Spain shines in 3-point semi win
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Semi-Final
Kilkenny 2-18 Waterford 2-21
Chadwicks Wexford Park
Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford)
Kilkenny bowed out of this seasons All—Ireland Minor Hurling championship following a great battle with Waterford in Chadwicks Wexford Park. Just three points separated the sides at the long whistle as the Deise qualified for their first decider at this grade since 2013. After 60 odd minutes of pulsating action on Slaneyside, James O’Connor’s team emerged victorious and will now meet Clare in the final after the Banner edged out Cork in FBD Semple Stadium.
Niall Bergin’s boys got off to a flyer at the home of Wexford hurling when John Lockes Ollie O’Donovan popped a clever pass to the on-running Cian Byrne who accelerated past the surprised defence before shortening his grip and batting the sliotar past Ballygunner’s James Comerford in the Waterford goal. The Noresiders built on the early major with a free from Jake Mullen in the second minute, after Eoin Brennan was fouled. The Deise got the scoreboard moving from the restart thanks to a nice effort from De La Salle’s Shane Power. They reduced the Cats lead to two points on four minutes courtesy of a fine strike from Erins Own’s Jamie Shanahan. O’Loughlin Gaels Cian Byrne then notched a point from play a couple of minutes later before Shamrocks Ballyhale’s Jake Mullen popped over his second placed ball of the evening to push his side four ahead.
Waterford then strung a few scores together, starting with centre back Hugo Quann who rifled over from about’65 out having taken a pass from Jamie Shanahan. Roanmore’s Dylan Murphy then split the Kilkenny posts on 12 minutes, and this was period of scoring dominance was added to by Shane Power’s second of the evening. The Cats then broke this scoring streak with a cracking effort from Ollie O’Donovan. The pacey attacker left Darragh Murphy in his wake close to the sideline before racing forward and pointing from a tight angle. Gearoid O’Shea then sent over a great score, the lanky St Mollerans midfielder would add a couple more to rubber stamp an impressive display in the engine room.
Then came the first of Waterford’s two majors with eighteen minutes played in the semi-final encounter. Jake O’Doherty’s restart was plucked out of the air brilliantly by Tommy Kennedy who strode forward before flicking a pass to the supporting Gearoid O’Shea who powered upfield and gave a pass across towards Cormac Spain. The Ballygunner dangerman just drew his hurl back and rifled the ball past the Mooncoin netminder, much to the delight of the Deise supporters. Kilkenny hit back with a point on 23 minutes, when after applying pressure to the opposition defence the ball fell to Conor Holohan and the O’Loughlin’s player sent over a nice score from out on the left to leave his side just one point in arrears.
Former Shamrocks Ballyhale manager James O’Connor was covering every inch along the sideline, encouraging his charges to keep the tempo up and his side must have listed as they registered another three scores without reply. A brace of points from top scorer Spain and a second of the game from Erins Own’s Shanahan saw the Deise pull four points clear with 29 minutes played. The final score of an exciting opening period came from a Jake Mullen placed ball effort to leave the young Cats three behind at the break.
Niall Bergin would no doubt have wanted his side to repeat their fast start of the opening half and that’s exactly what they did when play resumed in Chadwicks Wexford Park. Midfielder Brian Hickey showed some lovely stickwork and pace to get away from his man before firing over straight from the restart. Not to be outdone by his midfield partner, James Stephens clubman Diarmuid Behan pointed from close to the ‘65; before Jake Mullen added to his tally with another placed ball effort to level matters after Shane Power had been adjudged to have over carried. Some great battling from full-forward Conor Holohan created a chance for Eoin Brennan which he duly took to edge Kilkenny back into the lead. The Erins Own star then struck over an absolute beauty from way out the pitch to give the Marble City side a two-point lead with 34 minutes on the clock.
Another of the Kilkenny Erins Own contingent, Josh Dowling then saw yellow for a over-zealous challenge on Cormac Spain, who after a little medical assistance opened his sides account for the second half from the resulting free. From the restart some nice play involving Kevin Buggy and Ben Nevin saw the ball worked to Ollie O’Donovan and the diminutive forward spun and fired over from out on the right for a quality score. Waterford Keeper James Comerford then mishit a free which PJ Mackey collected before passing to the hard-working Kevin Buggy, who split the posts from midfield for a classy score and leave his side 3 ahead. Waterford then hit another of their purple patches which saw them not only claw back the deficit but assume control of the last four clash.
De La Salle’s Shane Power struck a pair of lovely scores while Deise midfielders Gearoid O’Shea and Eanna McHugh tagged on quality points to leave James O’Connor’s outfit up by one point after 42 minutes. The next score was a big one in more ways than one. Mount Sion’s Bradley Penkert played a diagonal ball towards his forward line which found Cormac Spain. The Ballygunner forward picked up possession and raced clear of Emeralds Darragh Hickey before striking a bullet of a shot across Jake O’Doherty in the Kilkenny goal, a seriously good finish from a seriously good player. Waterford now led by four as the game approached its final quarter. The Village’s Diarmuid Behan became the second player in stripes to see yellow which allowed Spain to add to his personal tally from the free awarded. The Kilkenny management then made a change with Adam Maher replacing his O’Loughlin’s clubmate and goal scorer, Cian Byrne.
Two of Waterford’s most impressive players, Cormac Spain and Gearoid O’Shea then fired over points to increase the gap to seven points as the encounter entered the final ten minutes of action. Jake Mullen got a much-needed score for Niall Bergin’s side, but again Spain did likewise for the Deise. The youngest of Clan Mullen tagged on another placed ball effort but Roanmore’s Caoilinn Reville sent over a sweet score to restore his sides 7-point lead. Kilkenny were pushing, looking for a way back into the game and registered a fine point from Kevin Buggy after Waterford netminder Comerford had denied Diarmuid Behan. The Cats did make the Waterford supporters in attendance a little nervous when they took the next score, a second major for the black and amber. Sean Hanrahan, who had just entered the fray in place of Jake Mullen, battled well to win the ball before passing to Adam Maher, who steadied himself before striking past James Comerford. The gap was down to three points with just under 4 minutes of additional time remaining. From the puck out, the Cats won possession and O’Loughlin Gael’s Maher popped a pass to clubmate Conor Holohan who split the posts from out on the left. Deise nerves were settled when from the restart the ball was worked to Jamie Shanahan who pointed to restore the 3-point cushion and notch the last score of a superb contest. Heartbreak for Bergin’s boys. Final Score, Kilkenny 2-18, Waterford 2-21.
KILKENNY: J O’Doherty; O Henderson, L Phelan, D Hickey; B Nevin, J Dowling, PJ Mackey; D Behan (0-1), B Hickey (0-1); K Buggy (0-3), O O’Donovan (0-2), J Mullen (0-6, frees); E Brennan (0-2); C Holahan (0-2), C Byrne (1-1)
Subs: A Maher (1-0) for Byrne (45); K Barcoe for Brian Hickey (54); S Hanrahan for J Mullen (60)
WATERFORD: J Comerford; C Lynch, D Murphy, D Keane; B Penkert, H Quann (0-1), T Kennedy; E McHugh (0-1), G O’Shea (0-3); P Quann, J Power (0-1), S Power (0-4); D Murphy (0-1), C Spain (2-6, 5fs), J Shanahan (0-3)
Subs: C Reville (0-1) for Penkert (56)
Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford)
>>Sherry Says…
So, our Minor’s season comes to an end at the All-Ireland semi-final stage. A gallant performance from Niall Bergin’s boys on Slaneyside, but a stronger Waterford team probably just about deserved their 3-point victory. In Cormac Spain they have a rising star, another Ballygunner player who will undoubtably have a big future in the game. Alongside Spain, Gearoid O’Shea, Shane Power and Hugo Quann were impressive.
Enough about the opposition. There are plenty of reasons to be hopeful for Kilkenny hurling when you see the skill and desire of this group. Ollie O’Donovan is a quality box of tricks while Jake Mullen looks like another off the Shamrocks Ballyhale conveyor belt. Erin’s Own duo Kevin Buggy and the hugely talented Eoin Brennan are developing nicely and will offer plenty in the black and amber going forward. At the back, captain Larry Phelan looks every inch a full back that will develop over the next few years.
This setback will hurt the lads, but they will learn from games like this. There is no reason to doubt that this group will push on and develop both physically through S&C and mentally given the good work going on in Kilkenny at underage level.
Well done lads, chin up and keep pushing.
