(JJ Hurey)
Tracton 1-20 Valley 3-9
Tracton will be glad to have Sunday's Ross Oil South East Junior A Final behind them as it was always going to be a potential banana skin, especially as Valley Rovers are the ultimate competitors in any competition they enter into.
Certainly, as the final moments were beckoning, it looked like Valleys were about to drag this game into extra time as Harry O'Sullivan rattled the Tracton net.
For the Innishannon outfit it wasn't to be, and when you are chasing down your opponents you can't afford to be giving target practice to Ronan Walsh up the other end.
Scoring 9 points, six frees, two 65s and a point from play in Sunday's conditions, you wonder was Robinhood even as accurate?
Walsh is always a cool customer, a role model for any young player, with ambitions to become a free taker.
The one thing Walsh has is the no drama tag, no great show of emotion, just does with it says on the tin.
When people reflect on Sunday's victory, Mickey O' Sullivan's tally of 1-4 was crucial playing against the young Valley Rovers full back, Charlie O'Sullivan, whose day will come but just not yet.
The Tracton number 14 again showed on Sunday, he's class, a man who can change a game in the blink of an eye.
Not only is he strong and well able to make space for the points, but he's cute, as he showed in losing his marker for his first-half goal.
Going into a game where Tracton held the favourite's tag, it would have always been a possibility the team might have lost their way as Conor Tahaney was on point for the first of Rover's three goals of the afternoon.
However, the early goal wasn't to be the smoking gun it promised, as the forementioned O'Sullivan and Ronan Walsh were reeling in Rover's ambitions.
To say nothing of the mighty Sean Kiely, who knocked over a pair of points for the hour.
Deservedly, Kiely picked up the man of the match award for his performance on the forty, gifted with two important attributes of any centre forward: stopping the centre back and leading the attack, he possesses both in spades.
When the players make their way back to training during the week, after a couple of well deserved glasses of water, the positive from Sunday will be the lack of frees they conceded.
However, on the credit side of the ledger are the three goals conceded.
Now that's not to say the defence played poorly, and shocking weather conditions led to errors as Kelvin Healy and Rory Sinclair marshalled their forces to good measure on Sunday.
However, when you are faced with the experience that Kevin Canty possesses, or the youthful potential of Conor Tahaney any slip up was always going to be punished.
The quandary for the players and selectors, does the answer lie in conceding more frees to stop leaking goals?
It is a policy Cork fans need no reminding of in this year's All-Ireland final as Clare went for the free count.
However, Tracton's outing is set for somewhere between the 15th and 17th of November, when a tackle on a wet surface looks far worse than that of a Sunday in July.
Suggestions on a postcard to Tracton GAA HQ, Minane Bridge.
Judging by the large Tracton crowd on the pitch after Sunday's victory, the supporters are as hungry for success as the players.
Of course, with their friends in Carrigaline already holding one shiny trophy aloft, possibly two, Tracton folk will not like to be left empty-handed.
However, the management led by the experienced Kieran Kingston will know that a tight lid will be applied to expectations.
There could be a sting in the tale here for Tracton folk, as they are set to face the winners of Carbery and Muskery.
The Muskery final finished all square recently between Ballinora and Ballincollig, with one Tom Kingston training Ballinora.
Could it happen, folks?
A Parish holds its breath!
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