South Tipp SH Championship
Swan waste too many chances
Ballingarry 2-17 Carrick Swan 2-12
The South Board got the results that they wanted over the weekend in their senior hurling championship. On Friday night Mullinahone lowered the colours of Killenaule in Clonmel and the following evening in Monroe, Ballingarry who stood on the brink of elimination fought back after a slow start to overcome Carrick Swan. These results set up a final round of the round robin in which any two of the four teams can qualify for the South Final. We could well be having a final day double bill in Clonmel on the weekend after the Munster Final.
Mullinahone set the trend in upsets on Friday evening, but when Swan led 0-9 to 0-6 after 24 minutes in Monroe, it looked as if the favourites were going to come through. This looked even more likely a minute later when Swan full back, Alan O’Sullivan made a great goal line save when his goalie Tom Kennedy appeared to be beaten. Swan never went on from this inspirational save and Ballingarry hit back with 3 points before half time.
Back to the beginning. Noel Cosgrove set the game in motion. Swan captain, Stephen Hahessy pointed in the second minute, but Ballingarry goalie, James Logue levelled from a long distance free in the next minute. Danny O’Hanlon gave Swan the lead in the 4th minute. A minute later Swan were awarded a penalty which James Logue saved brilliantly diving to his left at the expense of a 65. This was pointed by O’Hanlon. In sixth minute Dylan Walsh pointed a free when one of the Swan corner backs received a yellow card.
On 10 minutes, Walsh pointed his side level, but then Swan hit a purple patch, pointing in the 10th and 12th minutes with Damian McCarthy gaoling in the 14th minute. Philip Ivors replied with a point to which Dylan Walsh added 2 more. Swan came back with 4 points, 2 from Danny O’Hanlon and 2 from Aaron Dunne. This was the high point for Swan followed by O’Sullivan’s save. Then came Ballingarry’s reply as they hung in with points from Dylan Walsh, Philip Ivors and Ger Fennelly. This left the half time score Carrick Swan 1-9, Ballingarry 0-9.
With Swan having been wasteful in the first half, it seemed to many that they would get their act together and pull away in the second period. The early second half however, belonged to Ballingarry. Jack Fennelly pointed followed by a 65 from Adrian Cleere followed up by a goal from Gerry Fitzgerald on five minutes. This score saw Ballingarry into the lead. Within a minute Damian McCarthy (Pele like) goaled to restore the Swan lead. A point from Dylan Walsh who was proving to be a real thorn in Swan’s side and a Jack Fennelly minor restored the Ballingarry lead in seven minutes. Ian Ivors and Danny O’Hanlon exchanged points. The 13th minute of the game proved unlucky for two of the players and lucky for 26 more of them as a melee broke out in midfield in front of the dressing rooms. Referee Cosgrove dispatched one from each side to the sideline with straight reds. Tempers cooled thereafter.
Aaron Dunne pointed for Swan who again began to shoot wildly. They introduced Paul Diffley on 17 minutes and two points from frees from Dylan Walsh in the 18th and 20th minutes saw the game slipping away from Swan. In 22 minutes came the decisive score, a goal for Ballingarry. James Logue dropped a long distance free in towards the Swan square. It seemed to be tailing wide but it was touched into the net by man of the match Dylan Walsh. Swan were still hitting costly wides as they fought to come back. O’Hanlon pointed on 29 minutes to reduce the gap to four points but young Walsh who seemed to be unmarked had the final say when he pointed in added time. The game ended with the final score Ballingarry 2-17 Carrick Swan 2-12 win for the lads from Slieveardagh. which was a five point victory.
With each of the teams having played two games, the table now stands Mullinahone 3 points, Killenaule 2 points, Ballingarry 2 points and Carrick Swan 1 point. The final round of games is C J Kickhams v Ballingarry and Killenaule v Carrick Swan.
Teams
Ballingarry: James Logue, Thomas Donovan, Dickie Norton, John Edward Molloy Paul Butler, Ger Fennelly, Gerry Fitzgerald, Jack Fennelly, Ciaran Shelly, Richard Butler, Adrian Cleere, Ian Ivors, Eamon Tuohy, Trevor Ivors (capt), Dylan Walsh
Carrick Swan: Tom Kennedy, Gerry Walsh, Alan O’Sullivan, Darren Fahey, Colin Loughman, Colin Waters, Dale O’Hanlon, Gavin O’Halloran, Stephen Hahessy, (capt), Eric O’Halloran, Danny O’Hanlon, Lee Wall, James Waters, Damian McCarthy, Aaron Dunne
Referee: Noel Cosgrove (Marlfield)
Report supplied by Ricky Sheehan
