Nirvana for the Blues, after an epic final
October 26, 2024
Killavullen and Harbour Rovers served probably the best game of hurling in Avondhu in the last 25 years, and maybe longer as they battled for supremacy in the Hibernian Hotel sponsored Avondhu Centenary Junior A hurling Final, earlier today in a thronged Kildorrery venue. This game had everything, sublime scores, hard hits, honest endeavours and ballsy scores. It was in the melting point, until deep into injury time, when the Killavullen half back line, held their composure, and isolated Paul O Sullivan, who said he closed his eyes, but surely not, and his shot from his own half back line, guided by the novena’s and candles lit , and by everyone that ever sported a Killavullen jersey, or supported the team, since the founding of the club in 1888, willed his long range shot over the bar. It landed.
Killavullen started in whirlwind fashion when Padraig Looney scooped the ball into the net within the opening 20 seconds, Harbour Rovers got their opening score from their Half Forward Tom McGrath as he reacted quickest to a breaking ball to score a point for them, all still within the opening minute. Our forwards led the defence and made Harbour Rovers work incredible hard to clear their lines. Padraig Looney raced onto another breaking ball, after incredible work by Liam Fox to rifle a point on the run, between the posts. Our opponents replied with a converted free from Podge Hannon but Eddie Cotter restored our leading margin, with another point for us. Michael Cagney, the man that does the foraging, in midfield scored a long range point in the 7th minute to push our lead out to four points, and Jamie Magner extended that lead with a great point from a crowded midfield in the same minute. Any free was hard earned, and the team from Glanworth got another point ball, from a dead ball situation, in the 9th minute. Padraig was causing consternation in the Glanworth rear guard picking up anything that was breaking, and he scored again for us, in the 10th minute. Stevie Condon, who gave an exhibition of hurling, that any aspiring young player, in their dreams could only imagine about, scored a point from play for them, in the 10th minute, and that was quickly followed up, by a long range point, by their centre forward. His direct opponent though, Liam Cronin was not for buckling on a day when Killavullen came of age, in junior ranks, and he scored a monster long range point in a stellar performance by him. Liam landed a long range free from the touch line, on the O Sullivan’s garage side of the field, that had people banked in, on both sides, with the stand rocking, with excitement on the other. Podge Condon scored for Harbour Rovers in the 16th minute, and Stevie scored again. No matter what way the ball was coming to this player, he had the close control to gather it in, and score, despite the valiant efforts of Brian Cotter, who played exceptionally well, and never once restoring to foul play to try and stop their talismanic scoring threat.
Liam Fox was immense for us, in the bravery that he showed, never flitching, even when a hurt was the only obvious outcome, and he and Mikey O Connor combined to send a delightful ball into Colm O Mahony, who used all of his strength to hold off his man, and finish to the net, in the 21st minute of this throbbing game to put us in the lead 2-07 to 0-07. Hurling is enthralling though, and Harbour Rovers were right back in the hunt, when Stevie reacted quickest, near in, on goals to raise a green flag, and leaving Killavullen perplexed as to how the most lethal forward, playing Junior hurling, was unmarked, and he only four metres from the goals. The game was brought to equality when Harbour Rovers were awarded a penalty, a decision that seemed a tad harsh, to this observer, but, I was a considerable distance from the play, and the umpire, closest to the action called it, so it probably was a marginal right call, and all of Killavullen’s hard work was undone when Mr. Condon gave Charlie in our goals no chance with his penalty. Drawn game, after 27 minutes. Killavullen rocked as they were responded magnificently when they incredibly upped the work rate more, in and around midfield, and got on the broken balls again. Jamie hit a huge free to edge us ahead again, and made it a two point margin, with another converted free, from long range, as the half drew to a close. There was time for one more score from the Glanworth sharp shooter, from another dead ball situation and Podge Hannon converted.
The half time entertainment was provided by two U8 teams from each club, playing a mini exhibition game that, much like the real thing, did not lack for exertions either. Well done to all for organizing, especially Eamonn Crowley from Killavullen, and Kate Dunne from Harbour Rovers. Brilliant as well to see these underage teams, marching behind the Cullen Pipe Band with the two protagonists’ adult teams, before the game
Paul O Sullivan scored a point from distance to open the scoring of the second half, a point that may be forgotten in the annals of history compared to his one at the end, but he served notice, that his eye was in. Steve Condon replied for the Harbour, but Jamie Magner, who capitalised on any breaking ball in midfield scored again for us, in the 3rd minute of the Half. Darragh O Brien got one back for Glanworth, a dangerous dipping point from distance, at pace but Padraig Looney replied for us, after Trojan work in distance by a combination of Eoghan Buckley, Fionn Magner and the relieving clearance from Eoin Birchill. Any sniff of a chance, Steve Condon seized, and he sent a side line ball over the bar from a tight angle when lesser mortals would have been happy to get a good connection and centre it. Harbour Rovers drew level in the 9th minute when open play from Diarmuid O Brien, and edged two points ahead in a quarter when they are normally dominant with quick fire identical points from Steve . Ball into space, Stevie out in front, holding off his man, and scoring over his left. The key to trying to prevent such a score is trying to stop the ball into this exhibitionist. Killavullen responded when they previously might have folded, and Eoghan Buckley, playing with a determination, that few could live with, earned a free, that Jamie, unerring all day scored and Jamie scored again, when the percentages would have said, that he had no space to draw us level again, in the 16th minute. Owen Magner was introduced for Colm O Mahoney who had given his all, and this was a different type of forward for Jamie Fogarty, the impressive young full back from Glanworth to content with. Lighter, and agile, Owen contributed manfully, despite his tender years.
Killavullen edged ahead again, from a dead ball situation from Jamie, from range but Harbour Rovers got another score back. Mikey O Connor then converted all of his own hard work to put us ahead in the 19th minute. Steve Condon scored another side-line ball, from much further on the opposite side to before, out to bring parity to proceedings again, and to keep the huge crowd enthralled. Every ball, every slither of possession was contested for, with abandonment and Glanworth earned a free, and converted it, to edge ahead with 3 minutes left. Liam Fox answered the call though, and his battling bruising display deserved a score to draw unity on the scoreboard again, in the 29th minute. Harbour Rovers went to the usual route to get their craved win, Davey Pyne under a high ball, fielding it and off-loading to Steve who put them ahead, in the 30th minute. Killavullen manfully stood up though, and earned a free in and around midfield, and maybe more and from distance, Jamie held his nerve to equalise with. The Puck out was furiously defended, and gathered by Jamie Magner, following a loose clearance back into our half, from a plethora of bodies, and then to Paul, and then, to immortality and over the bar.
The Puck out again was ethylating to watch, every microsecond, subject to intense scrutiny, but to a man, Killavullen stood up, and the Cup, the Sean O Brien, was coming to the home of the Hennessy’s, the Nagle’s, the Roche’s, the Magners and the Barry’s – it was coming to a parish, it was never in before, it was coming to Killavullen.
Final Score Killavullen 2-19 – Harbour Rovers 2-18
- Charlie Cremin
- Fionn Magner
- Eoghan Buckley
- Eoin Birchall
- Liam Fox(0-01)
- Liam Cronin (0-02)
- Brian Cotter
- Michael Cagney(0-01)
- Jamie Magner, (0-08, 0-04F)
- Mickey O Connor (0-01)
- Paul O Sullivan (0-02)
- Eddie Cotter (0-01)
- Colm O Mahoney (1-00)
- Colm Looney
- Padraig Looney (1-03)
Substitutes.
- Owen Magner for Colm O Mahony
The cup was presented by the Avondhu Chairman John Courtney, who was elusive in his praise of both teams, for the manliness of their epic battle, for the facilities of the host club in Kildorrery and for the referee, who can be justifiably proud on his contribution to a game that had the audience in raptures.
The man of the match, was presented to Liam Cronin, who was sublime, on a team, where work rate and honest endeavours are not called out, they are the expected. Liam thanked the management team, of Pat Heffernan, Niall Hanrahan, Barry Murphy and Sean Murphy, a bunch from nearly every corner of Munster, but united for a cause, the long standing brilliant supporters, the club sponsors in Howard Farm Feeds and those who toiled for many a year to make this transpire. It had never happened before. It will live long into the future.
Killavullen Abú