Semi-Final
Report by: Alan Walsh
FITNESS, better shooting and a cracking Aidan Franks goal two minutes from the fulltime whistle proved decisive as Ballyskenach qualified for their first Intermediate hurling championship decider since 1979 by defeating Birr at Rath on Sunday last. Trailing 2-6 to 0-5 at the break, Ballyskenach outscored lethargic Birr by 1-9 to 0-2 as they produced a power packed second half display and exposed many brittle sectors in their opponents’ armoury.
Birr failed to score from play in the second half, and a team which fails to score from play over thirty minutes in any match doesn't deserve to win and rarely ever does so. Their forwards couldn't really be blamed for this scoring famine as the supply of ball pumped into to them was very poor indeed. Birr made no impression at midfield during the second half, while their half back line struggled and was quite porous.
Credit must go to Ballyskenach though. Last year's junior champions didn't panic when they fell behind by seven points to a late, and somewhat flukey first half goal. They didn't go for goals early on in the second half, and playing with the wind they patiently took their points in style. When the goal opportunity presented itself it was superbly executed by Aidan Franks.
It was only a matter of time before they notched a three pointer as the pressure on the Birr full back line was unbelievable during the 2nd half. Anytime they cleared the ball it returned to them like a boomerang such was Ballyskenach's dominace at midfield.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining game and it was played at a fast pace, a pace which Birr were unable to stick for the full sixty minutes.
In comparison, Ballyskenach got stronger as the game wore on and their desire to win was far greater than their opponents. As it transpired, Birr struggled in too many areas and if they could have used ten subs, they would have found somewhere to fit them all in.
Best Players
Ballyskenach were solid throught the field and possessed very few weak links, and if they do possess weak links, Birr certainly didn’t expose them. Full back John Kirwan looked dodgy early on, but improved as the game went on. Hannon and Ryan alongside him were tight marking throughout and didn’t give much space to the Birr forwards. Donal Franks was the star of their half back line and his brilliant equalising point from all of 80 years had as much to do with their victory as the winning goal had.
Cathal Murphy found it hard to come to terms with Birr centre forward Ronan Joyce, while a master stroke on the part of Ballyskenach trainer Paddy Kirwan was the switching of Tomas O'Toole from between the posts to the half back line with twelve minutes remaining. Although carrying an injury, O'Toole added real steel to their defence and ensured no ball got inside to the Birr full forward line. Eugene Kirwan and Ollie Ryan controlled midfield in the second half, while upfront, John Dooley, Aidan Franks and Noel Murphy were the most impressive. Murphy gave Frankie Pilkington a proverbial roasting.
Birr had very few commendable performers. Full back Ray Kelly and John Kirwan alongside him were solid enough without ever being dominant. Tony Murphy turned in a fine second half performance and but for his tireless work on the right side of defence Birr could have been in serious trouble as Darren Hanniffy in the corner behind him was struggling. A lot more was expected of Frankie Pilkington and Barry Whelehan, but they failed to deliver the goods.
The Birr partnership of Louis Vaughan and Ollie Nolan were outclassed at midfield in the second half. Both players were prominent in the o pening twenty minutes, but after that they slowly faded from the picture. Ronan Joyce worked very hard at centre forward and scored two fine points. Gary Hanniffy looked dangerous early on when operating from the full forward berth, but when switched to the half forward line his contribution as just a little better than nil. Only for his first half scores Birr wouldn’t have been at the races. There was little Hennessy, Hogan and Spillane could do in their full forward line as they were starved of possession in the second half. The could have done better in the opening moiety.
Explosive Start
The match got off to a fairly explosive start and within four minutes Birr burst into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead. Gary Hanniffy knocked over a point in the very first minute. Within seconds he set up Brian Hogan for a smashing goal. John Dooley replied with a pointed '65 for Ballyskenach, and further points from Hanniffy and Hogan kept Birr well in front. They didn't score again until the 21st minute as Ballyskenach slowly played themselves back into contention.
By the 13th minute ‘Skenach had reduced the gap to two points, as Padraig McLoughlin, Peter Murphy and John Dooley (free) all found the target. Three points in as many minutes from Kenneth Spillane and Ronan Joyce (2) helped Birr to a 1-6 to 0-4 lead by the 24th minute. A minute before the break Darren Hanniffy gave away a clumsy free and Ballyskenach's John Dooley made no mistake from the placed ball.
Birr finished the half on a high note when Gary Hanniffy robbed Donal Franks, it was the Ballyskenach man's only mistake of the day, and soloed down the left wing before guiding a dipping shot to the top corner of the net. It seemed as though Hanniffy was looking for a point, but his shot was hit such power that it dipped perfectly. Half time; Birr 2-6; Ballyskenach 0-5.
Three minutes into the second half Hanniffy converted a free and Birr were eight points ahead. Their lead was quickly reduced to four points as John Dooley (2) Noel Murphy and Ollie Ryan bisected the uprights. In the 45th minute Cathal Murphy was penalised for overcarrying and Gary Hanniffy was on target from the resulting free. That was Birr's last hurrah and they failed to score afterwards.
Ballyskenach dominated the closing fifteen minutes. John Dooley punished Birr's poor discipline in defence as he converted three frees in succession and a point from Aidan Franks left them trailing by a point 0-13 to 2-8. Three minutes from full time, Donal Franks provided Ballyskenach with the inspiration they so badly required, as he scored a superb point from all of eighty yards to tie the match. A minute later a ball played inside by John Dooley reached Aidan Franks and he got by his marker before slamming home a goal which gave Brian Mullins no chance, and sealed victory for Ballyskenach.
The final between ‘Skenach and Killeigh/Raheen will be a very interesting affair. Both teams are very fit. Killeigh/Raheen would be a little superior to Ballyskenach in terms of physical fitness, but the latter would probably possess more hurling skill and ability. It is a difficult match to predict and should be a cracker.
Scorers: Ballyskenach John Dooley (0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ’65), Aidan Franks
(1-1), Donal Franks, Ollie Ryan, Noel Murphy, Peter Murphy and Padraig McLoughlin
(0-1 each).
Birr: Gary Hanniffy (1-4, 0-2 frees), Brian Hogan (1-1), Ronan Joyce (0-2)
and Kenneth Spillane (0-1).
BALLYSKENACH: Tomas O'Toole; Eugene Hannon, John Kirwan, Michael Ryan; Liam O'Toole, Cathal Murphy, Donal Franks; Eugene Kirwan, Ollie Ryan; John Dooley, Noel Murphy, Peter Murphy; Aidan Franks, Philip McLoughlin, Padraig McLoughlin. Sub.: Bill Lalor for Philip McLoughlin, inj., (48 mins).
BIRR: Brian Mullins; Darren Hanniffy, Ray Kelly, John Kirwan; Tony Murphy, Frankie Pilkington, Barry Whelehan; Louis Vaughan, Ollie Nolan; Garrett Doorley, Ronan Joyce, Brian Hogan; Alan Hennessy, Gary Hanniffy, Kenneth Spillane, Subs.: Declan Brady for Darren Hanniffy, (44 mins), and Shane Walsh for Garrett Doorley, (49 mins).
REFEREE: Simon McGlynn, Edenderry.