KILKENNY SHC FINAL/Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-14 James Stephens 1-11:THEY DON'T simply collect hurling titles in Kilkenny anymore. They hoard them. Holding on to them has become as important as winning them. Once they've get three, they want four, and so on. The scary part is there's no sign of this trend ending anytime soon. Any more of this and they could be accused of getting greedy.
Yesterday, in front a typically fervent crowd of over 8,000, Ballyhale Shamrocks won their fourth successive county title - thus emulating last month's achievement of the Kilkenny county side. At least it wasn't straightforward, and just as Kilkenny discovered in their epic showdown against Tipperary, winning four-in-a-row is a lot easier said than done. In the end, Ballyhale had to dig deep to see off the challenge of James Stephens, who came away disappointed and yet surely resigned to the fact that Ballyhale were the better team.
By Kilkenny standards it was a surprisingly tame display of club hurling, and for a while it seemed we may have come to the wrong venue. The opening half was surprisingly sloppy, neither team able to steal any command - but then the last 15 minutes made up for it: two goals inside two minutes sent the momentum one way and then another, and although they were level again with just three minutes to play, Ballyhale finally got themselves into a winning position with three late points from Henry Shefflin, TJ Reid and Colin Fennelly.
As if to underline how difficult a thing it is to win four-in-a-row, the feat was only once before achieved in Kilkenny by Carrickshock, way back in 1940-1943.
It matching that, Ballyhale also collected a 13th title in all, and are now only headed on the all-time Kilkenny record books by Tullaroan, who are still leading the way with their 20 titles, although the last of those came in 1994.
The other small matter that yesterday's final determines is the Kilkenny captaincy - and in this case, the responsibility of leading the county next year in their quest for a record (whisper it) five in-a-row. Three of the Ballyhale players have got the honour already; Shefflin, James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, and this year's captain, Michael Fennelly.
It seems inevitable that the 2010 nomination will be TJ Reid, who although still only 21, has many of the required attributes, least of all immense hurling skill.
Reid hit six points from play yesterday and they went a long way towards deciding the outcome, particularly as Shefflin was a little off form (hitting six wides in total). Ballyhale also lost one of their trio of Reid brothers before the start, when corner forward Patrick was replaced by David Hoyne, but with Eoin Reid also hitting 1-3 from play, the contribution of the Reid family was nonetheless decisive.
With 'Cha' Fitzpatrick also a little off form it's just as well Ballyhale had the Reid brothers in such good form. TJ hit two points in the first half which helped the champions hold a marginal advantage from early on, and although James Stephens twice drew level in the first half, Ballyhale went in for the isotonic drinks two points up - 0-6 to 0-4. James Stephens were fighting hard and making it hard work for the champions, yet it was apparent their scoring force was limited; especially when Eoin Larkin hit an couple of uncharacteristic wides.
Larkin made amends early in the second half with two frees in quick succession, and when midfielder Niall Tyrrell popped up for a score on 37 minutes, they were level again; 0-7 apiece. Soon after that came the goals that ignited the game as a contest. Ballyhale struck first, although it wasn't pretty, as Mark Aylward's searching ball was somehow directed into the net by Eoin Reid, despite the attention of two James Stephens defenders, and their goalkeeper.
That looked to be a fatal blow for the challengers, yet they responded within two minutes when veteran Brian McEvoy set up a close-range shot from Eoin McCormack. Suddenly the title was up for grabs again, and again TJ Reid settled Ballyhale's nerves with two big scores.
To their credit, James Stephens never once gave up the chase, and with substitute David Walton adding his second point from play, the sides were level again on 57 minutes. Being the champions that they are, and with the sort of cool counter-attack now the trademark of the Kilkenny team, Ballyhale's final response was swift and decisive - the three final points in the last three minutes enough to finish what was a close but deserved deal.
Their victory also marks a winning start for James McGarry, the former county goalkeeper who has made a cunning move into management, and now has joint responsibility for Ballyhale along with Michael Fennelly senior.
Ballyhale will no doubt feel somewhat freed of pressure after achieving this, and will thus enter the Leinster championship with a fresh dose of enthusiasm, as Wexford champions Oulart-the-Ballagh may soon discover.
"Hopefully we can go on now and win again in Leinster, and win back the All-Ireland as well," declared Ballyhale captain Eamonn Walsh. As usual, it will be hard to bet against any team that comes out of Kilkenny.
BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: J Connolly; A Cuddihy, A Cummins, T Coogan; P Shefflin, E Walsh (capt), B Aylward; J Fitzpatrick (0-1), M Fennelly; TJ Reid (0-6), H Shefflin (0-3, all free), C Fennelly (0-1); D Hoyne, E Reid (1-3), M Aylward. Subs: B Costello for M Aylward (50 mins), P Holden for Cuddihy (59 mins).
JAMES STEPHENS: D Brennan; N McQuillan, P Larkin, T Keogh; D Cody (0-1, a free), J Tyrrell (0-1), E Sheehy; D McCormack, N Tyrrell (0-1); E McCormack (1-0), G Whelan, E Larkin (capt, 0-5, frees); J Murray, M Ruth (0-1), S Brennan. Subs: B McEvoy for Brennan (half time), D Walton (0-2) for Murray (42 mins), S Campion for D McCormack (47 mins).
Referee: Pat Dunphy.
