again.
For 10 months Shamrocks stewed over how they were stunned by Harry Ruddle’s highway steal. For the last month as they spluttered against Naas and Kilmacud Crokes, they had looked nothing like a team ready to execute revenge. But here they summoned everything in their considerable armoury to cast aside memories of that smash and grab.
Stephen O’Keeffe’s brilliance was enough to electrify the game but not his team. Four times, twice in each half, he rejected shots fired towards his net. Performances like his, we’ve seen before. PJ Ryan’s in the 2009 All-Ireland final springs to mind, but his heroics were matched with a win.
Hungrier, cuter, sharper, Shamrocks weren’t going to be deterred by O’Keeffe nor anybody else in the black and red. Three points up to no score inside the first two minutes, they may have been slightly poorer in general play over the course of the first half which finished level (0-11 apiece) but they were a grade above Ballygunner after the turnaround.
The All-Ireland champions will rue their seven wides and one short shot in the second half but they had been beaten soundly. For the six goal opportunities Shamrocks had, their single chance that fell to Dessie Hutchinson in the 50th minute paled in comparison.
Another snatched triumph by Ballygunner would have been cruel but it didn’t look like it was ever coming and so much of that was down to Shamrocks’ back-line. Hutchinson may have finished with four points but in an intriguing duel it was Joey Holden who marginally had the better of him and Richie Reid once again delivered.
In a battle of the young ones, Killian Corcoran came out on top against Patrick Fitzgerald. “We matched Killian up with young Fitzgerald who came into the game with a lot of pressure, a lot of exposure,” said Hoban. “It just shows you Killian is a fine young hurler. Did a fantastic job.
“Darren (Mullen) went off, Brian Butler came in. Did a fantastic job again. Joey Holden to me was man of the match. There’s a man, went off to America, finished hurling. Just incredible. Incredible leader and incredible man.”
O’Keeffe's first save came in the 10th minute as Adrian Mullen angled in from the left wing and O’Keeffe’s parry was sent over the bar by Colin Fennelly. In the 28th minute, O’Keeffe, who Waterford fans will be praying returns to county colours next year, was again equal to a Mullen effort after a slick move involving Darragh Corcoran and substitute Niall Shortall.
Shamrocks were forced to make two injury-enforced changes in the opening half, Butler coming on for Darren Mullen and Shortall for Cuddihy seven minutes later. For a side that made no alterations during their nervy Leinster final win over Kilmacud Crokes, it was awkward but they went into the break on equal terms.
Shamrocks had ran up a three-point lead after two minutes but Ballygunner had cancelled it out by the 10th minute and went ahead for the first time in the 16th minute. O’Keeffe’s puck-outs were even more exemplary than his shot-stopping and he was key to a couple of scores midway through the half.
On three occasions, Ballygunner opened two-point leads in the opening period, the last of them when Mike Mahony sent over a 27th-minute score. Shamrocks finished out the half with scores from Ronan Corcoran and Eoin Kenneally, who seemed put off by O’Keeffe’s previous successes in sending the ball over the bar.
Three early second-half wides took the fizz out of Ballygunner. In the 42nd minute, Cody put Shamrocks into a lead that they retained to the final whistle. Ballygunner were provided plenty of inspiration but it came at the wrong end. O’Keeffe prevented an Evan Shefflin chance in the 45th minute and Reid’s first penalty strike two minutes later when Philip Mahony brought down Colin Fennelly.
However, Reid’s second bite of the cherry in the 49th minute was too good for O’Keeffe. Reid himself had been tripped by Shane O’Sullivan just as he was about to unload from close distance.
Reid later stretched the gap to five points and while Ballygunner twice came within three of them, Shamrocks held out, Mason making a vital save from Hutchinson.
That’s not to say Shamrocks’ sideline were worried. Ruddle made an appearance almost to the same minute as he did in last February’s All-Ireland final but there was no second intervention.
“Three points (up) from the last play, you might have heard me shouting, ‘Remember February!’” smiled Hoban. “It was a bit like that, you’re always fearful that something might just go wrong but they held out well.”
A deserving result to the naked eye. And a most righteous result to a Shamrocks’ one.
T.J. Reid (1-8, 1-0 pen, 7 frees, 1 65); E. Cody (0-2); J. Cuddihy, C. Fennelly, A. Mullen, P. Mullen, R. Corcoran, E. Kenneally (0-1 each).
Pauric Mahony (0-6, 4 frees); D. Hutchinson (0-4); P. Fitzgerald (0-2); C. Sheahan, R. Power, M. Mahony, K. Mahony (0-1 each).
D. Mason; D. Mullen, J. Holden, K. Corcoran; E. Shefflin, R. Reid, D. Corcoran; R. Corcoran (c), P. Mullen; A. Mullen, T.J. Reid, J. Cuddihy; E. Kenneally, C. Fennelly, E. Cody.
B. Butler for D. Mullen (inj 7); N. Shortall for J. Cuddihy (inj 13); C. Walsh for E. Kenneally (60+3).
S. O’Keeffe; I. Kenny (j-c), B. Coughlan, T. Foley; S. O’Sullivan, Philip Mahony, R. Power; C. Sheahan, P. Leavey; P. Hogan, Pauric Mahony, M. Mahony; P. Fitzgerald, D. Hutchinson (j-c), K. Mahony.
B. O’Keeffe for M. Mahony (49); H. Ruddle for P. Fitzgerald (55).
L. Gordon (Galway).
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