1998 Kilkenny Senior County Hurling Final скачать в хорошем качестве

1998 Kilkenny Senior County Hurling Final

Champs – 100% Proof By John Knox Cool, cool, cool – that’s the only way to describe Graigue-Ballycallan’s achievement in winning Sunday’s senior hurling championship final in Nowlan Park. Not only had they to be innovative, brave and bold in this encounter, they also had to be very, very cool under pressure as they strained every nerve and sinew to defy the raging title hunger of Fenians (Johnstown) and bring the prized Tom Walsh Cup to their parish for the first time. The new champs had to be innovative in the way they made the ball do the work, in the way they used the full width of the pitch, in the way they brought the running game to a new level in Kilkenny hurling. They had to be brave in the way they refused to be intimidated by a physically stronger side, in the way they refused to be knocked out of their stride even when the odd thing went wrong, and in the way they strode on to victory with style stamped all over their every move. They had to be cool because they had to believe in themselves, had to trust totally in their hurling, had to have the nerve to keep hitting the ball into the right places and into the right hands, and had to have the patience to wait for the breaks that had to come sooner or later. Superb spirit Graigue-Ballycallan’s superb spirit was another vital ingredient in this marvellous success. They chased and harried and hooked and blocked and hassled and harried some more as they refused to allow the opposition time or space to get their hurling flowing. The Fenians battled with all their might, but Graigue-Ballycallan’s greater hurling skill, their superior fitness and their magnificent teamwork saw them through. Silly foul And yet John Joe Young could so easily have gone home a haunted man after Sunday’s final had Brian Cody’s men ended up losers. In the 22nd minute of the first half he committed what must rank as one of the silliest fouls ever seen in a county final. A harmless enough ball was dropping in front of his own goal when he blatantly pushed an opponent in the back. A free in followed and Fenians full-forward Pat O’Neill lashed the ball to the net to put his side four points clear, 1–4 to 0–3. It was a mistake that could have been fatal, but in the end it was forgotten in the glory of victory as Young and his colleagues made history. United “They really had it all together on the day,” a happy and excited Graigue-Ballycallan supporter commented afterwards. “There was great unity among the players, great understanding and great determination. It was a great team effort.” There was a great sense of pride in the parish on Sunday night as the celebrations continued long into the small hours. Deadly finishing Early in the second half Graigue-Ballycallan produced the deadly finishing that finally broke the Fenians’ resistance. After only three minutes they struck for their first goal. Eddie Sheehan took a pass from Paul Dwyer and raced through before blasting a terrific shot to the net. Six minutes later they had the ball in the net again and this time it was Joe Reidy who did the damage. Many Walsh hoisted two points near the end and then Brendan Ryan landed a mighty score from out near the sideline to complete the scoring. Final score: Graigue-Ballycallan 2–13, Fenians (Johnstown) 1–9. Goal out of the blue vital for new champs The vital goal of the hour just before half time was the one that helped swing this gripping county senior hurling final against Graigue-Ballycallan and in favour of the new champions, Graigue-Ballycallan. It came as a huge shock to the losers and it gave the winners the kind of lift that every team dreams about.