An entertaining game in horrible conditions.
Cental Carlow Under 16 Hurling Division 2 final
Ballinkillen 3-13, Mount Leinster Rangers 2-3
By Leo McGough
’Never saw that before’ was a category the ‘Irish Examiner’ included in their match-analysis a few years ago, a category that often left the reporter plucking at straws as it was rare enough something happened that you had not witnessed before.
No such problem with the Carlow Under 16 Hurling Division 2 final for in almost six decades of watching matches and 50 years on the reporting circuit, I don’t believe I have ever seen a scoring sequence as that that occurred in rain-soaked, wind-lashed Netwatch Cullen Park on Thursday evening.
With 18 minutes played the sides were tied at 1-3 apiece, the Rangers Adam Joyce just having pointed a close range free. Fast forward to the 13th minute of the second half, the scoreboard now reads 2-12 to 1-3 in Ballinkillen’s favour, the new champions having added 1-9 without reply. Nothing new there, teams often get on a roll but the ‘never saw that before’ factor here was that all 1-9 was accumulated by just one player, Ballinkillen No 11 Thomas Sheehan. Yes, 10 scores in a row from the No 11 and as the Rangers last score before Sheehan’s salvo and the first score after were both procured by Adam Joyce that means 12 scores in a row had come from the sticks of No 11!
The Ballinkillen No 11 began his 1-9-on-the-bounce when Thomas Sheehan converted a 21st minute ’65’, he converted a 20m free a minute later and then in the 27th minute after the Rangers goalkeeper Jack Ivers had made a great save and a defender took took the rebound off the line, the subsequent short clearance was met by a first-time Sheehan strike which came to a halt in the back of the Rangers net.
1-6 to 1-3 at half-time, Ballinkillen, now assisted by the considerable wind, took complete control and pitting finish on that control was Thomas Sheehan who posted seven success second half points, setting the white flag flying in the 32nd, 35th, 37th, 39th, 41st, 42nd and 43rd minutes, three of them marvellous scores from the play, bringing his personal tally to a magnificent 1-12. 1-5 from play, the last of his points from play after a rampaging run by their No 9 which brings us to another influential figure, Zach O’Hara.
Wearing No 9 but fielding at full-forward Zach provided his side with a real cutting edge close to goal and with his side trailing 1-1 to 0-3 (the Rangers goal coming from when am 8th minute 60m line-ball skidded on the wet surface before crossing the line) O’Hara in the 15th minute gained possession, turned his man, made strong run down the centre and with goalkeeper advancing cleverly batted the ball to the Deerpark end rigging. Zach scored his second goal, the closing score of the game, in the 57th minute, a sharp finish from close range.
Apart from Sheehan and O’Hara and their third scorer impressive captain AJ Cooney who trumped a industrious performance with a fine point late on, Ballinkillen, well coached by Johnny Ryan, Jimmy Salter, Michael Doyle, Frankie O’Hara and Colm Corcoran, fielded a hard working team with Jayden Tracey and Billy Komsoulas anchoring a solid defence that held the opposing forewarn scoreless from play.
Great credit is due to Mount Leinster Rangers for consistently reaching juvenile finals with their second team and on this occasion the Ballymurphy, Borris, Rathanna club had a real star in agile goalkeeper Jack Ivers who made a couple of great saves, his second half stop as good as was seen in the County Grounds this year. Others of note for the vanquished were Daragh Coleman, Eric Condron and Adam Joyce, top scorer with 2-2 from placed balls.
Kudus too to referee Billy Fanning for sensible refereeing on a difficult night for hurling.
Ballinkillen: Jason Salter; Kian Minchin, Jayden Tracey, Jack Barrett; Tadgh Doyle, Billy Konsoulas, Fionn Corcoran; AJ Dooley 0-1, Ben Kelly; Jim Hughes, Thomas Sheehan 1-12 0-7f, Jack Murphy, Callum Jordan, Zach O’Hara 2-0, Eoghan Murphy. Subs: Finn Lawler for C Jordan (h-t), Noah Murphy for E Murphy (40), Aaron O’Brien for J Hughes (49), Joey Byrne for Also: Ben Maher, Louis Hughes
Mount Leinster Rangers: Jack Ivers; Sean O’Brien, Conor Hickey, PJ Doyle; Noel Jordan 0-1, Darragh Coleman, Patrick O’Brien; Eoin Condron, Adam Joyce 2-2 1-2f, 1-0 l-b Evan Savage Kelly, Michael Murphy, Dara Coady; Joe Walsh, James Flood, James Dalton. Subs: Jake Fitzpatrick for S O’Brien, Joey White for M Murphy, David Cass for Walsh. Aaron Doye for Jordan Also: Darragh O’Brien, Conor Walsh, Tom Kehoe, Ruairi Murphy, Shane Jordan,
Referee: Billy Fanning
