Fascinating battle on cards but St Thomas’ to carry day

Inside Track with John McIntyre

IF you were drawing up a shortlist of contenders last summer to reach the All-Ireland club hurling semi-finals, two of the teams which have made it to the last four would not have been on anyone’s radar. Slaughtneil of Derry and Ballyea from Clare have gatecrashed general expectations in spectacular style to both stand just one hour away from a coveted final appearance at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.

Since the club championships were first held in 1970/71, the Ulster hurling title has been won 37 times by Antrim teams, while the Down champions have claimed the provincial crown on seven occasions. Never before had a team from Derry made the breakthrough until Slaughtneil stunned Loughgiel Shanmrocks (2-14 to 1-13) in the Ulster final in late October. What made their triumph all the more remarkable was that so many of the team backboned the club footballers who also went to take provincial honours.

Even in the Leinster club championship, there was also a big break with tradition when Cuala, managed by Galway’s Mattie Kenny, become only the second Dublin team to conquer the east. At least, they had been beaten in the previous year’s decider by Oulart-the-Ballagh and possessed a proven pedigree, but their victory still went against the grain.

In Munster, all the talk was about Thurles Sarsfields, backboned by the Maher brothers, Lar Corbett, Michael Cahill and Pa Burke, finally augmenting their dominance in Tipperary at provincial level. Few were given any credence to Ballyea’s challenge, especially as they were first-time Clare winners having made history after overcoming Clonara in a replay.

Having barely had time to absorb their mould-breaking achievement, Ballyea had to line out against hot favourites Thurles in the Munster semi-final. The fact that the game was going ahead in Ennis was a little help, but when the new Clare title holders fell seven points behind in the third quarter, their cause appeared virtually hopeless.

But Ballyea refused to die. County star Tony Kelly began to run amok and a late goal from dual player Gary Brennan forced unlikely extra time. Thurles were shocked and though they eventually managed to regroup, their Clare rivals went on to carry the day after extra time on a 4-18 to 2-22 scoreline . . . two late points from Niall Deacy proving decisive. The result underlined the maturity and ambition of a team which lacked the usual giddiness of first-time county champions.

On the other half of the draw, a seemingly resurgent Glen Rovers had made the provincial final and a close showdown was generally predicted. Instead, that game in Thurles in late November turned into something of a rout as Ballyea made short work of the admittedly poor Cork champions. Kelly banged over five points from play while Pearse Lillis got their first-half goal in a convincing 1-21 to 2-10 victory. Another highlight of the final was three points from play from their attacking half-back Gearoid O’Connell.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.