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Tedcastle Oils’ Roinn B Final
Ballyhale 5-13 Thomastown 4-9
Ballyhale and Thomastown served up an absoloute thriller of a game in the last final of the current school year. This was one of the best finals seen in Kilkenny in recent years and both sides are to be commended for providing a wonderful game . 31 scores in 50 minutes tells you something about the exciting spectacle but there were more than scores to keep the crowd entertained. There were spectacular saves, goal line clearances, hooking and blocking of a very high standard. This game had everything you would want to see in hurling. Both goalkeepers, Conor Reid from Ballyhale and especially Adam Power from Thomastown were absoloutely brilliant and deserve the highest praise for their performances. Although the final margin of seven points would suggest a comfortable victory for Ballyhale, this was not the case and the issue was in doubt right up to the final minutes.
Both sides went about their business right from the start and by the seventh minute they were level. Ballyhale’s four points coming from Joseph Cuddihy (3) and Darren Mullen (1), while Thomastown’s scores came from Dylan Caulfield’s goal and a point from John Donnelly. While Thomastown were doing most of the attacking at this stage, the Ballyhale boys were making better use of their possession and by the end of the first half they led by 3-6 to Thomastown’s 1-6. Two goals just before the break from Joseph Cuddihy and Andrew Moran gave them a six point lead which was to prove crucial.
The second half was barely a minute old when Rory Monks goaled for Thomastown after Conor Reid had saved a shot from Dylan Caulfield. Ballyhale responded with a point from Adrian Mullen. Within a few minutes Thomastown scored a great goal when Dylan Caulfield grabbed a high delivery from Paul Burke Kelly and buried the sliotar in the net. There was now just a point separating the sides and the excitement in the stands was at fever pitch. Adrian Mullen then struck a lovely point for Ballyhale and Thomastown replied with an excellent point from Rory Monks. A minute later Adam Power made a brilliant save from a shot from Joseph Cuddihy at the expense of a ’65 which was pointed by Adrian Mullen. John Donnelly pointed from a free to leave just a point separating the sides. The scores were coming fast and furious now and two excellent points from the Mullen brothers, Adrian and Darren edged Ballyhale three points ahead. Thomastown were not giving in and Rory Monks gathered the sliotar and headed for the Ballyhale goal. He found Dylan Caulfield and the full forward buried the sliotar to level the game 4-8 to 3-11. It was wonderful stuff and the crowd erupted. Ballyhale again went on the attack and Thomastown goalie Adam Power brought off a spectacular double save to deny them. However five minutes from the end Joseph Cuddilhy unleashed an unstoppable shot to the net to put Ballyhale ahead again. Kevin Fennelly shot another point for Ballyhale but back came Thomastown again and a piledriver from Dylan Caulfield went barely over the crossbar. Thomastown had fought a brave fight and never threw in the towel but Ballyhale had the final say with a goal from Joseph Cuddihy and a point from Evan Shefflin finally putting the title beyond doubt. What a game we had witnessed, tremendous displays from both sides, with every player giving his all for the cause. For Ballyhale it represented a notable double having won the Corn de Bhaldraithe title the previous week. Thomastown can take a lot of pride from their performance and they contributed handsomely to a wonderful game of hurling.
Bal lyhale: Conor Reid (C.), Enda Kenneally, Patrick Doyle, John Hession, Eoin Walsh, Darren Mullen, Paul Holden, Adrian Mullen, Dylan Aylward, Evan Shefflin, Joseph Cuddihy, Eoin Kenneally, Eoin Cody, Andrew Moran, Kevin Fennelly, Adam Brenner, Patrick Hearne, Darragh Corcoran, Keelan O’Donoghue, Ronan Hayes, Billy Moran, Jason Devereux, Christopher Coady, Conor Doyle, John Shortall, Dean Mason, James Reid.,
Thomastown: Adam Power, Edward O’Keefe, Brian Hanrahan, Cathal O’Neill, Jack Delahunty, Paul Burke Kelly (C.), Ned Kirwan, Brian Staunton, Sean Roche, Eamon Forristal, John Donnelly, Rory Monks, Frank Carroll, Dylan Caulfield, David Barron, Shane Butler, Kevin Kanopka, Callum Taylor, Ivan Waugh, Tom Lawlor, Cian Kelly, Edward O’Hanrahan, Luke Gibbons, Brendan Fitzpatrick, Conor McDermott, David Griffin, Michael Murphy, David Walsh, Philip Somers.
Referee: Sean Cleere (O Loughlin Gaels)
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