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27 October 2011
Football glory for two Western neighbours
They have been celebrating big time these past few days on both sides of the Causeway Bridge that divides Dungarvan and Abbeyside with the thrilling victories of the Blues and Ballinacourty in the county intermediate and senior football finals respectively.
The incessant rain and the winds that blew near gale force couldn’t deny ‘Courty their hour of glory at Fraher Field on Sunday afternoon when the heroes in green and white edged out hat trick chasing Stradbally by a solitary point, 0-6 to 0-5. Sweet, sweet, revenge for their heart wrenching defeat by the same opposition in last year’s decider when the margin was again just that tantalising single point.
It could have gone either way last Sunday, and in the tension charged final minute or so both Shane Lannon and Shane Ahearne failed to convert decent enough chances that would have forced this final to a replay. But over the entirety of the hour(plus) no one could argue about the justice of the result, with ’Courty richly deserving of their fifth title win.
Such was the ferocity of the wind that swept downfield into the “coun-try’’ goal that neither side managed to raise a solitary flag when playing into the elements. When, I wonder, did that last happen in a county final?
‘Courty had first use of those elements, and their 0-6 to 0-0 half time lead was good without being great. Still a whole lot to be played for when battle resumed on the resumption. This time it was Stradbally dominating the territorial possession, but a magnificent ‘Courty defensive phalanx stood utterly defiant, and with midfielders Shane Briggs (Man of the Match) and the skipper Sean O’Hare lending valuable backup along even with some of the forwards the Stradbally attackers just couldn’t do enough to save the day and their title.
All credit however to both sides for overcoming the horrendous conditions in the way that they did and contributing in equal measure to what was a tense and thoroughly enjoyable county final.
Stradbally made the bravest of brave defences of their title in pursuit of a hat trick and an incredible eight championship crown in what has been a phenomenal decade for the Coveside club. But over the entirety of last Sunday’s game the honours went where they ever so richly deserved to go, and in lifting the coveted title for a fifth time and the first since 2007 the Deise has the worthiest of champions.
DUNGARVAN RETURN TO TOP FLGHT Saturday evening’s intermediate final never turned out to be the nail biter most people expected it to be, with Dungarvan in the ascendancy for most of the way and ending up deserving 1-7 to 0-3 victors against a John Mitchels side that was simply incapable of converting decent chances into scores.
Eleven first half wides was the single most damning feature of Mitchels play in that opening moiety at the end of which Dungarvan led by 0-5 to 0-2. Seamas Cunning-ham’s goal within five minutes of the restart put the Blues even more firmly in the driving seat and it was a veritable cruise for them to hour’s end with the losers managing just a solitary second half point from a Michael Downey free in the 54th minute.
A sound and solid Dungarvan dis-play with full back Derek Barry a deserving winner of the “man of the match’’ accolade. The club’s return to senior ranks in 2012 will be welcomed countywide.
For Mitchels, alas, it was a night under the Fraher Field floodlights that is best forgotten. Successive county final defeats at this level has to be a hard body blow to take.
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