Murphy and Kelleher inflict pain as powerful Brosna Gaels sweep Ballinamere aside

BROSNA Gaels were complete masters as they comfortably defeated Ballinamere in the Junior Hurling Championship final replay in Birr on Sunday afternoon.

Molloy Environmental Systems Junior Hurling Championship final replay

Brosna Gaels 1-15
Ballinamere 1-7

Considering it was a replay, the comprehensive nature of Brosna Gaels' win may have been a surprise but really and truly, it was only a mild one. Over the course of the championship, Brosna Gaels were the best junior hurling team and over their two meetings with Ballinamere, they were also the superior outfit.

Ballinamere had done well to come back and draw the first game but the result was never in doubt here. Ballinamere held their own for ten minutes at the start but from there on, Brosna Gaels were the better team, and by a considerable distance at that.

They worked way harder than their opponents throughout the field and it was telling that Ballinamere defenders had much more to do to get the ball clear than at the other end. The Brosna Gaels' forwards worked like men possessed and over a period of time, it wore the life out of Ballinamere.

The sides were level at 0-2 each after ten minutes but from here on, Brosna Gaels were on top all over the field. They led by 1-8 to 1-2 at half time and remained in the driving seat through the second half. Ballinamere to be fair to them show a much greater work ethic in the second half. They put themselves about more and battled harder for the ball but never really looked like coming back.

The closest they could get was four points and that was for a few moments early in the second half. A brilliant Eoin Murphy free put Brosna Gaels back five in front and as Stephen Fitzgerald missed scoreable frees for Ballinamere, as well as converting a few, Ballinamere's resistance ebbed and they were a beaten docket long before the final whistle – they simply didn't score enough when they were on top and needed to get every chance to make it interesting.

There was an impression about this final that Ballinamere had the better hurlers but Brosna Gaels' football fitness would be a telling factor at this time of year. That, however, was a generic impression and the evidence was not there to back it up. Brosna Gaels are a hurling amalgamation of players from four football clubs, Ballinamere, Ballycumber, Erin Rovers and Tubber and football is the game of choice for most of their players. It was true that they had an edge in fitness and a clear edge in physicality but it would not be right to suggest that Ballinamere were the better hurlers. Brosna Gaels also played much the better hurling on the day, they were a bit sharper and more slick, even if it was very obvious at times from both sides that it was Offaly's fourth tier.

Brosna Gaels' hunger and physicality were key elements in their win but they also got the result because of the excellence of two of their players whose first love may be hurling – Dan Kelleher and Eoin Murphy. The Brosna Gaels game plan was very simple – get the ball in quick to the edge of the square where the physically imposing Kelleher proved a real handful. He won a huge volume of ball, won frees and any time the ball went in near him, it took a while for it to come back out. A former Offaly senior hurler, Kelleher missed a few chances of scoring but he was pivotal to their win.

Young Eoin Murphy was also hugely influential. An Offaly minor hurler last year, his striking from frees and play was top drawer. He got fourteen of their fifteen points, twelve of them from placed balls and was radar like in the way he punished every indiscretion.

There were plenty of other Brosna Gaels players who stood up to be counted. Richard Fox was terrific at centre half back. Now approaching his 40th birthday, he stamped his authority on the game from start to finish while Sean Hackett, Lee Colgan, Eoghan Hennessy, Declan Buckley and Andrew Buckley also impressed for the winners.

In fairness to Ballinamere, they came up against a fairly serious Brosna Gaels side. It is not that long ago since Brosna Gaels were competing at a much higher level and Ballinamere's second side were always likely to find it hard to live with them. They had plenty of players who gave it their all but on the day, they were beaten by a vastly superior force.

Brosna Gaels were the better side by a distance in the first half and fully deserved their half time lead of 1-8 to 1-2. Ballinamere competed well early on and the sides were level on two occasions in the first ten minutes.

Eoin Murphy put Brosna Gaels 0-3 to 0-2 ahead with an 11th minute free and doubled their lead from another placed ball before they got in for a 20th minute goal – Andrew Buckley finished after Ballinamere failed to clear their lines.

Another free from Eoin Murphy put Brosna Gaels 1-5 to 0-2 clear before Ballinamere got back into it with a soft 22nd minute goal. Stephen Fitzgerald did well to win possession out on the wing but didn't properly catch his shot and it dropped into the danger zone where Jack Wyer got his hurl to the ball, diverting it into the net.

Brosna Gaels continued to dominate after this and two more Murphy frees followed by a nice point from play from Gary Larkin gave them that six point half time lead.

Ballinamere competed much better from the start of the second half. They began to match Brosna Gaels' work rate, win more frees and more 50/50 battles for possession. Gradually they crept back into it. Stephen Fitzgerald got three frees and missed another three, two of which he will have been very disappointed in. At the other end, Eoin Murphy converted two frees to leave Brosna Gaels 1-10 to 1-5 ahead at the water break.

Two more Murphy frees put Brosna Gaels 1-12 to 1-5 clear and it was really a done deal from here as Ballinamere heads dropped. In the remaining minutes, Brosna Gaels outscored them by three points to two and won with real comfort.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE SCORERS

Brosna Gaels: Eoin Murphy 0-14 (11f and 1 '65'), Andrew Buckley 1-0, Gary Larkin 0-1.

Ballinamere: Stephen Fitzgerald 0-6 (4f and 1 '65'), Jack Wyer 1-0, Andrew Fitzgerald 0-1,

THE TEAMS

BROSNA GAELS: Sean Farrell; James Langan, Sean Hackett, Ger Buckley; Lee Colgan, Richard Fox, Eoghan Hennessy; Declan Buckley, Joe Lowry; Gary Larkin, Jack Quinn, Andrew Buckley; Ciaran Allen, Dan Kelleher, Eoin Murphy. Subs – Gio Russo for Lowry (48m), Jack Buckley for Ciaran Allen (60m), Aaron Daly for Langan (61m), Paul Egan for Quinn (63m).

BALLINAMERE: Kieran McLoughlin; Brian Cleary, David Gillespie, Ken Molloy; Eoin Boland, Danny O'Brien, Colin Waters; Stephen Fitzgerald, Conor Wyer; Andy Walsh, Oisin Cusack, Andrew Fitzgerald; Jack Wyer, Luke Wyer, Daryl Troy. Subs – Jody Leonard for Troy (39m), Liam Clavin for Andrew Fitzgerald (50m).

Referee – Noel Flynn (Kilcormac-Killoughey).

MAN OF THE MATCH

Eoin Murphy (Brosna Gaels): There is a temptation to go with Dan Kelleher who caused such problems all afternoon. Brosna Gaels may not have won without Kelleher but you just can't ignore the claims of Eoin Murphy. On a day when Ballinamere missed too many frees, he never put a foot wrong. He converted almost everything as well as getting two points from play. He was very slick on the ball and showed great pace.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Eoin Murphy's point from a 38th minute free was crucial. He sent the sliotar sailing between the posts from way out on the right wing and it was perfect timing as Ballinamere had got the deficit back to four points and were looking like they might make a game out of it. It also came at a srage when Ballinamere were missing a couple of frees and it steadied Brosna Gaels' nerves as well as knocking a bit of life out of Ballinamere.

REFEREE WATCH

Noel Flynn had an excellent game. Brosna Gaels did seem to get frees a bit easier in the first half but Ballinamere definitely got their quota in the second half. He let play run while retaining control and showed his vast experience at all times – when the umpires waved a Stephen Fitzgerald free wide in the second half, he knew instantly that the blinding sun had caught them, consulted his linesman and awarded the point which was the correct decision. He also allowed physicality, warning players rather than showing cards but every player on the field knew where the line was an didn't stray across it.

TALKING POINT

Brosna Gaels' should be able to challenge for the intermediate title next year. Football will be the priority for the four clubs feeding into them and most of their players but they have a lot going for them in hurling and should hold their own at the higher level.

VENUE WATCH

It was a lovely day for hurling considering the December setting. It was cold but the sun was shining and there was very little wind out. The Birr pitch held up well and once again the Birr club were perfect, professional hosts, looking after all aspects of the fixture.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Offaly intermediate finalists Shamrocks are representing the county in the Leinster junior championship (the champions Birr can't as second teams can't compete in provincial club fare) and this concludes the season for both these clubs.

STATISTICS

Wides: Brosna Gaels – 10 (5 in first half); Ballinamere – 13 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: 0.

Red cards: 0.