Leinster Club HC Final Birr 1-11 Ballyboden St Enda's 0-13"One point is the nicest win of them all. We will definitely get drunk tonight." Pad Joe Whelahan sat on a slab of concrete outside the dressingrooms at O'Connor Park, Tullamore and savoured what must be one of the sweetest chapters in the enduring folk tale of Birr hurling.
On the wildest of days, the celebrated Midlands club just about resisted the spirit and endeavour of Dublin champions St Enda's to win their seventh Leinster title.
A driving gale reduced the match to 30 minutes of alternating siege tactics, and through the desperately exciting closing minutes the Offaly champions needed all the decades of craft and a small bit of luck.
It appeared David Sweeney's sideline cut clipped a Birr hurley before tailing wide, so at the very least the Dublinmen deserved a last shot at redemption from a 65. And given the accuracy of their marksman David Curtin, the likelihood is he would have scored. In addition, Ballyboden had the grievance of seeing what looked like a Birr wide flagged as their fifth point. It was a rough end to the Ballyboden adventure and yet another show of rebellion and ambition by the wonderful classicists from the Midlands.
The afternoon, darkening already by four o'clock, concluded with the familiar sight of Brian Whelahan leaning against the railing and delivering a chatty, emotive victory speech.
Sixteen years have passed since the eldest of the Whelahan boys, then a copper-haired kid with a brilliant career ahead of him, captained his town team to a stunning demolition of Ballyhale Shamrocks. Yesterday, Whelahan was still captain and though many of that illustrious 1990s generation watched from the stands, Birr can now go on and surpass Ballyhale by winning their fifth All-Ireland title next year. Their next outing is against Dunloy in Clones.
"We are one hour away from St Patrick's Day," Whelahan mused. "That is going to drive us on."
The Dublin men travelled home last night imagining the national day might, in a parallel world, have held glorious things for them too. They came desperately close. After electing to face the gale in the first half, they began, once they got the wind behind them, to make short work of the 1-9 to 0-3 deficit.
Three points in five minutes set them up and for long periods the Birr crowd must have wondered if their team would score again.
It was a shame the wind dictated the style of both teams but even so, Ballyboden produced terrific performances from Stephen Perkins, Conal Keaney, Stephen Hiney, Emmet Carroll and, in particular, the strong, direct Curtin.
Ballyboden fired long ball down on Keaney and the dual star made lively use of it, despite a brief bout of indiscipline that resulted in a booking. Still, he responded to that frustration by nailing an excellent point in the 50th minute and when, two minutes later, Enda Kinsella caught and pointed another long delivery, the match seemed to have turned for Ballyboden, with just a single point in it.
"We almost got there," said manager Liam Hogan. "We just came up short but all that matters at the end is what's on the scoreboard. The breeze kind of made a hames of the game . . . I think Brian and the lads were saying a few novenas because the breeze died just when we most needed it."
Somehow, the Offalymen found a way. While controlling the first half, they were troubled by the speed of David Sweeney and when Brian Whelahan skewed a 20-metre free with as many minutes gone, they had built a mere three-point lead.
Ballyboden, defending in numbers, were in a nice position. Birr may have been distracted by the obligation to get goals; as the teams stood for the anthem, a plastic cup went skipping the length of the field and one could only guess where Brian Mullins's puck-outs would finish up. We got our answer on 11 minutes, when he sent a ball deep into the Ballyboden square and Stephen Browne's shot was saved by Gary Maguire.
The goal Birr wanted came on 25 minutes and was beautifully orchestrated. A long ball from Michael Verney was flicked on by Keith Hehir to Simon Whelahan. He spotted his brother Brian and, once in possession, the Offaly legend showed a reserve burst of speed to take him clear of the Ballyboden defence. He had plenty of work to do but, with Maguire advancing, he played a feathered lob across the goal that Paul O'Meara batted in.
It was vintage Whelahan and pure Birr; a lightning bolt, ingeniously simple and clean.
Rory Hanniffy broke free to fire another score and suddenly Birr were in a healthier position.
"I knew there was something left in them," the manager said with a twinkle when the day was won. "There are great young hurlers in Birr. I knew that. And the last two years I was worried about them because they were going the wrong way. I came back to straighten them out."
A late night was promised in Birr. The faces change but the pioneering spirit stays the same.
BIRR: B Mullins; JP O'Meara, N Claffey, M Verney; B Watkins, P Cleary, D Hayden; R Hanniffy (0-2), Barry Whelahan (0-1); G Hanniffy, Brian Whelahan (0-2, free, 65), S Whelahan (0-2); S Browne, P O'Meara (1-4), K Hehir. Subs: M Dwane for K Hehir (46 mins).
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S: G Maguire; C Ryan, S Perkins, D Spain; M Travers, T Sweeney, S Hiney; D Curtin (0-6 frees), B Kennedy; D Sweeney, E Kinsella (0-1), S Lambert (0-1); E Carroll (0-2), C Keaney (0-1), P Ryan. Subs: S Durkin (0-2) for E Carroll (14 mins), E Carroll for B Kennedy (half-time), M Griffin for E Kinsella (55 mins), J Doody for P Ryan (60 mins).
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).
