Ballyhale sweep up as Reids find range

Leinster SHC Final/ Ballyhale 1-20 Birr 1-8:A memorable weekend for Kilkenny champions Ballyhale wrapped up yesterday with the club taking the AIB Leinster hurling championship after a dazzling second-half blitzed former winners Birr at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise.

Having had their star turns Henry Shefflin and James Fitzpatrick named as hurler and young hurler of the year at the All Stars on Friday night, Ballyhale added another glittering prize by cruising to a first provincial title in 17 years.

A deceptively strong breeze gusted behind the Offaly side in the first half but they didn't help their cause with a crippling 12 wides, many of them inexplicable. As was the case with Rathnure, who had a man sent off in the first half in the semi-final, Ballyhale's opponents ended up handicapping themselves and, thus facilitated, the Kilkenny club demolished Birr.

Neither Shefflin nor Fitzpatrick were resting on their laurels, but there was also a weighty input from the Reid brothers, who flashed over 10 points from play between them.

The advantage of such depth in the team is that Ballyhale don't lean excessively on their big names. Fitzpatrick played quite deep at times, cutting out attacking ball and clearing lengthily as well as popping two points from the middle of the field.

Shefflin was a reassuring presence and his goal kept the match nicely in his team's grasp during a first half in which they conceded plenty of chances.

It came in the 13th minute after TJ Reid dropped a ball in on top of the goalmouth and Shefflin pounced in front of Brian Mullins and batted the ball out along the end-line, gathered it, wheeled around and sent it whistling into the net.

In changes from the match programme, Mullins and Simon Whelahan were passed fit to start instead of Mark Mulrooney and Michael Dwane.

Both were a little hesitant in the early stages, but recovered strongly as Birr turned the match around in the final 12 minutes of the first half to come from 0-2 to 1-3 behind to score five unanswered points and lead at the break.

Brian Whelahan gave yet another stunning performance during the first half-hour, reading the game as smartly as ever and whipping the familiar clearances up the field.

He was again joined by his son Aaron in the second half, but by then Ballyhale had turned up the heat and the match was beyond the Offaly champions - although the great defender did manage one signature, deft flick to avert danger in virtually the last action of the match.

Similarly, Rory Hanniffy competed well with Shefflin, but the relentless pressure after half-time cracked Birr wide open.

Within 30 seconds of the restart Henry Shefflin had equalised and triggered an eight-point barrage in little over 10 minutes, featuring some stylish scores from Patrick, TJ - who ended up with five from play - and Eoin Reid.

Birr managed just two scores in the second half, a point from Stephen Brown and a goal from veteran Joe Errity, who came on as a replacement and with four minutes left finished off some good work by Gary Hanniffy.

Speaking afterwards, James Fitzpatrick reflected on a momentous year with club and country. Having come close in Kilkenny last year, Ballyhale had legitimate ambitions for 2006.

"Losing the county final was a big motivation. We said that next year we'd get the heads down and it couldn't have gone better. It's fantastic to win an All-Ireland but Stephen McDonagh (who finally won a county medal this autumn) said it in Limerick, the club title is the sweetest of all."

Fitzpatrick also spoke about the team's big second-half display and the role of the Reids.

"We know the wind won't win a match for you but it can help. We used it wisely and gave the right ball into the forwards. The Reids are all brothers and know each others' play inside out. They've been playing together since they were three or four years old."

BALLYHALE: J Connolly; P Shefflin, E Walsh, P Holden; K Nolan, A Cummins, B Aylward; J Fitzpatrick (0-2), M Fennelly; E Fitzpatrick (0-2), H Shefflin (1-5, three frees), TJ Reid (0-5); P Reid (0-2), E Reid (0-3), M Aylward (0-1). Subs: T Coogan (capt) for J Fitzpatrick (59 mins), M Dermody for Walsh (59 mins), D Hoyne for TJ Reid (59 mins), C Fennelly for M Aylward (59 mins), B Costelloe for Fennelly (61 mins).

BIRR: B Mullins; JP O'Meara (capt), P Cleary, M Verney; Brian Whelahan (0-1, a free), R Hannify, N Claffey; Barry Whelehan, N Rodgers; P O'Meara (0-2), G Hanniffy, D Hayden; S Whelahan (0-3, two frees), S Brown (0-2), S Ryan. Subs: J Errity (1-0)for Rodgers (48 mins), A Whelahan for Brown (55 mins), P Molloy for Barry Whelehan (55 mins), M Dwane for Ryan (57 mins).

Referee: J McGrath(Westmeath).