Walsh inspires Tracton to Important win

(JJ Hurley)

Tracton 1-18   Ballygarvan 1-14

Tracton edged out Ballygarvan in a thrilling Co-op Superstore Premier Junior Hurling Championship game at Riverstick on Sunday.

An outstanding game of hurling that saw the contest coming down to  the wire as Ballygarvan keeper Daniel Mackey fired a penalty passed Séan O’Sullivan to tie up the contest in injury time.

However, Tracton weren’t finished as their man-of the-match, Ronan Walsh, fired over a free moments later to give his side the lead, but the final nail in the Ballygarvan coffin came as time ticked away, when Cian Quinn finished a slick move to the Ballygarvan net.

Any preconceptions that Tracton were going to struggle in this contest were dispelled early on as they led by two early points from Quinn and Walsh.

Indeed, after seven minutes, the Minane outfit were in control of the game, with a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage, as Mark Kennefick had opened his side’s account.

During that period Quinn had brought a fine close in save from Daniel Mackey, who also produced a superb save on 12 minutes to deny Mark Byrne a goal.

Another free from Walsh stretched their lead from five points to two, before Ballygarvan went on a run claiming five unanswered scores, as Michael Cussen (2), Cillian O’Regan, Stephen White, and the impressive Dylan O’Connor were all on target, as Ballygarvan led by 0-7 to 0-5 on 22 minutes.

Tracton had no intention of letting this game slip away and the Minane men were ruthless over the next eight minutes, as they hit the front thanks to Walsh (2), Quinn and Alan Kiely, as they went in for the interval leading by 0-9 to 0-7. 

Former Cork U20 hurler Kevin Lyons began to make his presence felt in the second half as he raised an early white flag.

Another Walsh point was answered by two Dylan O’Connor points, who had combined well with his brother Evan as the sides drew level on 37 minutes,

Tracton pushed ahead by two as Walsh and Byrne had points, but a monster free from Mackey seemed to inspire his side as they led by 0-13 to 0-12, following scores from O’ Connor and Lyons on 41 minutes.

Credit to both defences, but Graham Webb was a colossus all afternoon, and by the 48 minute, it was Tracton who had their noses in front, including a point from Joe Kingston that could have easily ended up in the Garvan net, with a 0-15 to 0-13 advantage.

Playing a captain’s part, Piaras O' Halloran, put a point between the sides on 51 minutes, before two more points from Walsh looked to have weathered the Garvan storm.

However, when referee, Willie Walsh, pointed to the spot on 60 minutes, all bets were off, and it became anyone’s game.

Credit to Tracton and the coolness of Walsh, sealed with the late Quinn goal, it was to be Tracton’s day.

Scorers for Tracton:  R Walsh 0-12(9F), C Quinn 1-2,J Kingston 0-2, A Kiely, M Byrne (0-1 each).

Ballygarvan: D Mackey 1-1 (1P), D O’Connor 0-4, K Lyons 0-3 M Cussen 0-2(2F), M Kennifick, C O’Regan, S White, P O’ Halloran (0-1 each).

Teams:

Tracton: S O’Sullivan; R Sinclair, K Healy, J Lynch; J Good, G Webb, K Webb; D Kidney, D Harrington; M Byrne, C Quinn, J Kingston; D O’Riordan, A Kiely, R Walsh. D Flaherty for D Harrington (44), T McGuinness for J Kingston (53)

Ballygarvan: D Mackey; P Ryan, T O’Sullivan, E Mackey; P O’Halloran, C McIntyre, S White; M O’Mahony, D O’Connor; C O’Regan, S Fenton, M Cussen; N O’Dowd, K Lyons; M Kennifick. Subs E O’Connor for T O’Sullivan, C O’Leary for M Cussen.  

Referee Willie Wallace Aghada

 Eoin Mackey, Ballygarvan and Tracton's Mark Byrne in a close tussle today in the Coop Superstore Premier Junior A Championship in Riverstick today. ( Delores Kidney)