December 2nd 2017
Managed by 1996 Wexford All-Ireland winner Gary Laffan, Glenealy were the first Wicklow hurling club to play in a Leinster final and they looked set to make further history when they led by 1-14 to 0-15 with six minutes remaining.
Kilkenny Senior Inter-County player Kevin Kelly was the saviour for Ballyragget as his ice-cool nerve earned the Kilkenny side the Leinster intermediate hurling club title this afternoon. Kelly kept his composure to convert a controversial injury-time free that sealed a second provincial title for the Saints (they won the junior title in 2012 on their way to the All-Ireland crown), but it was wretched luck on their beaten foes Glenealy.
The Wicklow men travelled to Nowlan Park for Saturday’s encounter and showed no fear as they took the game to their hosts.
Such was their confidence they led by three with 10 minutes to play (1-13 to 0-13) with top scorer Jonathan O’Neill leading the Garden County side’s charge.
Glenealy were impressive in the first half. They took the lead on two separate occasions and were level three times.
Ballyragget knew they had a battle on their hands, and needed a Joe Brennan score to edge ahead by the break (0-9 to 0-8).
The Wicklow visitors were an even greater force to be reckoned with in the second half, and seemed to be on the cusp of pulling off a major shock when Wayne O’Gorman plundered a goal in the 45th minute to push his side ahead (1-11 to 0-12).
That goal acted like a spur to Ballyragget, who raised their game and kicked on.
Kelly struck three frees in the final quarter, with Seoirse Kenny adding another, before Brian ‘Brooky’ Phelan levelled the game in the dying seconds of normal time.
But Ballyragget refused to panic and picked off four of the last five points to win by the minimum.
Despite the accuracy of Kilkenny star Kevin Kelly, Glenealy led by 0-6 to 0-5 after 20 minutes and by 0-9 to 0-8 at half-time.
Kelly top-scored with 0-11, while Jonathan O’Neill Snr led the Glenealy scoring charge with 0-8.
St. Patrick’s, Ballyragget – M Gannon; J Mooney, G Morrissey, M Staunton; G Brennan, S Staunton, B Staunton; R Healy, J Gannon; M Brennan (0-2), S Kenny (0-2), P Brennan (0-1); J Brennan (0-1), K Kelly (0-11, 10f), B Phelan (0-2). Subs: P McEvoy for G Morrissey, C Delaney for J Brennan, S Mooney for R Healy, E Bergin for C Delaney.
Glenealy – K Snell; E Byrne, W Kavanagh, R O’Neill; G Byrne, D Staunton, T Doyle; J O’Neill Snr (0-8f), J Manley (0-1); R Byrne (0-2), J Byrne (0-1), E Glynn (0-1); J O’Neill Jnr, A Driver, L Glynn (0-1). Subs: L Kavanagh for R O’Neill, A Conyard for J O’Neill Jnr, W O’Gorman (1-0) for A Driver, G Weir (0-1) for L Glynn, P O’Brien for E Glynn.
Referee – S Stack.
