Fine Fethard run halted
Graigue-Ballycallan rampant after dismissals
GRAIGUE-B’CALLAN FETHARD 2-22 1-11
FETHARD’S QUEST for a second successive Leinster hurling title came to an emphatic end in O’Kennedy Park, New Ross, on Saturday, but one was left with the distinct impression that this defeat was only a temporary blip rather than the end of their incredible journey.
Given the age profile of their squad, they will embrace the challenge that Senior status will bring with considerable relish, and I don’t think we’ve seen or heard the last from the seasiders.
However, on this occasion they were a clear second best to a well-balanced Graigue-Ballycallan team from Kilkenny in this AIB Leinster Club Intermediate championship semi-final, although the end result does scant justice to their efforts for three-quarters of the contest.
An early Mikie Dwyer goal had kept them in the hunt despite playing second fiddle for most of the first-half, and they trailed by 0-11 to 1-3 at the break.
And that five-point gap still existed when a flashpoint midway through the third quarter saw both teams reduced to 14 men.
Dwyer’s initial challenge on a defender led to a straight red card, and a similar fate befell Graigue-Ballycallan’s ex-Kilkenny stalwart James Ryall for his reaction.
Initially, Fethard responded best to the dismissals, as Mark Wallace pointed a free after a foul on Joe Sutton before Garrett Foley reduced the arrears to three just before the game moved into its final quarter.
Graigue-Ballycallan had a twoman full-forward line at that stage, comprising the wily Eddie Brennan and Seán Ryan, and the lights went out on Fethard’s challenge when both men pounced for goals in a devastating 60-second period.
Reliable free-taker Conor Murphy had made it 0-15 to 1-8 before current Kilkenny Senior Billy Ryan – an ace up Brian Cody’s sleeve during the summer – soloed in from the left and picked out Brennan who showed that he hasn’t lost the lethal finishing ability that made him one of the best forwards in Ireland at his peak.
Fethard were still reeling from that blow when Aaron Brennan lofted a high ball towards the posts, and Seán Ryan beat advancing netminder Kieran Furlong to the first flick before directing it into an empty net (2-15 to 1-8).
There was no chance of a revival from St. Mogue’s at that stage, and they would have conceded another goal were it not for a fine stop by Furlong when he turned a low drive by Aaron Brennan over the bar in the 58th minute.
Richard Waters and Garrett Foley (two) did manage to get consolation points, but Graigue-Ballycallan ended with a double scores victory after Conor Murphy (three, two frees), Eddie Brennan, Aaron Brennan and Billy Ryan all picked off late scores.
The visitors, who will now take on Portlaoise in the final, were stacked with well-known names on and off the field.
While the likes of Eddie Brennan, James Ryall and Billy Ryan were doing the business inside the white lines, their mentors included one of Kilkenny’s unsung heroes of the recent past, John Hoyne, as well as Tipperary football All Star Declan Browne from the Moyle Rovers club.
Such a long time on the road eventually caught up with Fethard because, apart from the suspended Ciarán Dwyer, they were also without Seán Foley, Bryan Power, Darren Foley and Adam Swan owing to injury.
Martin Power couldn’t resume for the second-half to add to their woes, while Eddie Power and Jimmy Sutton were among the walking wounded too as they gingerly made their way off the field.
Fethard didn’t help themselves in the first-half by conceding so many frees within scoring distance, because Graigue-Ballycallan’s Conor Murphy was in excellent form from placed balls.
He converted nine and two ’65s in total, with an overall strike rate of eleven from 13 attempts on an afternoon when the victors only struck three wides in all, and none after the break.
Murphy also hit one late point from play to bring his overall tally to twelve, but it should be pointed out that inaccuracy wasn’t an issue for Fethard either, as their own wides count of five was quite low too.
Murphy had registered early on from a free and ’65 before the Wexford champions received a huge lift in the fourth minute.
A high ball into the goalmouth by Garrett Foley broke into the path of Mikie Dwyer, and he cleverly flicked to the net from close range to give his side a 1-0 to 0-2 lead.
Seán Ryan levelled for the visitors in a game played on a perfect sod for the time of year, and Murphy then knocked over two more frees before Mark Wallace responded from a crossfield Dwyer pass (0-5 to 1-1).
Wallace levelled from a free, but Fethard only added one more point before half-time when the same player punished a foul on Dwyer in the 22nd minute.
Although Eddie Brennan was a peripheral figure in the first-half at centre-forward, Graigue-Ballycallan still carried a superior collective threat in their attack as that 0-11 to 1-3 lead was built up with further points from Conor Murphy (four), Billy Ryan and Seán O’Dwyer.
The teams shared six points in a lively first six minutes when play resumed, with Jimmy Sutton, Mikie Dwyer and Mark Wallace (free) on target for Fethard while Aaron Brennan (two) and Seán Ryan hit back.
Kieran Furlong had also saved a goalbound flick from Eddie Brennan in that period, but the game took on a different complexion after those dismissals and Fethard faded swiftly off the radar.
Fethard: Kieran Furlong; Martin Power, Kevin Rowe, Daniel Mullan; Rúairí Tubrid, Daire Barden, Richard Waters (0-1); Joe Sutton, Garrett Foley (joint capt., 0-3); John Tubritt, Mark Wallace (0-5, 4 frees), Graham O’Grady (joint capt.); Jimmy Sutton (0-1), Mikie Dwyer (1-1), Eddie Power. Subs. - Jesse Foley for M. Power, inj. (HT), Brian Dillon for Jimmy Sutton, inj. (54), James Dillon for E. Power, inj. (60), Shane Tubrid for Joe Sutton (60).
Graigue-Ballycallan: Ciarán Hoyne; Darragh Egan (capt.), Bob Murphy, Tommy Ronan; Conor Flynn, Eamon Egan, James Ryall; Shane Butler, Jesse Roberts; Aaron Brennan (0-4), Eddie Brennan (1-1), Billy Ryan (0-2); Seán Ryan (1-2), Seán O’Dwyer (0-1), Conor Murphy (0-12, 9 frees, 2 ’65s). Subs. - Killian Egan for Butler (51), Richard Keoghan for Roberts (57), Vinnie Teehan for O’Dwyer (59), Willie O’Connor for E. Brennan (59), Dara Walton for C. Murphy (60+1).
Referee: Seán Stack (Dublin).