Ballyhale Shamrocks 3-19 O’Loughlin Gaels 3-15
It took them a while to get going but Ballyhale Shamrocks notched their fourth successive Kilkenny title in lovely conditions in UPMC Nowlan Park before a crowd of 5,104. A devastating burst in the final quarter paved the way for victory and allowed them to comfortably absorb a late fightback.
At the presentation they were accidentally wished well in the All-Ireland, which even if it takes for granted the Leinster championship, probably reflects the reality of their pre-Christmas schedule.
Challengers O’Loughlin Gaels controlled matters for the first half, weathered an apparently lethal two-goal concession within a minute at the start of the second half and led going into the second water break - all to no avail.
A powerful final quarter 2-6 irradiated their prospects and although they rallied with 1-1 in injury-time, all it did was put a more respectable gloss on the final margin. The winners’ third goal put them eight in front, 3-19 to 2-14 after cornerback Brian Butler had emerged from a prolonged episode of rucking in the middle to race all the way in and finish to the net.
Ballyhale centrefieder Ronan Corcoran was named man of the match for an energetic display, shoring up the middle and also scoring three points from play.
Winning captain Colin Fennelly, however, emphasised the collective.
“That was the essence of a top team performance. Everyone on the team stepped up when needed. Different players showed for us at different times. Eoin Reid, who has been injured for the last three games, caught a vital ball that was crucial. TJ did wonderful things as usual. Everyone performed.
“O’Loughlin’s were wonderful in the first half. Every ball we got on, they swarmed us. At half-time the simple message for us was that they were working harder than us.
“It wasn’t that we weren’t trying during the first half. They were literally on top of us on every ball, and they showed how really good they are.”
For a match that was being fought out for the most part on a two- or three-point margin, it swung on a sliding doors sequence between the 47th and 48th minutes when, with the teams level, O’Loughlin’s centre forward Paddy Butler’s took a run on goal but his shot was blocked.
From the clearance TJ Reid hit a point and Shamrocks had a lead they would never lose.
It had looked different for the first three quarters. O’Loughlin’s got stuck in and made life hard for their opponents’ vaunted attack. Tony Forristal gave Colin Fennelly a hard time and Adrian Mullen struggled to get into the game, as did Eoin Cody.
O’Loughlin’s got their scores more easily although they also hit more wides. An eighth-minute goal from Owen Wall got their noses in front and they maintained the lead despite TJ Reid’s dead-ball accumulation, leading 1-11 to 0-11 at half-time.
They were good value for the lead.
Converted All Star-nominated defender Paddy Deegan was running riot at full forward. Any notions that he might be redeployed to help out the defence were shown up as nonsense by the time he had put over three first-half points.
In the second half he rampaged in for their second goal, which tilted the balance again after the initial barrage. He ended with 2-3, his second late in the day when the match was done but he did enough to make a few people wonder might his bustling presence up front be an option for the county.
TJ Reid, busy as ever, was instrumental in the critical first two goals. He hit a measured ball into the full forwards in the 37th minute. Eoin Reid pulled it down, saw his shot saved but Joe Cuddihy followed up into the net. Less than two minutes later, a line-ball was touched into the net by Adrian Mullen and Shamrocks led, 2-12 to 1-12.
Impressively, the challengers rallied. Deegan’s goal levelled and Wall put them ahead going into the second water break.
Shamrocks’ ability to get scores ultimately told. They were also a bit more direct in the second half, as acknowledged by manager James O’Connor.
“Yeah, we knew that in order to get goals here it was going to be hard to work it between the lines because they were really closing down and it was getting very bunched around the middle. So we just decided we’d get some ball inside and if we got a break off one of them, and thankfully, look, two goals came off of breaks there.”
Ballyhale Shamrocks: Dean Mason; Kevin Mullin, Joey Holden, Brian Butler (1-0); Evan Shefflin, Richie Reid (0-1), Darragh Corcoran (0-1); Ronan Corcoran (0-3), Brian Cody (0-2); Adrian Mullen (1-1), TJ Reid (0-9, five frees, 2 65s), Eoin Cody; Eoin Reid (0-1), Colin Fennelly, Joe Cuddihy (1-1).
Subs: Conor Phelan for Butler (50 mins), Eoin Kenneally (61 mins), Gavin Butler for TJ Reid (63 mins).
O'Loughlin Gaels: Stephen Murphy; David Fogarty, Tony Forristal, Jordan Molloy (0-1); Conor Henry (0-2), Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler; Jack Nolan, Cian Loy; Mark Bergin (0-5, four frees), Paddy Butler, Eoin O'Shea (0-1); Owen Wall (1-2), Paddy Deegan (2-3), Robbie Buckley (0-1).
Subs: Danny Loughnane for Loy (49 mins), Seán Bolger for Buckley (55 mins), Conor Kelly for Nolan (56 mins).
Referee: Owen Beehan (Fenians).
