Galway SHC Final/ Portumna 6-12 Kinvara 0-11: Twelve months after Portumna relinquished the Galway title in highly controversial circumstances, they reclaimed it with a hard and glittering performance yesterday.
Kinvara, the romantic story of the Galway hurling season, were blown away in a match that was defined by the aggression and speed of the Portumna front line. In recent times, such an obliterating scoreline would suggest another tour de force from Joe Canning but although the wunderkind did post 1-3, the Kinvara defence was trying to douse fires all through their lines.
Andrew Smith, a forward whom some believe ought to have had a run in maroon before now, fired three of Portumna's goals and, as well as hitting the net twice, Niall Hayes was in impudent form, thriving in the high-pressure, direct game that his club inflicted on Kinvara.
After waiting since 1979 to appear in this final, Kinvara will be stunned at how mercilessly the day turned against them. For the first 10 minutes, they stood equal in a series of breathless exchanges, with plenty of heavy, committed challenges and rushed striking from both teams. But during that time, Portumna stealthily increased the pressure and never lost sight of their objective.
The signs were ominous when Eoin Lynch was able to gobble up a weak clearance and land an uncontested point on eight minutes. When Jonathan Kavanagh was punished for shrugging his opponent to the ground after doing well to win possession, Portumna knew exactly what they wanted to do and a swift transfer through Canning and Damien Hayes left Smith with Colm Callanan to beat.
Three minutes later, Damien Hayes hooked Aidan Moylan and snapped another point. Those stinging scores must have unsettled the Kinvara back line, and under relentless pressure, more scores had to come.
Callanan made a wonderful save off Smith again on 18 minutes but Niall Hayes was on hand for the break and angled his low strike perfectly. Suddenly, Kinvara trailed 2-4 to 0-1.
Further heroics by Callanan kept the contest alive, and for a time Kinvara were able tap into the kind of form that had seen them unbeaten all season.
With county regulars Ger Mahon and Shane Kavanagh anchoring the defence and wing back Alan Leech regarded as Kinvara's most consistent championship performer, it was not as though Portumna were picking the pocket of a clueless defence. And the team showed plenty of heart, with Alan Byrne hitting a defiant point on 29 minutes to fleetingly raise the hopes of a slow-burning comeback.
But Portumna were in the meanest mood. In under two minutes, they strode away again with points from Lynch and a beauty from Damien Hayes before Canning came motoring through another gap and rapped a goal.
At 3-8 to 0-5 at half-time, the contest was all but over.
"It was a huge year for the club," admitted captain Ollie Canning afterwards. "We were under a bit of pressure during the year and this is a weight off our shoulders. We lost the championship last year and that is a motivation. The actual county final, people outside the club talked more about it than we did and that was parked a long time ago . . . In fairness to Kinvara, they met us when our forwards were flying."
It was a bleak place for the Kinvara team and, sadly for neutrals, a novel final fell apart as an occasion. Two David Huban frees indicated Kinvara's willingness to keep plugging after half-time but as though to illustrate the futility of effort, Niall Hayes finished another goal after a telepathic series of passes. The fifth goal was a thing of joy, Damien Hayes blowing past his marker and then hitting Smith with a wonderfully squared pass. Callanan could do nothing against the power of the finish.
When Smith lined up his third goal, some in the crowd were shouting for him to go high. But Portumna were out to make a point and Kinvara just happened to be in their way.
By the time Gerry McInerney, Kinvara's talismanic stalwart, entered the field, he had long dismissed hopes of adding a senior medal to his impressive collection.
"One of the highlights of the day was marking my idol," declared Eugene McEntee, the Portumna full back, as the celebrating began.
It is safe to say they are back.
PORTUMNA: I Canning: M Gill, E McEntee, O Canning; G Heagney, M Ryan, A O'Donnell; E Lynch (0-2), P Smith; N Hayes (2-2), J Canning (1-3, 2 frees, 1 sideline), L Smith (0-1); A Smith (3-1), D Hayes (0-3), D Canning. Subs: J O'Flaherty for M Gill (54 mins), C O'Hare for P Smith (55 mins).
KINVARA: C Callanan; A Moylan, G Mahon, P O'Sullivan; J Kavanagh, S Kavanagh, A Leech; S Moylan, G Wynne (0-1 free); D Huban (0-6 frees), N Curtin, C Kavanagh (0-1); C Burke, A Byrne (0-2), D Smith. Subs: P Mahon for G Wynne (half-time), G McInerney for D Smith (41 mins), C Curtin for N Curtin (40 mins), S Corcoran for J Kavanagh (47 mins), Damien Huban (0-1)for C Burke (50 mins).
Referee: A Kelly(Rahoon-Newcastle).
