It was tough, it was demanding but the Shamrocks complete the magical hat trick 

By John Knox
THE Shamrocks (Ballyhale) got to where they wanted to get in the end, but the journey was hard and tortuous and they hobbled more than sauntered over the winning line.Defiant James Stephens were true to their word. They had promised they wouldn't be put down easily in the Kilkenny senior hurling championship final at Nowlan Park on Sunday. In fact, the challengers went beyond that promise and shook the champions to the core. Yet the Shamrocks, for all their unease, all their problems, all their worries completed the hat trick of championship wins to stand proudly beside the one achieved by another generation of green and white clad heroes in 1978, 1979 and 1980. "We didn't expect anything easy and we didn't get it," admitted Shamrocks manager, Maurice Aylward afterwards. "A bit of serious history has been made now, so maybe we can get back to hurling without unreal expectations bearing down on us." With normal time virtually up, the Shamrocks were still struggling to complete the deal. Then the referee pulled up a James Stephens player for over carrying the ball when travelling towards the opposing goal. Henry Shefflin, wind assisted, shot a wonderful point from a free from all of 80-metres to finally secure victory. It was the 60th minute. With Shefflin's point added, the score was 2-10 to 0-12. Championship 2008 was decided. 

The best play 
As the game drifted into time added on Shamrocks midfielder, Michael Fennelly galloped up the field on a powerful solo run; beat four opponents; bounced the ball from stick to ground and rounding off the best individual piece of hurling of the day by shooting a point. Fennelly jumped in the air. Maurice Aylward jumped in the air. Their reactions all at once told a story of great joy and utter relief! James Stephens left the 'Park with regret and wonder. What if? What if? What if they had been bolder during the first half when wind assisted and not employed a 7-man defence as they did? It was during the employment of this gambit that they conceded two goals. What if they had been more fortunate with two handy enough frees that were missed during the third quarter? A brave effort that saw them restrict the vaunted Shamrocks attack to a mere four second half points left them with thoughts of what might have been. The early exchanges and Shamrocks crisp hurling suggested it was going to be a difficult afternoon for 'Stephens. While the losers opened the scoring with a very good point from a bad angle by David McCormack, they began to lose ground quickly enough. The challengers surprised, bearing in mind they were playing with the wind, by taking former county star, Peter Barry from the attack. They played him between the two lines of defence. 
Shamrocks made hay 
While Barry cleared a lot of ball, it came back at the double as Paul Shefflin and Padraig Holden, the alternating free man in the Shamrocks defence in appeared, picked up a lot of it.
The Shamrocks made hay as Aidan Cummins, Eamon Walsh, Bob Aylward and company dominated in defence. After the opening four scores were divided equally, the winners grabbed a goal. Patrick Reid darted in from the right corner at the city end. He topped his shot, but his brother Eoin picked up the loose ball and drilled it past helpless ’keeper, Francis Cantwell. The score was 1-2 to 0-2. By the end of the quarter an easy moving Eoin Reid already had 1-2 to his credit as Shamrocks showed 1-4 to 0-4 in front. Things were to get much better for them. Henry Shefflin boosted the advantage by pointing a free following a foul on T.J. Reid. Patrick Reid boosted it further again when he bagged a fine goal in the 22nd minute to leave the challengers
0-4 to 2-5 behind. That was as bad as it was to get for ’Stephens. They started the revival that was to last until the last minute with a point from Gary Whelan following a booted pass from Peter Barry. Shefflin posted a reply to that. Moments later the losers’ goalie, Francis Cantwell did very well to save from the ever dangerous Eoin Reid after a delightful cross from the left by Shefflin. There were only two more scores during the half, points for Eoin Larkin (free) and James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, which left the champions worthy leaders by 2-7 to 0-6 at the break. 

Tyrrell generated the power 
’Stephens reverted to the orthodox formation, and with Jackie Tyrrell taken from the right wing and placed at centre-back from the start of the second half there was a whole new power to their game. Tyrrell was the generator of much of that power with strong surges forward, and with all in the defence much surer about themselves, they faced down the champions. The second half was a real dogfight as ’Stephens chased redemption with a force we haven’t seen from them all season. Michael Fennelly was about the only Shamrocks player from midfield up who wasn’t thrown off by the sheer force and drive of the opposition. The losers opened the scoring with a point from Matthew Ruth following a long free from Tyrrell. In the 35th minute David Walton took a pass from Ruth before scoring and reducing the deficit to 0-8 to 2-7. Nine minutes had passed in the half before Shamrocks boosted their account with a score from T.J. Reid, made with the involvement of his brother and Shefflin. Both sides of that score the opposition missed frees. ’Stephens had their third point of the half in the 45th minute from David Walton after good approach work by Shane Campion and Eoin Larkin (2-8 to 0-9). When the challengers out-scored the champions 3 to 1 (Donnacha Cody 2 and Eoin Larkin against ‘Cha’) the temperature of the game, and their threat, were at their most serious. The score was 2-9 to 0-12. There were six minutes remaining. The initiative was very much with ’Stephens. James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick won a Shamrocks puck-out, but he shot wide. Eoin Reid did likewise moments later. 

Shamrocks looked edgy, very edgy. 
’Stephens continued to charge forward and play with the abandon of a team with nothing to lose. Full-back James Moran was even committed to attack, and he punched holes up front. The Shamrocks defence was manic, disorderly. 

Important body block 
On one occasion Eamon Walsh brought off an important body block when an attacker tried for a goal. On another occasion Paul Shefflin cleaned-up a deadly serious situation. As the clock ticked towards 60 minutes the referee ruled against a play that had been prevalent all round, all afternoon. That was over carrying of the ball. Shefflin turned the free into a point. Shamrocks were relieved to be home, very relieved. Hurling life goes on. Now the pursuit of glory in Leinster begins. Shamrocks play Laois champions, Rathdowney/Errill in the provincial club championship at Nowlan Park on Sunday. 

The teams 
Shamrocks – J. Connolly, P. Shefflin, E. Walsh, P. Holden, M. Dermody, A. Cummins, B. Aylward (Capt.),
J. ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, M. Fennelly, P. Reid, H. Shefflin, T.J. Reid, E. Reid, B. Costelloe, D. Hoyne.
Subs – M. Aylward for Costelloe; G. Fennelly for Dermody. 
James Stephens – F. Cantwell, T. Keogh, J. Moran, N. McQuillan, J. Tyrrell, D. Cody, S. Campion,
R. Hayes, D. McCormack, G. Whelan, E. Larkin, P. Barry, M. Ruth, P. Larkin, B. McEvoy.
Subs – D. Walton for McEvoy; J. Murray for Whelan; E. McCormack for Ruth. 
Referee – E. Mansfield (Cloneen/Railyard). Attendance – 8,000.
Ballyhale Shamrocks take Three in a row at Senior level

Team Captain is presented with the Tom Walsh Cup by
County Chairman Paul Kinsella and Teasie Brennan of St. Canices Credit Union.