Brave men of Ballygar died with their boots on

By JIM CARNEY Ballyragget ...........................................0-17 Ballygar .................................................1-10 IGNORE that scoreline: Galway's worthy representatives in the All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling Championship semi-final at MacDonagh Park, Nenagh on Sunday were agonisingly close to a sensational upset â€â€ and a coveted ticket to Croke Park for next monnth's final against Cork and Munster champions Charleville. Sure, they looked well out of contention at half-time, with the Kilkenny standard-bearers St Patrick's, Ballyragget eight points up (0-11 to 0-3) and the vastly superior force, hurling at a much faster pace, crisper and more assured in their touch than the Galway men who were repeatedly caught in possession attempting to run with the sliotar on the stick. Also, Ballyragget had missed two goal chances in the first half, on both occasions when the man racing through went for his own score rather than passing to better placed colleagues. All they got from those two attacks was one point. [private] But, amazingly, with Ballyragget surprisingly â€â€ for a Kilkenny team â€â€ subdued, even casual, in the second half and Ballygar revitalised and playing their hearts out, the game turned dramatically when young Eric Walsh pounced for a tonic goal that rattled the Kilkenny men but, to Ballyragget's immense credit, they replied with a great point from play and re-asserted their superiority. Not over as a contest, though! Ballygar were now inspired to new heights of endeavour; hugely committed, laying their bodies on the line, and it was clear they were leaving it all out between the white lines. They dug deeper as each minute passed and it was a tantalising thought when we reflected and asked ourselves, watching it all with bated breath, what would happen if Ballygar got another goal? Well, they nearly did. Not only that, they nearly got two! One of them would have done the job, I believe. A second goal would have had Ballyragget needing to lift their game to a height they hadn't scaled by then. It was astonishing how close Ballygar right full-forward Stephen Lohan was to glory when his kicked effort from close range went just outside instead of inside a post. And almost heart-stopping when Eric Walsh then found himself free, with nobody marking him, and his low shot from the left corner had goal written all over it until the excellent St Patrick's goalkeeper Michael Gannon kept it out, off a post. Stephen Lohan pointed the 65 but it wasn't enough as Ballyragget's fast, delightfully skilful inside forward Joe Brennan finished the game looking more and more dangerous every time the ball went up to him. It's not that the two second-half goal chances will haunt Ballygar; they're never easy to convert and, in fairness, for the kicked attempt you'd have to credit the Ballyragget defence that they got tight on Stephen Lohan and probably gave him no view of his target; it's more than likely he swung a boot at the sliotar by instinct, and he did nothing wrong. It has to be conceded too, of course, that even if one more goal had come, it might not have prevented the Kilkenny men from rallying to show again what they could do, as undoubtedly they are really good hurlers. But I have a feeling that a second Ballygar goal would have lifted their second-half revival to juggernaut level. We'll never know but it'll surely stand Ballygar in good stead into the future. When they shook off their first-half lethargy, due I think to their lack of experience of playing at a higher level than what they were used to in Galway for many years, Ballygar were a team to really admire; they gave it their all, they played some great hurling and they gave us much to remember: goalkeeper Shane Harkin's outstanding save which prevented a seemingly certain goal in the first half; the spirited defensive play of Darragh O'Malley and Paul Mahony at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively; the way big-hearted Pat Quinn lifted his game in the second half; the skill and class of the two Nolans in the half-forward line as they combined brilliantly to set up Eric Walsh's goal; Eric himself for the way he lashed in the goal and for his expert free-taking; Stephen Lohan for doing so well, and he'd have done more if only he'd more quality ball from out the field. But again we have say that could be down to the excellence of Ballyragget, a young team whose manager Maurice Aylward, who I met afterwards, is a true gentleman and I wish him luck in the All-Ireland final. One other Ballygar player deserves special praise: Padraic Mannion at left full-back gave a fantastic display; his heart was in the right place; he stood up and took responsibility at a crucial stage of the match, and he had the hurling to go with inspirational spirit and determination. All credit to the Ballygar followers, too; the men, women and children who flocked to Nenagh and wore their club colours with pride. And while they went home disappointed, they were as proud of their team on Sunday night as they were setting out the journey on Sunday morning â€â€ and rightly so. For the team management, Paddy Flynn, Mícheál Lohan and Donal Franks, and for the gallant players, another day will surely come when they will have that missing string to their bow, they one they've now found â€â€ the experience of playing on the big stage. Next time, it may be just what they'll need to get over the winning line. Ballyragget: M. Gannon; J. Mooney, S. Staunton, P. Cahill; R. Healy, G. Brennan, S. Roberts; B. Phelan (0-2), J. Gannon; J. Phelan, S. Kenny, K. Kelly (0-9, six frees, one 65); M. Brennan (0-1), B. Staunton (0-2), J. Brennan (0-3). Subs., C. Delaney, for J. Gannon, 53 mins; G. Morrissey, for Roberts, 58 mins; B. Mulhall, for Healy, 61 mins. Ballygar: S. Harkin; G. Brennan, captain, D. O'Malley, P. Mannion; B. Nolan, P. Mahony, E. Naughton; P. Quinn (0-1), J. Fitzmaurice; D. J. Nolan, D. Nolan (0-2), E. Walsh (1-5, 0-5 frees); S. Lohan (0-2, one 65), T. Finneran, C. Greally. Sub., N. Mannion, for Fitzmaurice, 48 mins. Referee: Pat Casey (Waterford). [/private]