Saint Mary’s and Ballyduff Lower all set for County Final Clash

The first of the big Adult hurling county finals takes place this Saturday afternoon when Ballyduff Lower and Saint Mary’s clash in the Junior Final at Fraher Field.

This promises to be an entertaining game between two sides with a nice mix of youth and experience.

Both sides have slipped back from the levels they were at a few years back, but would appear to be on the right road to getting back to where they were.

It is not so long ago that the newly crowned Eastern Champions were playing in the senior championship.

However, after a number of well-known players decided to move clubs things began to slip somewhat.

However, some of their better known players notably Jack Kennedy and John O’Leary returned to the club and this year are a stronger outfit as a result.

In their 1-20 to 0-9 victory over Ballydurn last Saturday, Jack Kennedy was their star player hitting 1-7 for his side, 1-6 of which came from play.

Brian Power at centre field also impressed hitting 0-8, all but two of which came from placed balls.

Along with Jack Kennedy at centre forward, Paul Kennedy at wing back will count amongst the sides most experienced players.

They also have some up and coming players in Calum Lyons at centre back while in attack Dylan Reade and Cormac Dunphy will play either side of Jack Kennedy while Jack Lyons will also be a threat on the edge of the Saint Mary’s square.

Reaching this stage of the competition is nothing new to the Touraneena side.

Just twelve months ago they made the journey to Walsh Park to play Fenor in the County Final.

On the day, in what was of the more lively games played in 2015 they were the better team for much of the game but in the end Fenor finished the stronger of the two sides hitting some late scores to secure victory.

Much of the side that contested the final twelve months ago for Saint Mary’s will be in action again this weekend.

But they will have to plan without Kevin Sheehan who was sent off late on in their recent Western Final win over Tourin at Walsh Park.

Like Ballyduff Lower the Touraneena men have a nice blend of youth and experience.

John Patrick Fitzpatrick is likely to be the oldest player selected. He was a member of the Waterford minor team that contested the All-Ireland Final against Galway in 1992 and went on to play a number of times at senior level for the county in the years that followed.

Younger brother Aidan who came on for Kieran Barron for the last twelve minutes of last year’s final is a regular in the team this year in his familiar number 13 shirt and has hit some vital scores for the side this year including in the Western Final win over Tourin.

Their first cousin Sean whose father Declan played for the county in the late 1970’s and early 80’s is at full back while Denis Coffey who played for the county when Justin McCarthy was in charge is the sides centre back.

The youth in the side is provided by the Tobin brother Tom and Conor at Corner back and older brother Dermot at wing back. Owen Barron has impressed in the other wing back position while brother Eoin and Mike Kearns are vital in attack as will Jason Sheehan.

Brendan McGourty has joined the panel this year and has helped strengthen the side.

This is a game that could well prove to be an evenly matched affair.

Both sides going into the game will believe that they can win.

Ballyduff Lower having played senior in recent years and having had the chance to play more competitive championship games this year and with big wins over Tramore (2-24 to 0-5) in the Eastern Semi Final and Ballydurn (1-20 to 0-9) in the Eastern Final will mean that they will go into the game as favourites.

Saint Mary’s on the other hand were made work hard to beat Abbeyside (2-14 to 1-13) in the Western Semi-final and then against Tourin (2-18 to 1-17) in the western final.

Sometimes having to work hard outweighs having an easy victory and helps build up fighting spirit in a team.

Many might make Ballyduff Lower favourites for this game, but the hunger that Saint Mary’s have to make up for last year’s disappointment could well stand to them.

Sliabh gCua Lotto reaches €1700.

There was no winner of the jackpot in the Sliabh gCua Weekly Lotto on Sunday evening last. The numbers drawn were 6 – 15 – 21. The jackpot this Sunday is €1,700 and the drawing of the numbers will take place at Hanrahan’s Bar. The €20 winners on Sunday last were Danny Thompson, Tom Condon, Mike Sheehan, J.P. Walsh and Thomas Keane. The €20 promoters prize was won by Tom Gleeson.

In supporting the Sliabh gCua Weekly Lotto you are supporting the Sliabh gCua Community Centre and the Sliabh gCua/Saint Mary’s G.A.A. Club. Tickets cost €2 and can be got from Committee members of both groups as well as at Dunne’s and Hanrahan’s Bar, Johnny McGrath’s Shop at Beary’s Cross and from Nuala in the Post Office.

Captain Eoin Points the Way for Saint Mary’s.

Saint Mary’s retained the Western Junior hurling Championship on Sunday afternoon last when they overcame the challenge of Tourin at Fraher Field.

When the sides met in the 1977 final at the same level, it was the side in red and white that emerged winners by a small margin and this game between arguably the best two sides in this division in 2016 was expected to be just as tight.

Such expectations proved correct as the game went right to the wire. With a few minutes to go it looked as if the game could well need a second outing between the two sides to find a winner to see who will play Ballydurn or Ballyduff Lower at the same venue in a few weeks’ time in the county final.

But in the closing minutes after having numbers cut to fourteen after Kevin Sheehan was ordered off on a straight red card, it was Saint Mary’s that showed the greater hunger.

It was the local side that got off to the best start in this game as Eoin Kearns who once again had a fine game her, playing the Captain’s roll as it should be that got the score board ticking over with a brace of points both from frees inside three minutes of the game starting.

Darragh Wilkinson who proved to be Tourin’s top scorer on the day opened his sides account with a pointed free, which was followed with a similar score from Eoin Kearns on nine minutes.

Sean Meaney and Kevin Sheehan swapped scores by the eleventh minute and at the half way point in the opening half Saint Mary’s stole a march on the side relegated from the Intermediate grade last year when an effort from Jason Sheehan out near the sideline appeared to have gone all the way to the net, and when Eoin Kearns followed up with another pointed free to give Saint Mary’s a 1-5 to 0-2 lead, things were looking good for the reigning champion.

However it was Tourin that finished the half the stronger of the two sides, as they restricted Saint Mary’s to just two points.

Points from Darragh Wilkinson and Sean Meaney made it a four point game and when Darragh Wilkinson put over another free on twenty two minutes the games only goal to this point is what separated the sides.

Eoin Kearns and Darragh Wilkinson traded scores to keep just three between the sides with four minutes of the half remaining, after which Niall Fives, Darragh Wilkinson and David O’Brien all landed points to draw the sides level.

On the half hour mark Eoin Kearns once more edged Saint Mary’s in front with another free, but the sides would go to the dressing rooms all square when David O’Brien landed a point in first half stoppage time.

Saint Mary’s as they did in the opening half began the second half the stronger of the two sides.

Eoin Kearns and Darragh Wilkinson traded early points after which Eoin from another free and Aidan Fitzpatrick split the posts to give Saint Mary’s a 1-10 to 0-11 lead with thirty five minutes played.

Tourin took the lead for the only time on thirty nine minutes when they rattled the Saint Mary’s net. From the back of the stand it looked as if Tom O’Brien was the player that got the final touch on the ball but those closer to the action claimed it was another player but were not certain.

The lead however was a short lived on as almost straight away Aidan Fitzpatrick finished to the net to give Saint Mary’s a 2-10 to 1-11 lead with nine minutes of the second half played.

Another brace of scores for Eoin Kearns followed after which Kieran Barron who came on at the break for Dean Cliffe  found the range to give Saint Mary’s a five point lead with the game now in its final quarter.

Tourin however would hit the next four scores in a three minute spell, Darragh Wilkinson putting over a brace and David O’Brien and Niall Fives hit one each to leave just one between the sides with nine minutes to go.

Saint Mary’s however stepped up a gear or two and hit the next five points in a row, Eoin Kearns putting over four, bringing his tally for the afternoon to fourteen and Brendan McGourty playing his first western final with the club also got on the score sheet.

In the middle of this run of scores Kevin Sheehan was ordered off by referee Timmy Organ, which will keep him out of the upcoming County Final.

Tourin hit the last two scores of the game through Jack Leahy and Darragh Wilkinson, to move to within four of Saint Mary’s who will know that things could have been even closer had John Patrick Fitzpatrick not made a very good save near the end to deflect the ball out for a ’65.

Saint Mary’s: John Patrick Fitzpatrick; Conor Tobin, Sean Fitzpatrick, Tom Tobin; Dermot Tobin, Denis Coffey, Owen Barron; Kevin Sheehan, Stephen Coffey; Brendan McGourty, Eoin Kearns, Dean Cliffe; Aidan Fitzpatrick, Mike Kearns, Jason Sheehan. Subs: Kieran Barron for Dean Cliffe, Jack Skehan for Stephen Coffey. Rest of the Panel: John Hallinan, Johnny Ahearne, John Queally, David Whelan, Jack Power, Daniel Flynn, Jonathan Carroll, Darragh Tobin, JJ Coffey.

Scorers: Eoin Kearns 0-14, Aidan Fitzpatrick 1-1, Jason Sheehan 1-0, Kevin Sheehan, Kieran Barron, Brendan McGourty 0-1 each.

Tourin: Colm Bennett; Brian Leahy, Daniel Leahy, Mark Landers; Brendan Scanlon, Shane Fives, Jack Leahy; Sean Meany, David Leahy; Sean Leahy, David O’Brien, Niall Fives; Darragh Wilkinson, Tom O’Brien, Daniel Dransfield. Subs: Owen Leahy for David Leahy, Daithi Wilkinson for Daniel Dransfield. Rest of the panel: Niall Leahy, Brian O’Donoghue, Donal McGrath, Kevin Leahy, Cathal Wilkinson, Lorcan Murphy, Peter O’Grady, Thomas McGrath, Darragh Fives, Mark McConnell, Ed Molumphy, Shane Dunne.

Scorers: Darragh Wilkinson 0-9, Tom O’Brien 1-0, David O’Brien 0-3, Sean Meaney, Niall Fives 0-2, Jack Leahy 0-1.

Referee: Timmy Organ (Abbeyside).

Set Club Cake Sale

The Sliabh gCua Set Club will hold a Cake Sale and Coffee Evening this Thursday evening (October 13) between 6pm and 8-30pm in the Sliabh gCua Community Centre. Your support on the evening would be appreciated.

Saint Mary’s contest Western Final this Sunday

Sunday is a big day for the Sliabh gCua/Saint Mary’s G.A.A. Club as they take on Tourin in the Western Junior Hurling Final at Fraher Field, the game having a 3pm throw in.

Both sides qualified for Sunday’s final after narrow wins over Abbeyside and Collagen in the semi-finals recently at the same venue.

Tourin were the first side to qualify for the final when they staged a late fight back to beat a fancied Collagen side 5-8 to 1-18.

On the night Tourin were first out of the traps as Jack Leahy hit 1-1 for them inside five minutes of the game starting. The side that played intermediate last year hit further goals through Tom O’Brien and Darragh Wilkinson in the first half but it was not enough to send them to the dressing rooms trailing 3-3 to 1-10 at the break.

Tourin failed to score in an 18-minute spell between the 40^th and 58^th minutes at which point they trailed 1-17 to 3-6 but in the two minutes of normal time that remained plus just over four added minutes they did enough to win the game as David O’Brien and Daniel Dransfield hit late goals to win the game.

Saint Mary’s in the second semi-final were always on top. Eoin Kearns put in a man of the match performance hitting 1-10 and also saved a late penalty to secure his sides passage to this Sunday’s final.

On the night Saint Mary’s had good performances from Kevin Sheehan, Jason Sheehan, Owen Barron, Denis Coffey and Sean Fitzpatrick and will feel that if they can repeat that sort of performance they can retain the title they won twelve months ago.

Going on their performances to Saint Mary’s will go into this weekend’s game with the favourites tag around their necks.

The side coached by Maurice Geary look to be well balanced, with a nice blend of youth and experience.

The neutrals will all agree that Saint Mary’s should be favourites, but Tourin will be doing their best to get back up to the intermediate ranks at the first time of asking.

Inter county players Shane and Darragh Fives are part of their set up and are quality players. Darragh played no part in their semi-final win because of injury and Shane left the field with an injury after just 18 minutes. At this point it remains to be seen what part they will play this weekend.

Another member of the Fives clan is Niall who is also a fine hurler and is likely to start for the side in red and white stripes in the middle of the field.

They also have quality players in Brendan Scanlon and Jack Leahy again members of families which have long links to the Tourin club while another family that with Tourin connections are the Wilkinson’s and who will be well represented on the day.

These two clubs contested the Western Final nearly four decades ago (1977).

On that day it was Tourin that won a close fought game 4-8 to 3-10.

Expect this weekend’s game to be as close, but let’s hope the final result will be in Saint Mary’s favour.

Badminton Club News

Badminton has started back in the Community Centre and a call out has been made to all players from times past in the area as well as any new people interested in getting involved to do so.

Training will take place on a Monday night in the community centre at 8pm and cost just €2 per night.

Juveniles from sixth class and upwards are invited to get involved and should get in contact with Regina Carroll on 087 2800724 for details of when coaching takes place.

The club are holding a table quiz at Harahan’s Bar on Friday November 11 and are asking for as much support as is possible on the night.

All-Ireland Champions visit Saint Mary’s Touraneena National School

Members of the Waterford All-Ireland under 21 winning team visited Saint Mary’s Touraneena National School during the week and were greater by pupils and staff. Members of the team also visited other local schools in the area this week.