County Hurling Finals Roundup
October 26, 2008
Seven County Senior Hurling Championship titles were up for grabs on Sunday afternoon, but only six teams went home with silverware, with Ballyhale Shamrocks, Clonlara, Kilmessan, Confey, Ballyhaunis and Robert Emmett's all celebrating success. However Carnew Emmets and Glenealy must meet again following a drawn Wicklow decider.
Ballyhale Shamrocks had five points to spare following an entertaining Kilkenny Senior Hurling Final at Nowlan Park on Sunday afternoon.
A 2-11 to 0-12 victory over James Stephens earned the South Kilkenny club their 12th Kilkenny SHC success.
The sides were level on two occasions inside the opening seven minutes, before an Eoin Reid goal gave Ballyhale Shamrocks the lead, despite corner back James Moran blocking an initial Patrick Reid goal shot.
Eoin's goal proved to be the main difference between the sides for long periods of the opening half, until a goal from his brother Patrick crashed home Ballyhale's second goal in the 23rd minute to open up a 2-5 to 0-4 lead.
The sides were evenly matched in the closing stages of the first half, with Gary Whelan and Eoin Larkin taking points for James Stephens, while scores from Henry Shefflin and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick kept Ballyhale Shamrocks on top, as they held a 2-7 to 0-6 lead at the break.
Despite James Stephen's outscoring their opponents in the closing half an hour, Ballyhale Shamrocks had done enough to earn victory thanks to a fine opening half display.
Stephen's hit six points on the restart to their opponents four, with Eoin Larkin, Donnacha Cody, Matt Ruth and Philly Larkin among those on target.
However Shamrocks weren't going to be denied silverware, with Eoin Reid finishing with 1-2; Patrick Reid with 1-1 and Henry Shefflin with three points as they emerged five-point winners.
History was created in Cusack Park in Ennis as Clonlara captured their first Clare Senior Hurling Championship success since 1919 following a 1-12 to 1-9 win over Newmarket On Fergus.
Despite Clonlara leading by 1-5 to 1-4 at the interval, with Tommy Lynch scoring their goal, the final result was far from clear-cut for large periods of this game in an absorbing encounter.
Martin Murphy was the provider of the Newmarket on Fergus goal and both Lynch and Murphy gave tremendous displays for their respective sides throughout this game.
Just a point separated the sides with 11 minutes remaining, but Clonlara stayed on top in the closing stages thanks to the freetaking accuracy of Donal Madden.
Paul Collins became the first Clonlara captain to lift the Canon Hamilton Trophy, following his sides first success in 89 years.
Kilmessan captured their 27th Meath Senior Hurling Championship title, and a first since 2004 following a 0-13 to 0-8 replay victory over Kildalkey at Páirc Tailteann, Navan.
The sides were level on four occasions inside the opening quarter of this game, but four unanswered points from Nicky Horan (3) and Anton O'Neill before the interval, ensured an 0-8 to 0-4 half-time lead.
However Kildalkey did have a goal chance late in the opening half, when Noel Kirby watched his close range effort blaze wide after some excellent defensive play by Kilmessan's David Donnelly.
Kildalkey doubled their tally in the second half, however it wasn't enough as two late points from Joey Keena secured a five-point victory.
In Kildare, a hat-trick of goals paved the way to back-to-back successes for North Kildare side Confey following their 3-13 to 1-15 win over Ardclough at St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge.
A brace of goals from Darren Nolan and a third from the stick of Ciaran Divily secured a second ever title for the eventual winners, in only their third ever Kildare Senior Championship final appearance.
Across the country in Mayo, the meeting of Ballyhaunis and Toureen may have taken place 20 hours later than scheduled due to bad weather, but it didn't lack intensity as Ballyhaunis captured their fourth Mayo SHC title win in five years, following a 0-15 to 2-7 victory on home soil.
Points from Adrian and Cathal Freeman gave Ballyhaunis a 0-4 to 0-3 half-time lead, however the sides were level at 0-5 apiece ten minutes into the second half.
Toureen's Michael Morley and Stephen Coyne put in strong performance but Ballyhaunis had built up a 0-14 to 0-7 lead as injury-time approached.
Despite Ballyhaunis leaking two late goals, these came against the run of play for Toureen as the hosts managed to hold out for a two-point win.
In Wicklow defending champions Glenealy may have been reluctant to play the Garden County's SHC final against Carnew Emmets on Sunday afternoon, but the sides will have to meet again for a replay following a 1-12 to 1-12 draw at Aughrim.
Glenealy wanted the encounter postponed, as key dual-player Leighton Glynn is currently in Australia and lined out for Ireland in last Friday's opening International Rules game in Perth, with Glynn scoring ten points, including a second quarter goal.
The Wicklow County Board will meet on Tuesday night to decide the date and venue for the replay. November 9th has been pencilled in for the Wicklow champions Leinster Club Championship first round tie.
Meanwhile in Ruislip, Robert Emmetts were crowned London Senior Hurling champions for the third year in succession after their 3-13 to 0-7 win over Sean Treacy's.
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