Kieran Kingston's Tracton land first Junior A hurling title in 37 years
The Tracton hurlers celebrate their South East JAHC title success against Valley Rovers in Ballinspittle.
Tracton held off a brave Valley Rovers challenge to lift their first Ross Oil South East title in 37 years in Ballinspittle.
With time ticking away and Tracton leading by 1-17 to 2-9, Valleys threw themselves a lifeline as Harry O'Sullivan blazed the sliotar to the Tracton net.
Any possibility of Valleys sending this game to extra time disappeared as Tracton’s ace marksman Ronan Walsh fired over two late frees to ensure his side lifted the title.
The favourites showed their early intent as Mark Byrne sent over an early point that met with a response from Kevin Canty up the other end.
With both sides making the best of what were terrible conditions for hurling, Valleys' Conor Taheny lit up this contest on seven minutes with a goal.
The experience of Ronan Walsh and Micheal O'Sullivan was proving crucial as the sides drew level on 11 minutes at 1-2 to 0-5.
The final was on a knife-edge but referee Alan O’Connor was doing his best to allow the contest to flow, despite the slippery conditions. Valleys were back in front after 17 minutes as Conor Demond fired over.
However, Tracton produced a spring in their step as Michael O'Sullivan brought all his experience to bear, despite the close attention of his marker Charlie O'Sullivan, as he claimed a brace of points as Tracton led by 0-9 to 1-3 after 22 minutes.
Canty, who was certainly troubling the Tracton full-back line, narrowed the margin before David Byrne found O’Sullivan and dually obliged for a Tracton goal.
Valleys pulled two points back before the break as Tahaneny and Harry O’Sullivan found the range and the halftime margin was 1-10 to 1-6.
Two early Tracton points looked like putting daylight between the sides before a Shane O’Leary free was flicked to the net on 34 minutes from Cormac Desmond.
However, the Innishannon outfit never made use of the goal as Tracton hit four unanswered points including a beauty from Sean Kiely on 44 minutes as his side led 1-16 to 2-6.
While there seemed to be an inevitability about the result, you write off the Rovers at your peril as Shane (2) and Canty (1) had raised the anti, before O’Sullivan raised the late green flag.
Tracton to their credit never panicked as they held their nerve, or more importantly, Ronan Walsh did. He landed two all-important scores as Tracton lifted the Con Murphy trophy.
R Walsh 0-9 (0-6 f, 0-2 65), M O'Sullivan 1-4, C Quinn 0-2, M Byrne, S Kiely, D Byrne, P O'Riordan, S Kiely 0-1 each.
H O'Sullivan (0-1 f), C Taheny, Cormac Desmond 1-1 each, Kevin Canty 0-3, S O'Leary 0-2 (0-1 f), S Ryan 0-1.
S O’Sullivan; D Good, K Healy, J Lynch; J Good, R Sinclair, G Webb; P O’Riordan, K Webb; C Quinn, S Kiely, D Byrne; R Walsh, M O’Sullivan, M Byrne.
J Kingston for M Byrne (44), D Flaherty for D Good (46), D Harrington for P O’Riordan (55).
A White; J Cronin, C O’Sullivan, T McGrath; J O’Sullivan, A Sheehan, S O’Leary; G Deane, S Ryan; H O’Sullivan, C Desmond, J Kiely; C Tahaney, K Canty, K Dart O’Flynn.
G Farrell for J O’Sullivan (39), D Carthew for K Dart O’Flynn (42).
Alan O’Connor.
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