KILKENNY SHC FINAL Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-11 James Stephens 1-8:A LAST GASP Henry Shefflin free saw Ballyhale Shamrocks live to fight another day as the Kilkenny senior hurling county final ended all square.
Shefflin’s point, which came four minutes into injury-time, saw Ballyhale deny James Stephens a ninth county senior title in Nowlan Park yesterday.
Both teams struggled to impose themselves in a game that began in a heavy downpour, but it was Ballyhale who had the tie in a good grip by the 15th minute.
TJ Reid got them off the mark, one of many players who splashed their way through a sodden middle third. Although James Stephens levelled with a solid point from Niall Tyrrell, they failed to get to grips with the game as the Shamrocks began to dominate.
A Henry Shefflin free was quickly followed by a point from play by Colin Fennelly, the young forward latching on to a booted clearance from James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick and racing away from his marker.
The gap was halved when Eoin Larkin landed his first free of the day, but three placed ball scores from Shefflin saw the Shamrocks open a convincing lead.
James Stephens struggled to force their way into the game, but saw a great chance go a-begging on 16 minutes. Ray Coady’s probing pass set up Matthew Ruth who found a gap in the Shamrocks defence and bore down on goal, but Richie Reid made a fine save.
The Village found themselves five points behind when Eoin Reid grabbed a point. Larkin did end a 15-minute barren spell with the first of two frees late in the half, but TJ Reid hit back to leave Ballyhale ahead at the break, 0-8 to 0-4.
Playing with a strong breeze at their backs suited James Stephens, who close the gap to just one point by the 44th minute thanks to three Eoin Larkin frees, but, try as they might they, couldn’t find the equaliser.
Shamrocks seemed to have weathered the storm when Henry Shefflin’s fifth free of the afternoon moved them two clear with nine minutes to play (0-9 to 0-7) but they were rocked when David Walton latched on to a loose ball and drilled it past netminder Richie Reid to give James Stephens the lead for the first time.
Another Shefflin free restored parity, but the title looked to be heading the city club’s way when Eoin Larkin ended a fine move with his first point from play on 60 minutes. However, deep in injury-time, a foul on Colin Fennelly saw Shefflin snatch a replay. The two sides will do battle again next Sunday.
BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS: R Reid; P Shefflin, A Cummins, G Fennelly; J Holden, E Walsh, B Aylward; J Fitzpatrick, M Fennelly; C Fennelly (0-1), H Shefflin (0-7, frees), TJ Reid (0-2); D Hoyne, E Reid (0-1), C Walsh. Sub: M Aylward for Hoyne (54 mins).
JAMES STEPHENS: D Brennan; T Keogh, P Larkin, J Comerford; E Sheehy, J Tyrrell, D Cody; N McQuillan, N Tyrrell (0-1); D McCormack, R Coady, M Ruth; E McCormack (0-1), E Larkin (0-6, five frees), D Walton (1-0). Subs: R Hayes for Sheehy (52 mins), G Whelan for N Tyrrell (60 mins).
Referee: M Flynn(Mooncoin).
