LAST WEEKEND started for me, or at least it was supposed to, with the County Intermediate Hurling Final between St Mollerans and Ring in Fraher Field on Saturday last.
From early morning this game was in serious doubt due to the prevailing weather conditions and indeed it was very surprising that referee Vinny O’Toole ever started this match.
After ten minutes of the game it was obvious to everyone in the crowd that this game would never finish and it was a great surprise that it ever made it to the quarter of an hour mark before the game was rightly halted.
In those 15 minutes it is fair to say that St Mollerans did impress when you consider that they were playing into the severe elements and still managed to hold Ring scoreless. This was evident in their reaction when the game was abandoned but for any neutral in the crowd, the only logical decision was to halt the day’s play.
Leaving Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon it was hard to see the following day’s county senior final going ahead but thankfully the pitch was up to it on Sunday and it went ahead before a large attendance.
Travelling to Sunday’s game I found it difficult to split the two teams as these two sides have more or less grown up together and there has never been much between them.
These have been two of the best underage clubs in Waterford over the past decade dividing out minor and U-21 county titles during that period, which goes to show that the way to success for any club is organising well and working hard at underage level.
To the match itself - the conditions dictated that this was always going to be low scoring encounter and so it proved.
On such a day the toss was always going to be instrumental and Abbeyside, having won the toss, decided to play against the elements. However, they’re failure to score for the opening 28 minutes left them with a huge mountain to climb.
I did feel after the toss that if De La Salle had a six or seven point lead at half-time that they’d be well on their way to victory.
In the second-half, when De La Salle needed their big men to stand up, none shone brighter than Kevin Moran and Bryan Phelan who were superb throughout, joined by Mullane and Nevin especially in the first half.
Over the full hour of hurling De La Salle proved to be the better side and again Abbeyside’s first half failings cost them in the end.
Having been at dozens of county finals over the years, great credit must be given to John Mullane for the content and delivery of his captain’s acceptance speech. He rightly paid tribute to the history of the club and some great present and past club people who all contributed to this momentous day for the club as well as being very gracious to the defeated Abbeyside team.
Sunday next will be another massive day for De La Salle as they go out to represent in the Munster Club Championship against Sarsfields of Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and if they can get over their exertions of Sunday last and this week, they will enjoy the underdogs tag and maybe there is another chapter in this fairytale season.
THE FUTURE
Last weekend’s happenings in Dungarvan gave further proof, as if it was needed, that we must hasten the day that the Waterford county board move to a sand based, floodlit, state of the art stadium at Carriganard in conjunction with WIT.
COUNTY SELECTORS
Following last Monday night’s county board meeting all management teams for next season’s Waterford teams (including myself with the U-21s) are now in place.
In spite of the rules applied by Croke Park as to restrictions on when teams can now start training - at least people are in place to plan for a proper assault on the season ahead.
PAUL FLYNN
The other big Waterford GAA story over the last week was the inter-county retirement of Paul Flynn. On his senior debut in 1992 Flynner scored 3-6 and every day he played for Waterford, over the following 16 seasons, he was capable of doing the same. When Paul Flynn was in the Waterford team you always felt that we were in with a chance as he could get a goal out of nowhere - the best example of this being his wonder goal from that free against Cork in the 2004 Munster Final.
Paul has been involved with the County U-21 team in recent years and it would be great to see him back on the sideline with some county team in the near future and not spend all of his time on the golf course.
P.S: I attended Kilrossanty’s reunion for their five county senior and one county U-21 winning football teams from the 1980’s at Crottys in Leamybrien on Friday night last and I must compliment all involved on a fabulous night. Presentations were made to all players and mentors involved in these teams and a great night was had by all.
