Tallow advance to Senior Decider

Tallow, inspired by former Waterford senior panellist Thomas Ryan, progressed to their first SHC Final since 2011 following a one-point win over neighbours Ballyduff at a gusty Fraher Field on Sunday last.
Ryan’s 1-5 haul, all registered from play, saw the Bridesiders deservedly advance to the October 18th decider, where they will meet either Ballygunner or Fourmilewater, who will contest their rescheduled semi-final on Sunday next (throw-in: 5.30pm).
However, this is not an hour of hurling that will live long in the memory. Lacking the level of intensity one would normally associate with such a high-level fixture, and laced with a series of poorly judged short puck-outs and even shorter passes, this was about as flat as hurling can get.
And there was no escaping the fact that, Ryan’s deftness aside, there was little Tallow achieved here in victory that one could foresee troubling either the Gunners or Fourmile when the News & Star Cup is up for grabs.
Nonetheless, the men from about as west as you can get in Waterford have once again advanced to a decider, and ought to draw solace from the fact that there’s more quality in them than what they produced last Sunday. And let’s face it: going into a final with room to improve is pretty much the ideal scenario from Tallow’s perspective.
After eight minutes, Tallow led by three points through two Ryan Grey frees and a fine strike from the left flank by William Henley. Ballyduff got off the mark in the ninth minute thanks to a superb point by Jamie Kearney and over the next seven minutes the men in red struck six further unanswered points, despite playing into a strong wind.
Andrew Casey superbly fielded Shane Kearney’s deep ball and bisected the Tallow uprights, with Mikey Kearney’s 65 bringing the sides level after 13 minutes.
Stephen Molumphy, who had a particularly impressive first half, feinted away from a few Tallow backs to open his account a minute later, and he added another within 60 seconds. And barely a minute later, Mikey Kearney’s free sent the season’s surprise package three clear, and Kevin Casey improved the Ballyduff picture even further after 19 minutes. Kieran Geary ended Tallow’s 15-minute wait for a point in the 22nd minute, only for Kevin Casey (via Stephen Molumphy) and Mikey Kearney to tag on further excellent points in the 23rd and 24th minutes. But Tallow mounted a mini-revival prior to the break thanks to a Ryan Grey free and William Henley’s second point, assisted by Paul O’Brien.
Tallow needed a strong start to the second half, and that’s exactly what they got, striking 1-4 without reply in the opening 13 minutes. Two minutes in, latching onto Jordan Henley’s long ball, Thomas Ryan surged past a few would-be challengers to brilliantly rifle the ball into the Ballyduff net to restore parity. Tallow substitute Paul Kearney scooped a shot over the bar barely a minute later after Ryan Grey’s point effort struck the post, before Thomas Ryan, Ryan Grey (a free) and Ryan again sent the blue and gold four points clear.
Kevin Casey bridged Ballyduff’s 19-minute scoring gap with another excellent point, again from the left flank, with Mikey Kearney adding on another just shy of the three-quarter mark. But three minutes later, Thomas Ryan reminded us that he was the best player on show with another stunning point, and tagged on another within two minutes. In a match of admittedly patchy quality, Ballyduff refused to go quietly into the Dungarvan night, as Mikey Kearney’s 52nd minute free left them just a goal down. Three minutes later, a poor Shane Hannon clearance was punished by the razor sharp Ryan, yet Ballyduff kept plugging away, as Kearney pointed again.
A goal would draw them level, and they almost got it three minutes from time when 41-year-old Tom Feeney shot from distance, which Tallow goalkeeper Shaun O’Sullivan dealt expertly with the speculative effort. And after three goal efforts were blocked by O’Sullivan and his scrambling defensive colleagues, Seamus Hannon pointed and Ballyduff’s arrears were down to just two points.
But Tallow rallied, with Evan Sheehan adding another stunning point, again from the left flank of the paddock, only for Stephen Molumphy to instantly reply at the Country End. Mikey Kearney converted another free in the 62nd minute and when he won another free in the closing minute of additional time, the prospect of a grandstand finish remained possible. But Kearney’s long range free hung left of Shaun O’Sullivan’s goal, and moments later, Alan Kissane sounded his whistle. Victory for Tallow.
* A minute’s silence was observed on Sunday last for both the late Paul Foley (Stradbally and Ballygunner CLG) following his sad passing and the late Jacinta Condon, wife of referee John Condon, who passed away unexpectedly only hours prior to Sunday’s fixture. May they rest in peace.
** The rescheduling of the Ballygunner/Fourmile semi-final shall now see this fixture clash with the Ireland/France Rugby World Cup match in Cardiff, which kicks off at 4.45pm. But having taken in €9200 at the gate last Sunday, one expects the County Board coffers will benefit from a similar figure given the meeting of Modeligo and Clashmore in the Western Intermediate Hurling Final at 2.30pm, prior to the Gunners/Fourmile clash.
Tallow: Shaun O’Sullivan; Mark O’Brien, David O’Brien, Kenneth Kearney; Aidan Kearney, James Murray, Shane Feeney; Paul O’Brien, Kieran Geary; William Henley, Bob McCarthy, Ryan Grey; Thomas Ryan, Jordan Henley, Evan Sheehan.
Substitutes: Paul Kearney for Bob McCarthy (HT) and Bob McCarthy for William Henley (63).
Scorers: Thomas Ryan (1-5), Ryan Grey (0-4f), William Henley (0-2), Evan Sheehan, Kieran Geary and Paul Kearney (0-1 each).
Ballyduff Upper: David Walsh; Denis McDonagh, Tom Molumphy, Shane Hannon; Michael Kearney, Shane Kearney, Tom Feeney; Seamus Hannon, Cian Leamy; Jamie Kearney, Stephen Molumphy, Jamie Hannon; Kevin Casey, Andrew Casey, Mikey Kearney.
Substitutes: Oisín Hickey for Tom Molumphy (HT), Eoin Scanlon for Oisín Hickey (45 mins) and Tom Molumphy for Andrew Casey (50).
Scorers: Mikey Kearney (0-7; 0-4f, 0-1 65’), Stephen Molumphy (0-3), Kevin Casey and Andrew Casey (0-2 each), Seamus Hannon and Jamie Kearney (0-1 each).
Referee: Alan Kissane.