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All-Ireland Series Report for Galway GAA Yearbook |
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Portumna retain AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
It was one of the most eagerly awaited All-Ireland Senior Club semi-finals of all time. Reigning champions Portumna V Kilkenny's Ballyhale Shamrocks, winners in 2007 and losing to Birr in Leinster in 2008 when without the services of the injured Henry Shefflin and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick. Both teams had a point to prove and with Henry back for Ballyhale and Joe Canning with Portumna, over 10,700 paying customers arrived in Semple Stadium, Thurles on February 22nd to witness an expected thriller. They went away enthralled by the displays of both teams. Make no mistake, hurling was the big winner here and if Portumna ended up convincing winners, Ballyhale also played a huge part in this epic.
The game started at a cracking pace as Portumna tore into an eight point lead 2-2 to no score after barely five minutes. In the first minute Kevin Hayes pointed from a tap down from Ciaran Ryan of a long distance Joe Canning free. Shortly afterwards Damien Hayes took a ball off brother Niall's hurley and his dipping shot deceived James Connolly in the Ballyhale goal and ended up in the net via an upright. Leo Smith hit a monster point from well inside his own half and when Damien delivered a perfect pass to the incoming Ciaran Ryan who was unceremoniously upended by Connolly with his hurley in the Ballyhale square, Joe Canning promptly planted the penalty. Ballyhale opened their account with a Colm Fennelly point but Niall Hayes pointed a beauty after good work from Andrew Smith and Ciaran Ryan to cancel it out.
Ballyhale were in no mood to be powered out of the game and it was Henry Shefflin who started the revival. He caught a high ball sixty yards from goal and made a decisive run that split the Portumna defence before parting to Eoin Reid. The corner forward gave Ivan Canning no chance in the Portumna goal and when Mark Aylward pointed twice in a minute, they were only a goal down despite their slow start and Portumna's blitz. Joe and Henry traded two points each from placed balls, one of Joe's a 65 when a brilliant goal bound shot from Niall Hayes was well deflected by Connolly over the end-line. Portumna's third goal, however, put daylight between the teams again. Again, Joe Canning somehow got a flick to a ball kicked by Ciaran Ryan after being illegally dispossessed on his solo through and the flick left Connolly again in no man's land as it crossed the line. Joe followed up with his trademark sideline cut from forty metres before it was cancelled out by a good point from play by Colm Fennelly. Half time left the scores at 3-7 to 1-7 for Portumna.
Portumna started the second half with a point from Damien Hayes and after following up on another Niall Hayes blaster which Connolly saved, he goaled again. Though substitute David Hoyne pointed for Ballyhale, a fifth Portumna goal, laid on by Joe Canning for Ciaran Ryan after his own shot came back off the goalpost. Portumna were now 12 points ahead and seemingly coasting but Ballyhale were stung and upped their performance considerably. They scored six points without reply before Joe Canning stopped the rot with an exquisite point from the sideline fifty metres out. Andrew Smith shot another from a difficult angle and Kevin Hayes had the final point when Micheal Ryan found him unmarked fifty metres from goal. It was a great Portumna display in which young Martin Dolphin, Eugene McEntee and Ollie Canning were a very solid fullback line. Aidan O'Donnell and Gareth Heagney marshalled the twin threats of Henry Shefflin and TJ Reid very effectively. Micheal Ryan, Eoin Lynch and Leo Smith controlled the midfield triangle with a work rate that was incredible and Ivan Canning dealt capably with anything asked of him but had no chance of the Reid rasper in the first half. The final score was Portumna 5-11 Ballyhale 1-16-17 scores to 16 but Portumna had the goals and had qualified to meet De La Salle, first time winners of Waterford and Munster on St. Patrick's Day.
Portumna were long odds favourites to win the final. They were in Croke Park for the third time in four years and had two finals already won. De La Salle of Waterford were the opposition, having accounted for Cushendall of Antrim after extra time in the other semi-final. .
On the day, however, the occasion seemed to get to them and Portumna's brilliant start left them with a mountain to climb. As if this wasn't enough, they lost two forwards to injury early on and never found a rhythm to trouble Portumna. Full-back Eugene McEntee was a surprise first scorer with a long-range point and Joe Canning soon added a magnificent pointed effort over his shoulder. Brian Phelan then opened the De La Salle account but then Lee Hayes hurt himself attempting a kicked goal which was saved by Ivan Canning and had to leave the field. Joe Canning added a brilliant point from a sideline cut and hit over another from a free before his brilliant over the shoulder pass to an in-running Damien Hayes led to an outstanding goal.. Hayes had had a previous point. Portumna now led 1-6 to a point Canning converted a close-in free and when De La Salle had a similar score, Ivan Canning found Leo Smith with the puck-out and he promptly pointed from centre-field. Joe Canning hit a magnificent free from his own half before Ciaran Ryan won possession thirty yards out and spotting Damien Hayes again bearing down on goal, delivered with pin-point accuracy and Damien did the rest. Kevin Hayes burst through the De La Salle defence for a brilliant solo effort. Joe Canning added another from halfway and a De La Salle penalty was deflected by Ivan Canning over the bar to leave Portumna 2-11 to 0-3 ahead at half-time.
While Joe Canning opened the second-half scoring with a pointed free, Thomas Kearney scored two for De La Salle but Niall Hayes responded almost immediately to his second effort Brother Damien added another before Portumna conceded a goal when failing to clear a ground ball close to the square. They had a let-off shortly afterwards and Micheal Ryan hit a magnificent point from play from halfway. Once again, Joe Canning, giving a faultless display of free-taking, landed another point after striking the goalpost with an effort from a sideline cut. De La Salle had a point from a Quirke free but were sixteen points behind with ten minutes remaining as Andrew Smith and Damien Hayes pointed from play.
Joe Canning with excellent vision, fed Eoin Lynch a cross field pass for a great score and Niall Hayes added another . David Canning replaced Ciaran Ryan in the Portumna forward line and scored an immediate point before Andrew Smith floated a beauty from the sideline and a very acute angle to further stretch Portumna's lead. Russell and Mullane replied for De La Salle but Kevin Hayes, with a delightful show of ball control, had the final say in his Man of the Match display. Mike Gill also made a late appearance for Portumna in his final Senior game for the club and it was a well deserved accolade for the quiet man of Portumna hurling-a man who gave so many epic displays at corner-back deserved no less!!!
This was a compelling display from Portumna and winning three club All-Irelands in four years certainly marks them out as special in the club game. Portumna club were also crowned the Best Club under the Sun in the Etihad Airlines sponsored All-Ireland competition and the Senior Panel enjoyed a nice four days in Abu Dhabi with a training camp under the Tipperary great Nicky English to put the finishing touches to a great year. To everybody concerned-well done.
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