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Community Games All-Ireland Win for Aghaviller
31 August 2013
Community Games All-Ireland Win for Aghaviller/Kilkenny.
The Aghaviller Under-11 Hurling team won Kilkenny's 1st All-Ireland of 2013 in thrilling fashion at the Community Games National Finals in Athlone on 18th August last. This makes an incredible total of 4 out of the last 5 finals for the Ballyhale / Carrickshock / Dunnamaggin combination.
Following the introduction of a new backdoor system, the semi-final on Saturday was a repeat of the Leinster final. The Kilkenny & Leinster champions faced the reigning Offaly and All-Ireland champions Shinrone/Coolderry for the second time this year. After conceding the first point, Aghaviller took a firm hold of the game. The Kilkenny boys scored 5 points in a row to lead by 4 approaching half-time. Daragh Walsh was leading the attack superbly with Dylan Carroll and Shaun O’Keefe on the wings also scoring some great points from play. The midfield pairing of Denis Walsh and Killian Corcoran were dominant, with Denis also punishing any Offaly infringements through his excellent free-taking. However, as half time approached, the Offaly side landed a sucker punch when a long-range shot took a deflection and ended up in the back of the net. True to form, Aghaviller responded instantly and landed a great point to lead by 0-6 to 1-1 at half-time.
They continued where they left off in the 2nd half with another early point. The half-back line of Padraig Lennon, Mason Byrnes and Jack McGuirk were snuffing out any Offaly attacks. Then Aghaviller put themselves in the driving seat when a lightning fast passing move from Eoin Crowley to Shaun O’Keeffe to Shane Fennelly was rifled to the net by Aidan O’Neill. Two more points from Shaun O’Keefe and Denis Walsh put them 8 clear midway through the 2nd half. Offaly then produced their renowned never-say-die attitude and went hunting in packs to get themselves back into the game. But Dara Mason, who was excellent all weekend, stood firm at full-back and was ably assisted by our two tenacious corner backs, Jimmy O’Neill and Tomas Barron. Some fresh legs were needed and Adam Long and Colin Fitzpatrick entered the fray to produce some outstanding clearances from defence. Oisin Doyle also worked tigerishly after being introduced at corner forward and was unlucky not to get on the score-sheet. In the dying minutes, Offaly were awarded a 20-metre free. Ryan Grace in the Aghaviller goal, who was otherwise brilliant, was unsighted and the ball finished in the net. Shortly afterwards, the game ended on a scoreline of 1-9 to 2-1 and Aghaviller were through to the final on the following day.
The final saw them facing a Galway combination - Claregalway / Lackagh / Carnmore. They had beaten a strong Clare team (Scarriff / Bodyke / Ogonnelloe) in their semi-final and were expected to be formidable opponents. Just as in the semi-final, Aghaviller got off to a bad start when Galway scored a freakish goal. A long high ball that looked like a certain point dropped under the crossbar to give Galway a goal and a dream start. But star goalkeeper Ryan Grace was completely unfazed. He continued with his top class puck-outs and pulled off a string of excellent saves later in the game. As the first half went on, Aghaviller settled and Dylan Carroll scored another great point to get them going. Aghaviller followed up with some further points to draw level before a long range free for Galway put them a goal clear again. Midway through the half, full forward Eoin Crowley, who had been threatening in front of goal all weekend, got his just reward when he goaled with an unstoppable ground stroke. The sides were level. As in the first half of the semi-final, Aghaviller started to exert their dominance and racked up 4 points in a row with some excellent scores from Denis Walsh, Shaun O’Keefe and Aidan O’Neill to lead by 4 at the break, 1-5 to 1-1.
However, Claregalway weren’t going down without a fight and tore into Aghaviller for the 2nd half. They scored an early point to bring it back to a one-score game. The Galway team’s size advantage in several positions was beginning to tell and the Aghaviller backs were coming under severe pressure. Despite trojan work at the back by Jimmy O’ Neill and Tomas Barron, a scrappy goal for Galway from close in tied up the game. Galway then sensed victory and started dropping balls in around the square to land the killer blow. It was in this spell that the spirt of this Aghaviller team truly came to the fore. From the full-forward line all the way back to the goalkeeper, the chasing, hooking and blocking was a joy to watch. A lesser team would have folded but the Kilkenny side held out. Their spirit was epitomised by Daragh Walsh who, after suffering a nasty hand injury in the first half and being replaced by the excellent Colin Fitzpatrick, was back on the field for the 2nd half. Shaun O’Keeffe was drafted back into defence and put his body on the line to keep Claregalway out. Padraig Lennon at centre-back made a string of clearances to help turn the tide, ably assisted by Jack McGuirk and Mason Byrnes on the wings who were putting in huge efforts. Denis Walsh and Killian Corcoran at midfield started to torment the Galway defence again and a couple of frees came their way. With less than ten minutes to go, Denis pointed a 20-metre free literally from out on the sideline and Aghaviller had their noses back in front.
Still Claregalway were creating chances, and one free brushed against the left-hand post and dropped wide. The umpire had a ‘hawk-eye’ moment and put the flag up for a point before the referee correctly waved it wide. The Galway side continued to press, but when Padraig Lennon took a heavy blow after clearing his lines a free was awarded where the ball landed, 40 metres from the Galway goal. Composed as ever, Denis Walsh slotted it over the bar. Moments later, the full-time whistle sounded with the final score 1-7 to 2-2, a two point victory for the Kilkenny team. If ever a game could have gone either way, this was it and well done to a fantastic bunch of boys, who got their just reward for all their hard work throughout the season.
The Aghaviller panel for the season, which started with the Kilkenny Community Games finals back in April is as follows: Joe Fitzpatrick, Jimmy O’Neill, Denis Walsh (Captain), Dylan Carroll, Conor Denny, Shaun O’ Keeffe, Daragh Walsh, Aidan O’Neill, Colin Fitzpatrick, (Dunnamaggin), Mason Byrnes, Padraig Lennon, Jack McGuirk, Eóin Crowley, Adam Long, Shane Fennelly, Ryan Grace, Oisin Doyle, (Carrickshock), Dara Mason, Tomás Barron, Killian Corcoran (Ballyhale). Coaches - Denis Walsh, PJ O’Keeffe, John Walsh & Declan Lennon.