Last Sunday’s county final, which ended all square, was certainly action-packed and full of incidents.
Kilkenny hurling is renowned worldwide for its skill, flair, work rate, honesty, and determination. The extreme weather conditions meant that all the facets of our game were going to be tested to the limit last Sunday.
Before I get into analysing the games, I would like to compliment the four teams on two cracking contests. The hurling was not vintage due to the conditions, but the honesty and work rate from all sides was, without doubt, top class.
After competing hard all year to get to Kilkenny's showpiece, it was a shame that the day did not fit the billing. When you see 10-time All-Star Henry Shefflin making four attempts to rise a ball, and newly-crowned hurler of the year Michael Fennelly taking a fresh air shot – you would have to question whether this game should have been abandoned on player welfare grounds.
We have always heard the expression that player welfare is paramount, but it did not look that way from the stands last Sunday. I do not think anyone in the 7,000 crowd would have minded an announcement at half-time that this game was going to be abandoned.
The Village folk might have objected considering they were only four points down after playing into a strong gale. A free gate next Sunday would have softened the disappointment if this had happened.
I do not blame the Kilkenny County Board for letting it start, but sometimes if conditions deteriorate to the point that it becomes dangerous, the plug has to be pulled.
I do have one major gripe with the board after last Sunday’s game. Surprise, surprise, it is in relation to the referee appointed.
It is a sad reflection on our final that all the post-match talk was about the ref and not the action. I know referees are human, and that mistakes can and will happen, but last Sunday’s game nearly turned into a farce.
I viewed the game twice on TV since last Sunday just to make sure I had been at the same event. To me, it looked like the occasion got to him.
The players looked baffled many times during the hour at some of his decisions. It must be remembered that these players who have trained hard all year deserve to have the best possible referee on duty for final day.
There are plenty of good, experienced, referees in this county – mind you, I do think standards have slipped in recent years. I put my thoughts to a well-respected referee on Monday night, and he totally agreed.
‘Possession all over the field was so hard to hold onto – the ball was obviously like a bar of soap’
Anyway – now that I have that off my chest – back to what I should be talking about: The game itself.
TJ Reid set the ball rolling for the Ballyhale men with a well-taken point, to which Niall Tyrrell responded moments later. With the wind at their backs, the Shamrocks made the early running, with Shefflin and Fennelly adding two more to their tally.
Shamrocks played plenty of low balls into full forward Colin Fennelly, but conditions did not suit the fleet-footed attacker.
It was not just Fennelly who found it hard to hold his footing. Possession all over the field was so hard to hold onto – the ball was obviously like a bar of soap.
Three further frees from Shefflin left the score six points to two after the first quarter. All the Shamrocks’ good work would have been undone were it not for a great save by Richie Reid in the 16th minute.
A well-worked move that involved several James Stephens players ended with a great chance for Matthew Ruth. His shot was well struck, but Reid's quick reflexes denied the Village what looked like a certain goal.
As half-time approached, conditions worsened and scores were very hard to come by. An Eoin Larkin-free reduced the deficit as halftime approached, however TJ Reid threw over his second point of the game to leave four between them at the interval.
‘Many people feared the worst for Henry when he went down injured – initially it looked like he was holding his knee’
I know I am repeating myself, but conditions deteriorated even more during the halftime break. Eoin Larkin was first off the mark in the second minute of the new half, with a well taken free after Shefflin was alleged to have offended.
The whole crowd once again looked baffled by this decision. The game threatened to boil over under the stand when several players got involved; there was no great surprise in this, as players were getting frustrated.
Eoin McCormack scored one of the day’s best points after being set up by his brother David. At this stage it was not looking good for the favourites – the Village men's work rate was super, and they were certainly belying their odds.
Another Eoin Larkin free in the 45th minute closed the gap to one, before Shefflin replied with his fifth of the day. Many people feared the worst for Shefflin when he went down injured; initially it looked like he was holding his knee but it transpired later that it was a shoulder injury that had occurred.
The game turned on its head in the 54th minute, when David Walton found the net for James Stephens. The influential Eoin Larkin set off on one of his trademark runs, before finding Walton, whose shot gave young Reid no chance in the Shamrocks’ goal.
This three pointer was a major boost to James Stephens; many felt it was probably the match-winning score. However, lady luck did not favour the Village men, and two blatant fouls on David McCormack in the one passage of play went unnoticed.
Then to rub salt into the wound, McCormack himself was harshly blown for a foul pass. Shefflin held his composure once again, and tied up the game with the resulting free from all of 60 yards. Into the teeth of the gale this was a massive score.
The Village men squandered a couple of half chances before Eoin Larkin lofted over what looked like the winning score on the stroke of full time. On the balance of play, no neutral would have begrudged James Stephens victory – their work rate and hunger was slightly superior on the day.
However there was still time for one more major twist.
An Eoin Larkin free dropped short, and it was swiftly moved up the field under the new stand, by Mark Aylward, to the waiting Colin Fennelly. All in the crowd held their breath as Fennelly put his head down like any good forward and invited the free.
Sure enough, it was given. On a wet and windy day, it was certainly no gimmie.
It looked like the ref said something to Shefflin; one can only assume he was told he would have to score directly. Luckily for the Shamrocks, there is no better man in the country to take a pressure free.
Despite two Village men charging him down, he bisected the posts to get the Shamrocks out of jail.
The Village will feel aggrieved by some of the decisions that did not go their way. The Shamrocks, on the other hand, will know they got out of jail. They have ridden their luck a couple of times this year – that in itself suggests that their name might be on the cup.
Hopefully, next Sunday will be more conducive to good hurling, and it is noticeable that the County Board has appointed a very experienced referee in Eamon Mansfield.
Minor final
The minors of Thomastown and Bennettsbridge must return to Nowlan Park after their game also finished all square. This was a ding-dong battle from start to finish.
Both sides had late opportunities to win, but at the end of the day, I think the fairest result was a draw.
