Ballinascarthy hurlers lift the Flyer Nyhan Cup for the first time since 2000

Ballinascarthy 2-18 Kilbree 1-11

SUCCESS is the sum of all efforts, repeated day after day, and since their defeat at the hands of the same opposition in last year’s final, Ballinascarthy have put in the hard slog to erase that memory.

They avenged that loss when winning Sunday's Carbery JAHC decider in Enniskeane. Luck may have played a little part in their winning the Flyer Nyhan Cup for the fifth time in their history, but hunger was the real driving force that inspired a well deserved triumph in a contest where they finished on a high.

Their start wasn’t so auspicious as they conceded a goal after just 30 seconds when a long delivery from Kilbree keeper Denis Dullea was collected by Sean Reale who dispatched with aplomb.

Although the defending champions opened up a 1-3 to 0-1 lead inside 10 minutes their shooting subsequently went awry against a Bal defence that was as tight as a drum for the remainder of the game. The rub of the green came for the winners in the 27th minute when a Jeremy Ryan delivery from all of 75 metres deceived friend and foe to wind up in the Kilbree net.

Now with their noses in front for the first time they retired leading on a 1-9 to 1-6 scoreline.

On the resumption, Ben Murray extended Bal’s lead with a flicked point, but a change of free-taker saw Kilbree wing forward Darragh Coakley fire over a 65 and a free to which Ógie Scannell added a minor from play. Questions were being asked of the challengers in what was now a one-point affair and they answered them in style. Their defence was outstanding as a unit and dominated to such an extent that Kilbree’s match-winner in the semi-final Sean Reale was called ashore in the 48th minute.

In midfield, Jeremy Ryan was majestic and a runaway winner of the man of the match award and though Cillian Cullinane ploughed a lone furrow for a while at wing forward his colleagues responded with an outstanding final quarter display.

During this period they registered a goal and six points to the loser’s brace of points and here Jeremy Ryan led their point-scoring charge with Brian O’Donovan serving up their second goal to end a 19-year spell in the wilderness.

Scorers for Ballinascarthy: J Ryan 1-11 (0-5 f), B O’Donovan 1-1, B Murray 0-3, C Cullinane, R O’Flynn, D McCarthy 0-1 each.

Kilbree: D Coakley 0-4 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), S Reale 1-0, Ó Scannell 0-3, M O’Donovan 0-2, D McCarthy, D Coffey 0-1 each.

BALLINASCARTY: D Hennessy; D O’Brien, C Nyhan, P Cullinane; E O’Brien, C Ryan, C O’Neill; J Ryan, L Murray; B Murray, R O’Flynn, S Ryan; B O’Donovan, C Cullinane, D McCarthy.

Sub: D Nyhan for D McCarthy (46).

KILBREE: D Dullea; B Deasy, L O’Brien, B Keohane; J Clancy, B O’Donovan, K Keohane; D Coffey, R Collins; D Coakley, D McCarthy, J Deasy; M O’Donovan, Ó Scannell, S Reale.

Subs: D O’Gorman for S Reale (46), J O’Donovan for M O’Donovan (54),

Referee: Eamonn Sheehy (Newcestown).