Lixnaw prove worthy kingpins

MAYBE it’s a final that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, but hopefully when followers of the code reflect they will see it as the coming of age of one of the best ever hurlers to grace the county championship stage here in Kerry.

Barely starting out on what looks like being a long and illustrious career, Shane Conway lived up to all of the pre match expectations and produced a performance which was rich in energy and expertise and was notable for his unerring accuracy from all angles and distances both from placed balls and open play in pressurised situations.

He has been doing it all year, but one almost inevitably judges a player’s credentials on his ability to deliver on the biggest stage of all. His brother Michael did just that as a teenager back in 1999 and last Sunday afternoon he was still to the forefront in this particular success and in the process collecting his fifth championship medal.

However, at this stage he was providing support for the supreme young talent that is Shane Conway. Not entirely a one man show, because given the scoring spread which Kilmoyley brought into the final the Lixnaw defence needed to form an integral part of Lixnaw’s match winning strategy.

In their semi-final win over Ballyduff four Kilmoyley forwards contributed fourteen points from play. Last Sunday just two of those players featured amongst the scorers with Maurice O’Connor scoring a second half goal and Joe McElligott a single point.

Individually and collectively Lixnaw were a rock solid rearguard unit. Time and space was at a premium, the tackling was intense with numbers almost always in support and, while it might be inappropriate to single out any one individual in terms of their defensive heroics, Michael Quilter was at times immense.

In the first half, in particular, they never allowed Kilmoyley to gain any foothold on proceedings and largely limited any real clear cut scoring chances. The conditions were a factor, obviously, even if in the minor game Abbeydorney profited more when they faced the elements in the second half.

Initially it looked as if Lixnaw would benefit from the strong breeze blowing into the Horan’s end of the ground, but Daniel Collins’ goal in the nineteenth minute wiped out their early advantage.

Certainly it looked at the time as if that particular score might have a significant bearing on the eventual outcome. However, John Griffin’s green flag just before the half-time break when Lixnaw capitalised on a defensive error afforded them a timely tonic at quite an opportune time, even if a four point interval lead

didn’t look at the time as if it might be sufficient.

For long periods of the second half Lixnaw stuck manfully to the task and were always able to respond whenever it looked as if Kilmoyley might overhaul their scoring advantage with Shane Conway converting some magnificent scores into the teeth of the breeze.

When Kilmoyley levelled matters with three minutes of normal time remaining it looked as if we were heading for a replay for the third successive year. However, just when the need was greatest up stepped the man of the match Shane Conway to nail what ultimately proved to be the match winning scores.

There was, however, one final twist in the tale with that penalty award thereby bringing the encounter to a dramatic conclusion. What transpired will be debated at length with varying opinions being expressed by the respective camps.

It must be said that the match referee Fergal Horgan, one of the game’s top officials performed extremely impressively throughout, and made a big and correct call with the penalty.

Martin Stackpoole’s brilliant save denied Kilmoyley of a last gasp winning goal, but confusion reigned in the aftermath. From my position the referee clearly indicated that the game was over when the save was effected.

His decision was clear cut and it seems correct having already allowed added time after the specified extra time had been played. One can relate to and appreciate the acute disapointment of losing a championship final in such circumstances.

Anybody who has played sport can recognise the associated heartbreak and frustrations in these situations. However, the reaction of a few was unacceptable and is sure to be addressed with the appropriate suspensions being handed out.

Indeed, similar to all such type scenarios, I think on reflection that all of those associated with Kilmoyley will agree that they had a gilt edged opportunity to secure the title and unfortunately for them they were denied by a super stop from a number one in every sense of the word.

Once again, Lixnaw have defied the odds, having bounced back to peak at the most defining period in the season. Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors, but manager Fergus Fitzmaurice and his management team certainly repaired the cracks and put a well oiled machine back on the road.

For the manager himself he has now completed a quite unique record having already captained the club to championship success in 2005. Speaking to him afterwards it’s not really about himself, his backroom team, or indeed the squad, but more about Lixnaw, the village, the community, the parish, the people who are the unsung heroes who contribute so much in terms of their support, energies and indeed, the contribution they make in monetary terms to bring about successes such as this. He has also been managing Finuge’s footballers and they will now turn their attentions, with so many of the hurlers on board to the upcoming North Kerry Championship.

However, October 28 is a date which has already been pencilled in, a day, when they will host the Tipperary champions in the quarter-final of the provincial campaign. For the moment however it’s time to relax, reflect and celebrate their ninth Championship title win.

Last season they were getting over the disappointment of losing a final in a replay to Ballyduff. It meant that the Boyle brothers were firmly in the limelight.

However, they have now been followed by the Conway brothers, who added to the household’s haul of championship medals with their father Johnny being a championship winner in 1983 and 1985.

It’s not really about himself, but more about Lixnaw, the village, the community, the parish