Ballingarry victory sets up county hurling final repeat of league final in Tipperary

Ballingarry 1-13 Golden/Kilfeacle 2-9

Ballingarry are through to the final of the FBD Insurance County Intermediate Hurling Championship following a Dylan Walsh-inspired semi-final victory over Golden Kilfeacle at a wind and rain-lashed Leahy Park, Cashel on Sunday.

The South champions staved off a spirited second half comeback by the West men, which just came up short at the finish.

Their ace marksman, Dylan Walsh, was the key man in attack as he hit all ten of their first half points, with five coming from open play. The Golden defence were under severe pressure during these opening thirty minutes, and especially during the second quarter, as Ballingarry came forward in waves, with Walsh invariably getting on the end of many of these attacks. Conor Vaughan put in a big shift around the middle third, while also tracking back to assist his defence.

They were far more physical than their lighter opponents and coped better throughout in the trying conditions. They also had the ability to push the lighter Golden side off the ball in the rucks.

Ballingarry set the tone early on and a good move set up by Walsh ended with a Ben Ivors strike that was finished to the net by full forward Paddy Burns. Golden had an early let-off when an Ivors shot was just wide of the mark.

Golden eventually opened their account through a Jack Leamy converted free after seven minutes and he was on hand to crash home a Ben Currivan pass five minutes later. Golden trailed by just two points at the quarter stage, but for the remainder of the opening half the game became the Dylan Walsh show, as he put in a massive performance while hitting seven unanswered points in that period, four from open play. Ballingarry were nine to the good at half time as they led 1-10 to 1-1.

Golden had the aid of the elements for the second half and hit two points within three minutes of the restart. A Ben Currivan goal after ten minutes left four between the sides but they were unable to make further inroads until late on, when a Jack Bergin point with six minutes of normal time remaining cut the deficit to the minimum.

Jack Leamy tied the game at sixty minutes but a Dylan Walsh converted free from forty metres in injury time got the South champions over the line for a place in the final, where they will play Moneygall in what will be a repeat of the Division 3 League final played earlier in the season.

Dylan Walsh opened the scoring after two minutes with a free. Then in a good attacking move, initiated by Walsh following a throw-in, he found Ben Ivors whose goal-bound strike was steered past Jack Currivan by Paddy Burns for an early Ballingarry goal.

Jack Leamy eventually got Golden moving with a point from a close-range free but Ballingarry came back on the double when Dylan Walsh hit two points, one from a placed ball. Golden were finding it hard to break down a solid Ballingarry defence, but Ben Currivan set up Jack Leamy for a goal after twelve minutes to leave just two between the sides.

After this lift, the Golden resistance fizzled out and it was all Ballingarry for the second quarter, or should I say all Dylan Walsh as he staged a one-man blitz on the West champions, both from open play and placed balls. Between the 15th and 32nd minutes he hit seven unanswered points, including four from open play to leave the half time score, Ballingarry 1-10. Golden Kilfeacle 1-1.

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Golden’s Jack Leamy hit two points inside the opening three minutes after the restart but Dylan Walsh hit his eleventh point from a placed ball to keep his team’s scoreboard moving. Eanna Ormond chipped in with a point before Ben Currivan found the net with a low shot to Paidí Maher’s left. The deficit was now back to four and all to play for.

Leamy cut it back to three, but again Ballingarry answered when Simon Blackmore combined with Ben Ivors to set up Declan Hayes for a good point.

Golden then had their best spell, when they scored three points in as many minutes. Jack Leamy hit his fifth from a free, Niall Heffernan found his mark from long range and Jack Bergin put one between the sides with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Jack Leamy brought the sides level as the clock passed into added time. Two minutes in Dylan Walsh steered a forty metre free between the posts to give Ballingarry a one-point advantage. Golden threw everything at the South men as they sought to bring the game to extra time, but their defence held firm and they held out for a one-point victory to earn a place in the final.

Ballingarry: Paidí Maher, Gerard Ryan, Paul Butler, Mikie McGrath, James Burns, Simon Blackmore, Jack Fennelly, Thomas Walton, Conor Vaughan, Dylan Walsh, Michael Ivors, Ger Fennelly, Ben Ivors, Paddy Burns, Ian Ivors.

Subs: Aidan Ryan for Ger Fennelly (HT), Declan Hayes for Jack Fennelly (40), Eamon Corcoran for Michael Ivors (53), Patrick Ivors for Mikie McGrath (temporary, 56).

Golden Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Aidan O’Connell, Shane O’Connell, Daithi Bargary, Eoin Marnane, Niall Heffernan (captain), Cian Ryan, Seanie O’Halloran, Jack Dalton, Padraig Dalton, Ben Currivan, Eanna Ormond, Sam Hall, Jack Leamy, Jack Bergin.

Subs: Ciaran Byrnes for Sam Hall (HT), Gavin Dalton for Seanie O’Halloran (40), Cian O’Connell for Aidan O’Connell (41), Tom Byrnes for Cian Ryan (55), Jack Lonergan for Ben Currivan (temporary, 56).

Referee: Johnny Dooley (Thurles Gaels).