The senior hurling quarter final between Graigue Ballycallan and Ballyhale Shamrocks this weekend was an outstanding exhibition of hurling.
Ballycallan really put everything they had up against the mighty Shamrocks’ men this Sunday. The whole team was on fire and went into every tackle as if it was their last. However, it wasn’t long before the Shamrocks lived up to the expectations of every hurling fan in the county and pulled away from the Ballycallan men with a great display of skill from every angle of the field.
The game started as it finished with Ballyhale Shamrocks pulling ahead almost immediately. After just three minutes of play the score was 0-3 to 0-1. Then both Michael and Colin Fennelly put a ball over the bar to give them a four-point lead. The response to this great performance of play was given by James Ryall from the half back line delivering a magnificent point from 65 yards out. After this, Patrick Reid and Henry Shefflin both sent the ball flying over the bar from 30 yards out of the field making the score seven points to two. Even after eight minutes of play Ballyhale looked the dominant force as they mastered puck-out after puck-out. With a lot of ball in their full forward line, the Shamrocks looked very dangerous indeed.
That isn’t to say that the Ballycallan men were out of the game. In the next three minutes they put three points over the bar, one by All-Star nominated Eddie Brennan and another from a free taken by Kevin Cleere. However, hopes of a comeback by Ballycallan supporters were dashed when Patrick Reid managed to put the ball in the back of the net from 20 yards out after the goalkeeper left his goaline.
Patrick Reid stepped up once again and sent the ball out for a 65. Shefflin cleverly sent the ball in low and the Shamrocks managed once again to send the ball flying into the back of the net.
After 15 minutes of play the score was 2-8 to 0-5. The Ballycallan team were starting to slip on the scoreboard but on the field they were still battling hard. The game was becoming more and more physical as the minutes ticked by. Kevin Cleere then converted three crucial points from frees and one from play to keep the Ballycallan men in the battle. They were only trailing by two points. However, a free passed by Fennelly was plummeted over the goal line by TJ Reid. The Shamrocks men were torturing the Ballycallan lads. But heads were not hanging just yet. Kevin Cleere scored a devastating goal from 30 yards out. The half-time whistle left the score of the first half at 3-9 to 1-9.
The second half of the game began with enormous energy. There was huge tension on the pitch and amongst the supporters. It has to be said that there was a great turn-out in John Locke’s Park and the fans were not disappointed in the hurling, especially in the second half.
Henry Shefflin raised a storm in the opening minutes with two spectacular points from mid-field. Henry then thundered on to put his name on the list of goal scorers after great play by Alan Cuddihy. Ballycallan came back with a point by Dermot Heaphy after a penalty taken by Eddie Brennan. Kevin Cleere also converted a free from 40 yards out the field. After this, the Shamrocks showed their truly magnificent colours scoring an unforgettable seven points over 10 minutes. Sheffflin, Colin Fennelly and brother TJ, Patrick and Eoin Reid were the scorers.
The score was now a whopping 4-18 to 1-12. Even after this onslaught, the Ballycallan men still held their heads high. James Ryall stepped up and scored a brilliant point from 50 yards out which was followed by another heroic shot by Michael Hoyne from mid-field. But alas, Eoin Reid put the nail on the coffin with yet another goal. James Ryall and Eddie Brennan have to be commended for still playing with ferocity even after the crucifixion. James scored another point and Eddie scored a goal which really made the scoreboard less painful to look at.
The final whistle blew after both Cha Fitzpatrick and Eoin Reid put two points over the bar, leaving the score at Ballyhale Shamrocks 5-21, Ballycallan 2-15.
It has to be said that Graigue Ballycallan displayed a very impressive game of hurling, scoring an amazing 2-15 against the current champions. They played with great skill, physicality and an amazing amount of pride. James Ryall and Kevin Cleere both gave star performances. Really all that was between the two teams were the goals. On the other hand, the Shamrocks were on top form. Both the Fennelly and Reid brothers played out of their skins on the day and Shefflin, as usual, had a heroic game with a total score of 1-7, with only two of them points from frees.
