Devastated: Passage players were shell-shocked at full-time in Dungarvan
Ballyduff Upper, without a win three rounds into this year’s Senior Championship, pulled off the biggest shock of this remarkable campaign when seeing off 2013 winners Passage at a sodden Fraher Field on Sunday last.
Playing with the wind in the first half, Ballyduff led by 1-6 to 0-1 after 15 minutes, with Andrew Casey opening their account after four minutes.
Brendan Fitzgerald replied for Passage (playing in white) a minute later before Upper took command in the wake of a missed Eoin Kelly free.
The lively Michael Kearney struck from play in the seventh minute before tagging on two frees, before Cian Leamy pointed from over 70 metres to send Ballyduff four clear by the 10th minute. Fine link-up play between Shane Kearney and Denis McDonagh released Jamie Kearney for his first point after 14 minutes.
And just moments after Upper goalkeeper David Walsh denied John Whitty a goal following fine support by Conor Carey, Ballyduff found the net at the opposite end through Andrew Casey, sent through on goal by Michael Kearney.
A car alarm behind the stand triggered around this time, as alarm bells started ringing on a partially re-sodded pitch for Peter Queally’s Passage.
But the Barony men rallied, striking three successive scores through Owen Connors, Thomas Connors and Eoin Kelly (a free).
Michael Kearney’s 23rd minute free sent Ballyduff six clear, before points from Brendan Fitzgerald and another Kelly free reduced Passage’s arrears.
Ballyduff substitute Eoin Scanlon’s 29th minute effort was adjudged to have gone over the bar, despite (from the press box vantage point) Passage keeper Eddie Lynch appearing to catch the ball under the crossbar and behind the goal line. At the break, Ballyduff led by 1-8 to 0-6.
Eoin Kelly opened the second half scoring with a free as Passage sought to break out of neutral gear and were denied a goal two minutes in after Shane Hannon brilliantly blocked a John Whitty effort.
Michael Kearney immediately pointed at the opposite end and 90 seconds later, Jamie Kearney found his range, latching onto an Andrew Casey sideline cut.
Eoin Kelly’s 38th minute free chinked off the right hand upright and over, before Owen Connors found his range a minute later.
Connors sent a shot fizzing wide in the 41st minute (one of 11 efforts Passage sent ‘as láthair’) before Hannon produced two further blocks in front of his goal in the 42nd and 47th minutes.
Michael Kearney’s 50th minute free steadied Ballyduff nerves as they were increasingly fought a rearguard action but Jamie Kearney’s third from play left them six points clear with only six minutes left.
Yet the drama wasn’t done with after a superb upfield surge from Noel Connors led to the ball breaking loose to Thomas Whitty, who finally breached David Walsh’s net.
Just two points separated the sides, as Passage were left rueing their failure to put a nervous looking David Walsh under more pressure between the Ballyduff uprights.
Their profligacy in front of goal, coupled with Shane Hannon’s defensive heroics, ensured a day that will be long remembered in a village synonymous with drama. Tallow, just as imponderably, await in the semi-final.
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, Michael Kearney.
Substitutes: Eoin Scanlon for Kevin Casey (28 mins), Kevin Casey for Jamie Hannon (42), Eoin O’Brien for Eoin Scanlon (52) and Oisin Hickey for Andrew Casey (61).
Scorers: Michael Kearney (0-6; 0-4f); Andrew Casey (1-1), Jamie Kearney (0-3), Cian Leamy and Eoin Scanlon (0-1 each).
Passage: Eddie Lynch; Jason Flood, Noel Connors, Darragh Lynch; Stephen Mason, Jason Roche, Donal Power; John Whitty, Killian Fitzgerald; Thomas Connors, Conor Carey, Thomas Whitty; Brendan Fitzgerald, Eoin Kelly, Owen Connors.
Substitutes: Pa Walsh for Conor Carey (37 mins), Aaron Connors for Brendan Fitzgerald (43) and Liam Flynn for Thomas Connors (59).
Scorers: Eoin Kelly (0-4; 0-3f), Thomas Whitty (1-0), Owen Connors and Brendan Fitzgerald (0-2 each), Thomas Connors (0-1) and Killian Fitzgerald (0-1f).
Referee: Michael O’Brien.
