Kelly powers Ballyea to victory

The first half exchanges suggested that this U-21B Hurling Championship final would be a tight affair but there was only one team in the contest after the break.

Inspired by the outstanding Tony Kelly, Ballyea were convincing winners of a title they won for the first time two years ago. The Clare minor star scored 0-10, 0-7 from play, from midfield and proved too much of a handful for an O’Callaghan’s Mills outfit that failed to re-produce the form they had displayed on their way to the final.
Ballyea went into the game without the injured Cathal Doohan who suffered a shoulder injury in their semi-final win over St Joseph’s and his loss was a big blow to the team.
In the case of both line-ups, the majority of the players in action on Sunday are eligible for this grade again next year with quite a number having a few more seasons at this level.
Towards the end of the first half, the winners began to take a grip in the vital areas but few would have predicted the manner in which they would dominate the second period when they held their opponents scoreless.
Midfielder Kelly has been outstanding throughout this campaign for Ballyea and from the outset on Sunday he put down a marker. He opened the scoring in the second minute and quickly followed with a second before converting a free in the seventh minute to give his team a three-point advantage.
The Mills replied with two points in a minute from Eoin McInerney and Aidan O’Gorman and they levelled in the 13th minute when Jamie Lynch had his first from a 55m free.
The winners hit back with points from Niall Griffin and Martin O’Leary, playing his third game in four days, to lead by two as the game entered the second quarter.
Both sides added two points before Kilmihil man O’Leary had his second to send Ballyea to the break 0-8 to 0-5 ahead.
While they had looked slightly the better-balanced team in the first half, there was no indication at this stage that the second half would prove to be so one sided.
As had been the case in the first half, the opening three scores of the second period also came from Tony Kelly, doubling his team’s lead to six points. Ten scoreless minutes followed but during this period, Ballyea continued to hold the upper hand.
To add to O’Callaghan’s Mills woes, they lost James McMahon to injury with 11 minutes remaining but despite making changes in a number of areas, they were unable to curb a now rampant Ballyea side. A further brace from Kelly stretched their advantage to eight before Niall Deasy, son of former O’Callaghan’s Mills player, PJ, got the first of his three points. Clare U-21 football captain Paudge McMahon got on the scoresheet before impressive centre back Gearóid O’Connell sent over the final point of the game in injury time.
Tony Kelly, still eligible for minor ranks this year, was the undoubted star of this tie and, from an early stage, the losers has withdrawn Aidan O’Gorman from the full forward line to play around the midfield area in an effort to curb the Ballyea star.
Cormac Ryan, Jack Browne and Gearóid O’Connell excelled throughout in the winner’s defence while others to shine were Paul Flanagan and Martin O’Leary.
At the scoreline suggests, the O’Callaghan’s Mills defence was under a lot of pressure. Michael McGrath and Gerry Cooney got through a lot of work and ensured that the margin between the teams wasn’t greater. Elsewhere the losers struggled against a lively Ballyea outfit.
After the game, Clare GAA chairman Michael O’Neill, a member of the Ballyea club, had the pleasant task of presenting the trophy to the winning captain James Murphy.
Ballyea: Shane Harkins; Eanna McInerney, Jack Browne, Cormac Ryan; David Sheehan, Gearóid O’Connell, James Murphy; Paul Flanagan, Tony Kelly; Niall Deasy, Brian Murphy, Martin O’Leary; Niall Griffin, Paudge McMahon, Declan Keane.
Subs: Eoghan Donnellan for Keane (51 minutes); Joe Neylon for McMahon (58 minutes); Emmett Smithwick for O’Leary (60 minutes) Martin Quigley for Griffin (60 minutes).
Scorers: Tony Kelly (0-10), 3 frees; Niall Deasy (0-3) Martin O’Leary (0-2) Niall Griffin, Gearóid O’Connell, Paudge McMahon (0-1) each.
O’Callaghan’s Mills: Henry Skehan; Sean O’Gorman, Gerry Cooney, Michael McGrath; Aidan Fawl, Adrian Donovan, Darren Cooney; Kevin O’Callaghan, Eoin McInerney; Colm McHugh, James McMahon, Eoin McGrath; Jamie Lynch, Ian Donnellan, Aidan O’Gorman.
Subs: Christy Phillpott for McHugh (44 minutes) Liam McNamara for McMahon (inj) 49 minutes); Jamie Heffernan for McInerney (58 minuts;  Eoin McNamara for McGrath (59 minutes).
Scorers: Jamie Lynch (0-3), all frees; Eoin McInerney, Aidan O’Gorman (0-1) each.
Referee: Ger Hoey, Killanena.