By John Knox
EXPERIENCE is an invaluable friend of any team, and so it proved when battle hardened James Stephens ground out a tough victory over a faster but less well travelled O'Loughlin/Gaels
in the opening senior hurling championship semi-final at Nowlan Park on Sunday.

In the end the outcome swung on the only goal of the game. It came in the 45th minute when two experienced campaigners, Peter Barry and Eoin Larkin combined for the latter to shoot the big score that took 'Stephens 1-12 to 0-11 clear. 
The finishing line was still a long way off.
There was still plenty of speed in the young O'Loughlin legs, and the spirit was good for the fight,
but they just couldn't rescue the match. Why? The reason was simple. 'Stephens had hold of the game, and they just weren't going to let go. The reflection of a simple yet crucial cameo highlighted the point. It was minutes after Larkin's goal and the losers were belting forward at a furious pace.
The 'Stephens corner-forward Matthew Ruth found himself labouring on his own '40'.
He knocked a vital ball away from O'Loughlin's danger man, Mark Bergin to the left of the country end goal. 
Ran, chased, tackled 
Seconds later the play switched to the far side of the field and to the shadow of the Old Stand. Eoin Larkin blocked down an attempted clearance by county colleague and O'Loughlin's powerhouse centre-back, Brian Hogan. That was typical James Stephens on the afternoon.

They ran, they chased, they tackled, they hooked, they blocked, and they closed down.
If the loss of Philip Larkin, Dermot Grogan and Eoin McCormack through injury stacked the odds against them, it didn't in any way diminish their spirits. 
They wanted to win, and they were prepared to labour for the cause. Jackie Tyrrell was the storm creating centre-back, good defending but even better driving forward and inspiring all around him. He represented the cement that stuck the defence together. Tomás Keogh and Donnacha Cody were his most powerful sidekicks. 
Further afield Richie Hayes worked himself into the ground for the sake of the team, and further forward again, Gary Whelan won vital ball at vital times, especially during the third quarter when 'Stephens needed someone to win their own puck-outs. Eoin Larkin looked hampered by the injury that has troubled him for ages when chasing the breaking ball, but when the team needed a steady hand on frees and a big score, he produced at the double. David Walton too was another who was a big performer. 

Thrilled 
"That was a game that took winning. I was thrilled with our approach and attitude," insisted 'Stephens manager, Paraic Fanning afterwards. "We are in the final, but getting there won't satisfy us. We want more." O'Loughlin's opened attacking the city end goal and they cut out the pace during most of the opening half.
The exchanges were cautious in the early stages, but O’Loughlin’s were by far the more forceful team. With ’Stephens posing little threat up front, the losers opened out a lead of 0-4 to 0-1
after 12 minutes thanks to scores from Maurice Nolan and Alan Geoghegan. 
When the winners had their second score in the 13th minute, a point from a free by David McCormack following a foul on Richie Hayes, they suddenly found a golden touch. Additional scores from McCormack, set-up at midfield by David Walton, and Martin Phelan, here again with an assist from Walton, levelled the scores at 0-4 each. Although O’Loughlin’s got back in front again, and were later hauled back to equal terms of 0-6 each, they still looked the team with the greater threat up front. They regained the lead in the 26th minute with a point from a 65 by Maurice Nolan. 
They inched further clear via an Alan Geoghegan score when the ball broke loose after a thunderous shoulder-to-shoulder clash between rival centre-backs, Tyrrell and Hogan. When half-time was reached O’Loughlin’s showed 0-9 to 0-7 in front after an impeccable 30 minutes of shooting. 
David McCormack (free) and Mark Bergin, a very good point from a bad angle on the left, traded points as the new half started with a bang. Richie Hayes then landed a top class point for ’Stephens from a sideline ball from 25-metres on the left. More with it The next score also fell to the winners, in this case to new free taker Eoin Larkin following a foul on Peter Barry, to level it at 0-10 each. Crucially, ’Stephens were more with it in an offensive sense. This was highlighted moments later when Gary Whelan brought a smashing save from O’Loughlin’s ‘keeper, Ollie Blanchfield.
This was the first time they had threatened the goal. There was an exchange of points during the minutes that followed before the James Stephens goal arrived. This was in the 48th minute. 
Gary Whelan got the ball in from way out the field. Peter Barry, with his back to the goal, transferred possession to Eoin Larkin charging forward on his left. From 12-metres or so Larkin rattled the net. The game was won and lost in that instant. This was a solid, brave effort from O’Loughlin’s that added to the promise shown in the previous win over Tullaroan. Experience more than scores divided the teams at the finish, despite the heroic efforts of Paul Kelly, Brian Hogan, Andy Kearns, an ever improving Mark Bergin, Maurice Nolan and Alan O’Brien. 
The teams 
James Stephens – F. Cantwell, T. Keogh, J. Moran, N. McQuillan, D. Cody, J. Tyrrell (capt),
S. Campion, R. Hayes, D. McCormack, G. Whelan, E. Larkin, P. Barry, M. Ruth, M. Phelan,
D. Walton. Subs – S. Brennan for Phelan; B. McEvoy for Barry. 

O’Loughlin/Gaels – O. Blanchfield, B. Kelly, A. Kearns, A. O’Brien, S. Dowling, B. Hogan, P. Kelly, M. Kelly, N. McEvoy, M. Nolan, M. Bergin, D. Loughnane, B. Dowling, A. Geoghegan, C. Bergin. Subs – P. Dowling for S. Dowling; S. Cummins for McEvoy; J. Comerford for Loughnane.
Referee – D. Connolly (Mooncoin).