Ballinora 3-10, Shamrocks 1-11 AET
Ballinora hosted this very enjoyable hurling final last Sunday. Shamrocks had beaten the hosts earlier in the regular season and knew that the home team had revenge on their minds.
Nevertheless, we started well and had a couple of points on the board which settled us. The home side came into the game as the half wore on and it was tit-for-tat on the score board up to half-time.
H-Tscore – 4 points each.
The second half took the pattern of the first half and scores were scarce. We felt that a goal was going to settle the game and when a rather fortuitous goal was scored by he home side, things did not look good for us.
However, showing composure way beyond their years, our lads took the game by the scruff of the neck and with the last puck of normal time leveled the match.
Extra time – 10 minutes each way – beckoned and we felt that the impetus was with us as we had finished strong in normal time. The first half of ET was nip and tuck. Ballinora scored another fortuitous goal and this gave them a huge boost. They followed this with a point and now we were really struggling. The second half of ET began and again our fellas rallied but found scoring difficult. We conceded a third goal but replied with one of our own immediately. The game finished with Shamrocks on the attack which says everything about the character of this team.
To be fair, Ballinora were better than us on the day but there is very little between these two magnificent teams. The Shield was presented to the winning Ballinora captain by the Chairman of the East Board, Liam Shanahan (a proud Shamrock!). Liam commented very positively on the quality and standard of hurling by both teams.
Our hurling season is now over and has been very enjoyable. Whilst we would have loved to have won it out, it was not to be. Progress has been made and we now need to build on this. Huge shout out for the players who have been fantastic! Thank you to our supporters who have travelled the highways and byways during the year and have been 100% behind us all the way.
Panel: Sam Foy, Kieran May, Aiden Brady, Eoin O’Flynn, Dara McCormick, Michael Foy, Robert Barrett, Aaron Clarke, Zach Coughlan, Josh Bartlett, Ferdia Hayes, Conor Coleman, Nigel O’Sullivan-Kearney, Barry O’Mahony, Cian Lynch, Euan Clarke, Shane O’Mahony, Harry O’Leary
