Shamrocks Ballyhale 3-21; Mullinavat 4-10
John Power at Ballyhale GAA Grounds.
Shamrocks Ballyhale made the ideal start to their JJ Kavanagh Junior A Hurling Championship campaign on Friday evening, overcoming near neighbours Mullinavat by eight points in a lively Round One encounter played in sweltering conditions at Ballyhale. With temperatures remaining high well into the evening, water breaks were required, but Shamrocks never allowed the heat to affect their sharp start as they burst from the blocks to leave Mullinavat chasing the game from the opening whistle.
The home side were simply electric in the opening eight minutes, firing over five unanswered points before Michael Barron struck for the first goal of the evening. John Fitzpatrick, Eoin Reid, Barron (two) and Luke Donnelly all found the target as Shamrocks moved the ball with pace and precision, while Mullinavat struggled to get to grips with the intensity of the Ballyhale attack.
Trailing 1-5 to 0-0, Mullinavat badly needed a response, and they got exactly that through Padraic Gahan. One of their standout performers throughout the hour, Gahan found the net to finally get the visitors up and running before CJ Fitzpatrick added a pointed free. By the end of the opening quarter, Shamrocks’ lead had been cut to 1-5 to 1-1.
Although Mullinavat had settled, Shamrocks continued to hold the upper hand. Their experienced players controlled possession and ensured they remained comfortably in front. Scores continued to arrive from play before John Fitzpatrick struck for Ballyhale’s second goal on 29 minutes, giving his side a deserved cushion approaching half-time. At the interval, Shamrocks led 2-9 to 1-4 and looked well in control after producing a polished opening 30 minutes.
They appeared to have one hand on the result early in the second half when Luke Donnelly and Michael Barron added quick points to stretch the lead to ten. At that stage, the contest looked as though it might drift away from Mullinavat. However, to their credit, the ‘Vegas’ men refused to throw in the towel. Driven by Gahan and with greater urgency all over the field, Mullinavat produced their best spell of the evening. Jack Byrne Doyle and Jack Walsh both found the Shamrocks net as the visitors suddenly began to believe they could rescue something from the contest.
The Ballyhale lead, once ten points, had been trimmed to just three by the end of the third quarter, with the scoreboard reading 2-14 to 3-8. For a spell, all the momentum belonged to Mullinavat as they piled on the pressure and forced Shamrocks onto the back foot.
Good teams, though, know when to respond, and Shamrocks did exactly that. After weathering the storm, they regained control during the closing quarter through the leadership of their experienced players. The crucial score arrived in the 46th minute when a mishit Conor Walsh free broke kindly inside the Mullinavat defence and Eoin Reid reacted quickest to finish the ball to the net, restoring a healthy advantage and taking the sting out of the Mullinavat revival.
The visitors continued to battle right until the finish and claimed a fourth goal in unusual fashion when Simon Aylward’s late free from around midfield travelled all the way to the Shamrocks net. It was an excellent strike, but it proved little more than consolation as Ballyhale comfortably saw out the remaining minutes.
Shamrocks always looked the more composed side and their blend of youth and experience proved decisive. Brian Butler marshalled matters impressively, while Eoin Reid delivered another influential display, capped by his well-taken goal. Michael Barron was a constant scoring threat throughout, John Fitzpatrick contributed important scores including a goal, and Luke Donnelly’s work rate and accuracy were central to the Ballyhale performance.
For Mullinavat, Padraic Gahan was outstanding and never stopped driving his side forward. Eoin Dempsey also impressed with his work rate, while CJ Fitzpatrick contributed valuable scores from placed balls and Patrick Walshe battled hard throughout.
Ultimately, Mullinavat paid a heavy price for their sluggish opening. While they produced a spirited fightback and briefly threatened to turn the contest into a dramatic finish, Shamrocks always looked to have another gear in reserve. Their clinical opening, combined with timely scores whenever the visitors threatened, ensured the Ballyhale side opened their championship campaign with a deserved victory and two valuable points.
SCORERS: SHAMROCKS Eoin Reid 1-7 (0-5 frees), Michael Barron (1-4), John Fitzpatrick (1-2), Luke Donnelly (0-3), Conor Walsh (0-3), Chris Coady (0-1). MULLINAVAT CJ Fitzpatrick (0-5, 0-3 frees), Simon Aylward (1-1, frees), Padraic Gahan (1-1), Jack Byrne Doyle (1-0), Jack Walsh (1-0), Eoin Dempsey (0-2), Patrick Walshe (0-1).
SHAMROCKS
Patrick Hearne, Michael Kenneally junior, Cian Cullen, Brian Butler, Larry Cody, Conor Phelan, Gavin Butler, Dylan Aylward, Chris Coady, Luke Donnelly, Conor Walsh, Tom Cleere, Eoin Reid, John Fitzpatrick, Michael Barron. Substitutes: Jack Holden for Tom Cleere, Liam Fitzpatrick, Sean O’Mahoney for Cian Cullen, Mark Phelan for Larry Cody.
MULLINAVAT
James O’Keeffe, Michael Walsh, David Maher, Ian Mansfield, Darragh Davis, Simon Aylward, Donnacha Walsh, Eoin Dempsey, Patrick Walshe, Conor Duggan, Padraic Gahan, CJ Fitzpatrick, Conor Power, Fiachra Knox, Jack Byrne Doyle. Substitutes: Jack Walsh for David Maher, Stephen O’Shea for Fiachra Knox, Martin Davis for Jack Byrne Doyle.
Referee: Patrick O’Reilly.
