All-Ireland Club IHC: Seán Desmond the hero as Watergrasshill take the title
Watergrasshill captain Seán Desmond runs at the Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry defence during the AIB All-Ireland Club IHC final at Croke Park. Picture: Inpho/Tom Maher
Up the Hill!
While the strains of U2’s Beautiful Day encircling Croke Park may not have summed up the weather, they reflected the feeling of everyone associated with Watergrasshill after a dramatic AIB All-Ireland Club IHC final win.
With the five minutes of injury time almost up, the game looked to be heading for extra time after Ben Moran had tied the score at 1-15 to 0-18. Still there was time for more though and, when Anthony Cronin’s clearance was not dealt with by the Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry defence, the ball fell perfectly for captain Seán Desmond. Through one-on-one, there was only going to be one outcome.
Having been so good in the first half, Eddie Enright’s side looked to have lost their way in the second half but they never lost their composure in a campaign that started with a ten-point half-time deficit against Carrigaline in their championship opener and they weren’t going to lose it on the biggest stage.
The Galway side had a good start as David Jordan pointed inside nine second and that was followed by a Shane Moloney free. While Anthony Cronin did get Watergrasshill off the mark after Seán Desmond intercepted a loose defensive pass, two more Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry points followed and the East Cork side displayed signs of nerves.
They had a point back when Adam Murphy converted a free following a foul on Ciarán O’Leary and it was the hard-working O’Leary that won the resultant puckout, leading to a chance for Brendan Lehane. While that was blocked by Garry McHugo, the Hill didn’t leave the ball out and when Murphy latched on to possession to the left of the large rectangle, he sent a low shot skidding past Brendan Lynch.
Another might have followed as Dáire O’Leary’s run set up Lehane, Lynch saving well, but Murphy sent over the 65 that accrued before Desmond and Lehane scored to open up a four-point lead, 1-5 to 0-4.
Pressing well and forcing turnovers as Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry took the ball into traffic, the Hill stayed on top, with Kevin O’Neill excellent at wing-back while Cronin worked hard at midfield.
The lead extended to five, 1-8 to 0-6, after Murphy’s fourth following a good Cronin pass from deep, but they did waste other scoring opportunities coming up to half-time. Paul Killeen left Tynagh four behind at the break, and Moloney landed a free and then a sideline cut on the resumption to cut the deficit to just two.
Though Murphy pointed in response, it would prove to be their only point of the third quarter, with the Moloney-inspired Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry ate into the deficit, point by point. They were level at 1-12 to 0-15 on 43 minutes when he had his ninth of the day, and his tenth came on the three-quarter mark, a beauty to put them back in front for the first time since the opening half.
Despite having been on the back foot for so long, Watergrasshill didn’t wilt. A lovely Desmond pass would have put Murphy only to be hauled down, but he put over the free to level. While Ben Moran had Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry back in front with a difficult free from a tight angle, Murphy had his seventh point in reply and then Kevin O’Neill set up Pádraig O’Leary to put the Hill back in front.
After a Moran point for Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry, a Murphy delivery was almost touched to the net by Desmond, but though goalkeeper Lynch conceded the 65, that chance was not taken, nor was a free in the wake of Niall Moloney putting Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry ahead again.
Despite the previous misses, Murphy had enough composure to tie the game again, 1-13 to 0-16 on 57, but Moran’s third in quick succession had the Galway side in front as the 60-minute mark was reached.
Still the drama continued. Subs Dylan Roche had a lovely point front a tight angle for the Hill and then captain Desmond came good at the biggest moment, inching them back in front. It wouldn’t be his last major contribution of the day.
A Murphy 1-8 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), S Desmond 1-3, B Lehane, A Cronin, P O’Leary, D Roche 0-1 each.
S Moloney 0-10 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), B Moran 0-4 (0-2 f), N Moloney, P Killeen, D Jorgan, K Moloney 0-1 each.
A Foley; S Field, D McCarthy, I O’Callaghan; A Spriggs, D O’Leary, K O’Neill; A Cronin, S O’Regan; C O’Leary, S Desmond, L Foley; B Lehane, A Murphy, P O’Leary.
D Roche for L Foley (46), P Cronin for Spriggs (49), J McCarthy for P O’Leary (60).
B Lynch; J Whelan, M Power, G McHugo; S Fitzpatrick, D Jorgan, K Moloney; S Moloney, P Killeen; B Moran, J Conroy, N Moloney; P Breheny, J Dervan, C Jordan.
N Quirke for Jordan (54).
C McDonald (Antrim).
App?
