Shefflin’s first taste of victory as the boss
THE legend of Henry Shefflin grows ever greater as he secured his first title as a manager by guiding Ballyhale Shamrocks to victory over Bennettsbridge.
Kilkenny’s 10-time All Ireland winner still had some reason to quibble, though, as their opponents put in a strong second half performance and at one stage cut the arrears to 2-15 to 2-12, but Shamrocks hit the gas again and roared on to victory.
‘The same happened last week in the semi-final, so we were very gung-ho about starting well today. That’s probably what got us over the line,’ insisted Shefflin, who played on the team 12 months ago.
Shamrocks, led by the dazzling T.J. Reid, ripped into the opposition from the start and once they took the lead they never relinquished it.
With Reid contributing 1-4, they galloped eight points clear within seven minutes of the start (1-5 to no score) and there was no way back from that point.
The ‘Bridge opened their account through free taker Nicky Cleere, but they were always under pressure. When Shamrocks struck a second goal from Eoin Cody (2-7 to 0-5) they were really motoring and fears of a wipe out could not be discounted.
At half-time Shamrocks led by 2-12 to 0-8.
The title definitely looked to be slipping away from Bennettsbridge when young Brian Cody shot a 36th minute point to push Shamrocks a handsome 2-14 to 19 clear.
That was only minutes after Brian Lannon had scored a goal for Bennettsbridge to bring them back within touching distance of the opposition. However, the ‘Bridge recovered and powered on.
They out-scored the Shamrocks by 1-3 to 0-1 during the following six minutes with Lannon shooting a second goal. Suddenly the contest was wide open again.
The divide was down to 2-15 to 2-12 but Shamrocks never lost a step. A top class, pressure-relieving point from Ronan Corcoran helped them through their most difficult period of the match.
When Eoin Reid took a lovely pass from his brother T.J. to shoot a point and widen the gap to 2-17 to 2-12 heading towards the closing 10 minutes, the Shamrocks’ 16th championship win looked a sure thing.
Bennettsbridge chased hard to the finish, but they never looked like saving the game and adding to their last Championship success which was way back in 1971.
‘T.J. (Reid) and Michael (Fennelly) were phenomenal again, but they need the young blood beside them,’ Shefflin added.
‘That’s what the young lads have given them this year. Look, it’s been a steep learning curve and you learn more every day. I’m delighted.
‘It’s my own club and my own parish, and that’s what I want to be involved with.’
During his victory speech, team captain Michael Fennelly dedicated the win to young Eoin Doyle, who was killed in a road accident during the year.
‘He would have been here. He would have been spoken a lot about all year. He was an inspiring force for us all,’ Shefflin revealed.
Star man, T.J. Reid said the Sharmocks had to battle all the way, but reckoned the team and panel had more to give and it could only get better.
‘The average age of the team is in the early 20s, so this was a huge win for us,’ the former Hurler of the Year explained.
‘A lot of these players won an Under-21 Championship last season and are only learning.
‘To win a senior Championship so early is huge, and I think they can go on to bigger and better things. We look forward to having a go in the Leinster Club Championship now.”
Reid and club colleague Joey Holden will be heading to Australia shortly as part of the Kilkenny squad that won the National Hurling League earlier in the year.
The travelling party is not due back until the day before that engagement against Naomh Eanna (Wexford) or Camross (Laois), but the players are exploring the possibility of cutting short the trip.