Sweet 16 for Shamrocks
ANOTHER glory day for Ballyhale Shamrocks, but new manager Henry Shefflin was quick to bring context to an occasion when the memory of a departed colleague was uppermost in the minds of the squad and their supporters in a crowd of 9,145 at Nowlan Park.
Eoin Doyle, who tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident last April, would have been on the squad that brought the county title to Ballyhale for the 16th time (their first since 2014) and Shefflin readily acknowledged that his memory played a significant part in the build-up to the game.
“It was a big motivating factor, This week we didn’t speak about tactics or game plans or anything, we just spoke about bringing a bit of joy to that family and going out and expressing ourselves. We were all very conscious of it,” he said.
They also added awesome intent to the mix, especially in the first half when they preyed ruthlessly on Bennettsbridge’s lack of big day experience.
Chasing a first county title since 1971, Bennettsbridge were hit by an early white and green gale, which almost blew them into oblivion. They trailed by 1-3 to 0-0 after five minutes and by 1-5 to 0-0 after eight minutes as a rampant Ballyhale outmanoeuvred all them over the pitch.
TJ Reid, who finished on 1-10, scored 1-4 in that early blitz. He was one of several dominant figures, whose power left Bennettsbridge gasping for air.
They didn’t score for nine minutes, but once Nicky Cleere opened their account from a free they gradually stabilised and had cut the margin to five points heading into the second quarter.
It was no more than a temporary respite though, as a goal from Eoin Cody in the 16th minute resumed Ballyhale’s control, which, by half-time, had extended to 10 points (2-12 to 0-8). Bennettsbridge’s case looked well and truly tried but, to their great credit, they came up with fresh evidence in the second half, which Ballyhale found difficult to refute.
The fightback gathered real momentum in the 34th minute when Brian Lannon pounced for Bennettsbridge’s first goal and as it became increasingly obvious that there was profit to be had by launching aerial assaults in front of the Ballyhale goal,
the mood shifted.
Lannon struck for a second goal in the 42nd minute and when Enda Morrissey added two points, the deficit was down to three points at the three-quarter stage.
It was a testing time for Ballyhale and their response was exactly as you would expect from such a famed and successful club.
Captain Michael Fennelly thundered into the game at centre-back, imposing his massive presence on proceedings. He got in a whole series of blocks and tackles which stemmed the opposition’s flow while, at the other end, Ballyhale were able to rattle off vital points.
Colin Fennelly’s 58th-minute point took the lead out to six and they were still five clear early in stoppage time.
Bennettsbridge battled on and points by Jason and Nicky Cleere cut the margin back to a single score but that was as good as it got for them before referee, Paul Cahill blew the final whistle shortly afterwards, much to Ballyhale’s relief.
“I was feeling pretty good at halftime but not so much in the second-half, obviously. It was a lot tougher but our lads stood up when they had to. The spirit and heart they showed last Sunday (for the semi-final win over Erin’s Own) was there again,” said Shefflin.
So what changed in the second half?
“Bennettsbridge were always going to come back at us and have a good phase. We got a bit nervous and we went back into ourselves for a while. Bennettsbridge took full advantage and they really put it up to us,” Shefflin admitted.
Start
He explained that Ballyhale were determined to make a quick start which, as events turned out, almost certainly won the game for them.
They could never have expected to find scoring so easy in the early minutes but then Bennettsbridge looked very nervous, which probably contributed to their error rate.
They won the second half by 2-9 to 0-8, which will make their dismal first period so hard to take. They were way below the levels they had shown all season, a failing that was always going to be punished by such an efficient outfit as Ballyhale.
Ballyhale will now turn their attention to the Leinster championship (where they play Wexford’s Naomh Eanna or La Camross of Laois) on November 18 and given their record in that competition, there may be further success for Shefflin in his first year as manager.
“It has been a steep learning curve. And you’d certainly learn more on a day like this and a game like this ,” he said.