By Jimmy Walsh
This JJ Kavanagh and Sons Premier Junior Hurling 2nd round championship tie had everything any spectator wanted – commitment, skill, great scores, goals-ten of them, penalties, extra time, and until two minutes to go, to the final, final whistle, no easily predictable result as a possible decision by penalties loomed.
Played in perfect conditions in front of a large crowd on a lovely warm, sunny day at the ever-expanding and facilities-improving Shamrocks grounds in Ballyhale, it saw Graiguenamanagh hit the jackpot and a quarterfinal place with two late goals after a memorable game that gave them a somewhat flattering 6-22 to 4-19 win.
With recent championship and league wins shared, and both sides showing a combined seven changes since the league tie in Tullougher, the game opened in whirlwind fashion with five scores in three minutes. Billy Power put Windgap ahead before Michael Bolger replied from the puckout. James Power responded before Ted Dunne rounded the Windgap defence 1-1 to 0-2. After the sides shared four points through Stephen Kinsella, Cian O’Shes, Pat Grace, and Billy Power, Billy and Conor Doyle tied the score at Windgap 0-6, Graig 1-3. Two Stephen Kinsella point frees had the Barrowsiders back in front before Pat Grace and Padhraic Foley tied the game 1-5 to 0-8. After a free flowing move, Billy Power restored Windgap’s first-minute lead at the end of the first quarter 1-6 to 0-8, as his side got a good run and saw their accuracy level drop as they recorded six wides and the unerring Graiguenamanagh side hit three points on the trot to lead by 1-9 to 0-9 at the break.
The resumption saw Billy Power hit a brace, with assists from the industrious Killian Enright and Pat Grace, reduce the lead to a single point before Pierce Blanchfield got one back, 1-10 to 0-11. In a game of turns, a sweeping move inside the twenty-metre line saw Jack Doyle, Adam O’Shea, and Jack again set James Power up for a Windgap goal, 1-11 to 1-10 after thirty-three minutes. In the thrilling and competitive, end-to-end fare, the next twenty minutes saw Graiguenamanagh slowly add four points on the trot and then another three through five players Richard Foley and Stephen Kinsella a brace apiece, Séan Hamilton, Ted Dunne and Michael Bolger as a Billy Power free interrupted them with a free to see them lead by 1-18 to 1-12.
The icing appeared to be on their cake when Séan Kinsella stepped up to take a penalty, his rocket cannoned off the foot of Eoin O’Shea’s post, a resultant point was missed, and a Windgap transformation began. It saw them hit 2-4 to 1-0 in the final eight minutes of the game to bring the game to an exciting 3-15 to 2-18 draw. It arrived after Jack Doyle finished a line ball to the net, two fine James Power points followed to leave a point in it, 1-18 to 2-14. Then substitute Séan Hamilton raised a green flag for Graig, 2-18 to 2-14, and it looked all over. Then another turn saw Séan Purcell bury a free past a seven-man defence on the Graig goal line, and then deliver a long handball pass that won Billy Power a free. It was pointed and resulted in a drawn game in a welter of excitement on the final whistle, 3-15 to 2-18.
Extra time saw Windgap start with a whirlwind and three points on the trot by Jack Doyle, James Power, and a long Séan Purcell free, and had two half chances only to see Graiguenamangh through a Ted Dunne goal level it at 3-18 apiece. Windgap then went a goal ahead after Jack Doye finished a Pat Power, and corner back Séan Foley move to the net. At the other end, Graig got the numerical advantage of the three extra time goals scored before the break as Michael Bolger tied the game once again at 4-18 at the end of the first period of extra time.
On the resumption, it was the Graigue men who struck three points on the trot before Windgap had it back to two points through a Billy Power free. With tiring bodies and the subs bench’s being used, an all-out attack mode by Windgap saw two counterattack Graigue goals in a minute, through a Jack Hickey penalty and a Michael Bolger goal swinging the advantage away from Windgap for a deserved victory after a classic with a slightly flipside on the play, 6-22 to 4-19, win for the Barrowsiders when the accomplished referee Michael O’Sullivan called time.
The quality of the fare, saw spectators destined for other venues stay to see it out as news of the titanic battle was spread live on Clubber and CRKC Radio and even brought a positive nod on Mondays RTE’s Liveline programme.
The sides were Gráig na Manach; Colin Bolger, Owen O’Brien, Ivan Bolger, Dylan Cahill, Joe Dowling, Richard Foley 1-2, 1-0 penalty, 0-2 frees, James Meaney, Sean Walsh, Cian O’Shea 0-1, Pierce Blanchfield 0-2, Jack Ryan, Steven Kinsella 0-11, 0-8 frees, Seamus Kavanagh, Ted Dunne 2-2, Michael Bolger 2-3, 0-1 free. Subs: Ivan Bolger, Séan Hamilton1-1, Thomas Ryan, Nicky Ryan,
Bearna na Gaoithe; Eoin O’Shea, Peter Landy, Willie Phelan, Sean Foley, Pat Power, Séan Purcell 1-1, 1-1 frees, Darragh O’Shea, Killian Enright 0-1, Pat Grace 0-1, Billy Power 0-9, 0-5 frees, James Power 1-4, Jack Doyle 2-1, Conor Doyle 0-1 Adam O’Shea, Padraic Foley 0-1, Subs; Michael Power, Sean Barron, Séan Power, Zak Kennedy.
An réiteoir Michael O’Sullivan.
