Standout Games & Players: SHC Round 4

Standout Games & Players: Laois Shopping Centre SHC Round 4

The Harps and Rosenallis: Skill and Flair.

The Harps 0.24

Rosenallis 0.11

The Harps produced an absolute joy of a hurling display, with their victory over Rosenallis providing plenty of examples of the skill, creativity, bravery and attacking flair that makes hurling such a spectacular game to watch.

What stood out most was that the skill and willingness to take risks were evident right from throw-in. Rather than waiting until they were comfortably ahead before trying something adventurous, The Harps were expressing themselves while the game was still in the balance.

One of the most underrated skills in hurling is the use of the foot, kicking or flicking the sliotar to retain, regain or turn over possession, and The Harps utilised it brilliantly.

Ross Deegan showed outstanding skill when he lost his hurl during a physical battle for possession. Rather than giving up on the ball, he quickly kicked the sliotar along the ground to safety. He was momentarily turned over by an interception from Rosenallis’ Alex Marron, but Deegan immediately put him under pressure, forcing him to overcarry. Deegan won the resulting free, which Ciaran Comerford converted. Deegan won possession and a free without even using his hurl. Incredibly difficult to execute but he did.

Deegan produced another spectacular moment in the second half, making a handpass that travelled up to 20 metres for to a teammate to lead to a score, a free by Comerford. It was an incredible piece of execution from the midfielder, contributing to the outstanding skill on show.

Ciaran Flynn (2) was another standout for The Harps, producing a vital defensive interception when he got out in front of Rosenallis Jimmy Hyland, to receive the ball and scoop it off the ground before his opponent could get to it. Had Flynn not intercepted it, Hyland would have had significant space just inside the 65-metre line to shoot from range. Instead, Flynn’s brilliant defensive intervention and clearance directly led to a free for The Harps, which Comerford converted.

Flynn was also directly responsible for stopping another Rosenallis scoring opportunity in the second half with a superb tackle on Hyland.

The Harps’ defensive skill was matched by their attacking creativity.

Podge Delaney (6) produced a huge run full of pace to break through both the midfield and defensive lines. Determined to get first to a loose ball on the ground, he brilliantly flicked it with his boot into the air and into James Duggan’s (15) hands. Duggan immediately turned and, despite not even facing the goal when he struck it, sent the sliotar straight over the bar. The speed of his execution was remarkable, he appeared to know exactly where he was going to hit the ball before he had even secured possession.

Another brilliant example of skill came from Ciaran Comerford (11), who won a high ball in midfield by using his hurl to flick it directly into his hands. It was his hurl that made the first touch. He then quickly handpassed the ball to Eoghan Murphy (7), who scored from play from distance.

Murphy himself produced another unreal piece of skill with a handpass executed from behind his back.

The Harps’ attacking ambition was evident again when Eoghan Murphy (7) appeared out of nowhere to prevent Rosenallis Paddy Keating from picking up an uncontested ball around his own 45. Rosenallis had cut the deficit to five points and were threatening to make it a very close game. Murphy got his hurl in first, scooped up the ball and helped create the score that followed. In The Harps’ next attack, he also won a free after another physical battle with Rosenallis Keating

There was plenty of skill at the other end too.

John Maher (2) produced one of Rosenallis’ most impressive moments when he brilliantly tackled The Harps’ James Duggan who was directly through on goal and preparing to take his shot. Maher’s strong challenge diverted the ball wide instead of allowing what looked like a major goal opportunity to develop.

Rosenallis goalkeeper Stephen Kelly (1) also showed great composure, assuredness and strong hands in dealing with dangerous long balls sent in by The Harps, including deliveries from Murphy. It summed up the contrast beautifully: Rosenallis showing excellent defensive skills while The Harps continued to demonstrate attacking flair.

Matthew Bennett (9) produced a huge second-half moment for Rosenallis when he won his own puckout around midfield and embarked on a massive run, using his pace to outrun opponents. He carried the ball a huge distance from midfield right towards the area, getting to just outside the penalty box. He was extremely unfortunate not to win a penalty, missing out by inches, but did win a free instead.

Oran Gorman (4) also showed excellent defensive pressure, winning two frees by forcing opponents to overcarry. He later intercepted a ball on the wing to prevent a scoring opportunity for The Harps’ Justin Duggan.

What made this game particularly enjoyable was the timing of these skills.

Normally, we can see players attempting more extravagant or expressive skills when their team is comfortably ahead. When a game is still cagey, particularly in the opening stages, there can be a reluctance to take those risks. Players know that if an ambitious piece of skill does not come off, it can potentially have an impact on the result, particularly if the game is eventually lost.

The Harps did not seem to care and provided the spectators in attendance with a beautiful watch.

They went all out from the very beginning, taking attacking risks, expressing themselves and displaying creativity while the result was still very much in the balance. That bravery deserves huge credit.

It was fresh and different to see this level of skill being attempted so early in the game, rather than waiting until the outcome was almost decided. The players were willing to trust their ability and put their skills on display when they genuinely mattered.

And thankfully for The Harps, they got the reward in the end.

The Harps’ victory made the display even more satisfying, because the bravery and creativity were not simply performed when there was little consequence. They were part of a genuine, competitive performance.

A beautiful game of hurling and a reminder that when players are willing to express every skill at their disposal, hurling can be an absolute spectacle for the viewer.

Ballyfin v Ballinakill: Skill, Flair but within a Thrilling Competitive Contest

Ballinakill 2.20

Ballyfin 0.21

If The Harps’ victory over Rosenallis the previous night provided a feast of pretty hurling, skill and creativity, Ballyfin v Ballinakill offered something equally impressive; but with one crucial difference.

This time, the skill, attacking flair and superb defensive moments were accompanied by a hugely competitive, score-for-score, end-to-end contest.

At half-time, Ballinakill led by just two points, 2-08 to 0-12, underlining just how closely fought the game was. With the stakes so high; the loser was highly unlikely to qualify from the group, and into a relegation place battle so every score and every defensive intervention carried huge significance.

Ballyfin’s Cillian Rowney produced an excellent defensive moment early on, winning the race to a diagonal ball ahead of the pacey Ballinakill’s Ryan Quinlan. Having initially won possession, he then battled off Quinlan’s attempt at a turnover to win the sideline ball and regain possession again.

That was important not simply because he won the ball, but because he retained possession in a dangerous area of attack. For a defender, winning possession is one thing; being able to secure it and prevent the opposition from immediately regaining it is another important skill.

Then came what was arguably the score of the weekend.

Ballyfin’s Eanna Lyons struck an outrageous point from play from massive distance, from just ahead of his own 45-metre line. It was an extraordinary strike and one of the standout moments of the game.

He wasn’t finished there.

He produced another hugely impressive score from out near the sideline, from an incredibly tight angle and with barely any room to work with. You would have backed against the point being scored given the angle and lack of space, yet somehow he converted it.

He also scored a point from just inside his own half, underlining the extraordinary range he possessed throughout the game.

Ballinakill had their own moments of brilliance.

Gearoid Lynch won possession in midfield before carrying the ball at pace and beating three Ballyfin players in one run. He then handpassed to Ryan Quinlan who produced a lovely ball into the corner for Seamus Fitzpatrick who subsequently had a sight of goal, only to be denied by a brilliant block from Ballyfin’s Sean O’Neill.

It was a superb example of attacking play followed by equally impressive defensive work.

Ballinakill’s Andrew McDonagh was central to two hugely important defensive moments, and both ultimately led to goals at the other end.

First, he produced a great hook on Eanna Lyons, turning over possession. That turnover led to Ballinakill’s goal scored by Seamus Fitzpatrick.

Later, McDonagh produced a brilliant chase-down and tackle on Ballyfin’s Eamon Duff who was attempting to turn inside from out wide and create a goal chance. McDonagh won the resulting free out, and that free ultimately led directly to Eddie Dwyers goal.

So twice, vital defensive actions from Andrew McDonagh directly contributed to goals at the other end.

Those goals were particularly important because Ballinakill were hitting a lot of wides when attempting to score points. Without those two goals, the scoreboard could have looked completely different. Instead of Ballinakill being two points ahead, they could have been four points behind;a six-point swing.

In a game with such huge stakes, that was enormous.

Ballyfin’s Eamon Duff and Eanna Lyons provided much of their team’s attacking spark in the first half, scoring themselves, setting up scores and making excellent runs and handpasses. Even after Ballinakill struck twice for goals, Ballyfin remained firmly in the contest and were only two points behind at half-time.

The half time scoreline said everything about the competitiveness:

Ballyfin 0-14
Ballinakill 2-08

This was a game where the action constantly went from one end to the other. High scoring, level exchanges and very little separating the teams.

There was also an excellent moment of sportsmanship.

Following a hard-hitting challenge from Andrew McDonagh of Ballinakill on Ballyfin’s Eamon Duff. Duff walked away limping after the collision. However, the two players then embraced, seemingly acknowledging that the challenge had not been intentionally dirty and had simply occurred during a hard battle for possession and a moment of respect was displayed and great to see. Another Ballinakill player came over to give Duff a tap on the back, another sign of respect for how Duff reacted to McDonagh’s challenge.

It was a small but welcome reminder of the sportsmanship that can exist alongside the intensity of championship hurling.

The previous night’s Harps-Rosenallis game showcased plenty of beautiful skill and inventive hurling, but with The Harps eventually winning by 13 points, the contest itself was ultimately less competitive.

Ballyfin v Ballinakill had everything.

The outrageous scores. The attacking runs. The handpasses. The hooks and tackles. The brilliant blocks. The defensive interventions that directly created goals. The individual skill and flair.

But most importantly, it had a game that was genuinely on a knife edge.

Score for score. Back and forth. End to end.

And with the stakes so high, that combination of skill, bravery, attacking ambition and defensive quality made Ballyfin v Ballinakill one of the most compelling hurling contests of the weekend.

Even though the game lost its competitive edge half way through the 2nd half, up til then it was brilliant.

Next up is a game that was competitive right until the final whistle, the undisputed game of not just the weekend but of all 4 rounds of Laois Senior Championship Hurling so far. 

Camross v Borris in Ossory Kilcotton: Round Robin Brought To Life

As 3 rounds of Senior Hurling went by without that one outstanding game: there was a feeling that the championship wouldnt set alight until the quarter finals onwards.

Camross and Borris in Ossory Kilcotton proved us who thought that: wrong.

Camross and Borris in Ossory Kilcotton produced another fascinating contest, one that showcased brilliant attacking play, outstanding individual performances, long-range scoring and, above all, the remarkable resilience of Borris in Ossory Kilcotton.

Camross struck inside the opening two minutes through Mossy Keyes (13), but the goal owed just as much to the wonderful skill and vision of James Cuddy (15), who provided the flick and set-up.

Keyes then had 2-1 inside the opening seven minutes, an outstanding attacking start. But it would be wrong to view those early goals as solely the work of Keyes.

Cuddy was equally important.

He was responsible for setting up one of Keyes’ goals, then scored one himself, while also producing the piece of skill that made his first-half contribution so impressive.

For his own goal, Cuddy made an excellent run and showed superb anticipation and vision to get onto a high ball. What initially looked like a shot that was straying wide was transformed into a goal because Cuddy anticipated where the ball was going to land, made the run and got there at exactly the right moment. All he needed was one perfectly timed striking touch — and he put it into the net.

It was a brilliant example of vision, anticipation and movement without the ball.

And in fairness to Borris in Ossory Kilcotton, the early damage was not down to a lack of defensive effort.

Colm Stapleton (4) did an excellent job attempting to limit the influence of Cuddy. In the two attacks immediately following Keyes’ second goal, Stapleton produced two excellent turnovers on Cuddy and won two frees for Borris in Ossory Kilcotton.

It showed that Borris in Ossory Kilcotton were trying to find answers defensively even while Camross were producing outstanding attacking play.

Another major feature of the game was the extraordinary range of Eoin Gaughan (8).

Gaughan produced something of a masterclass in long-range scoring, striking points from distance around midfield and from even further out. His ability to score from such range gave Camross another major attacking weapon.

Cuddy continued to influence the game too.

At one point, Cuddy (15) made a brilliant run along the wing before turning inside, beating his opponent and then passing across to Odhran Phelan (10), who converted the resulting point from play.

Keyes also demonstrated that his contribution was about much more than his own scoring.

He directly set up Dan Delaney (14) for a goal from play. Keyes initially looked as though he was going to take the shot himself, but instead spotted Delaney in a better position and unselfishly laid the ball off.

It was a fantastic example of team play, recognising that a teammate had a better opportunity and making the right decision rather than chasing personal glory.

Despite Camross establishing a nine-point lead midway through the first half, Borris in Ossory Kilcotton refused to let the game disappear from their grasp.

They produced a remarkable comeback, reducing that nine-point deficit to just two points by two minutes into the second half.

A huge part of that fightback was Joe Campion (11).

Campion produced a brilliant second-half performance, scoring two himself and directly setting up a score for Jer Quinlan (14).

His influence continued to grow as the game progressed.

Then came one of the game’s most impressive moments.

In the 60th minute, Campion scored the goal that drew the game level after executing what was arguably one of the most perfectly timed runs through space in the defensive line.

His movement was exceptional. He timed the run perfectly, found the space, received the ball and finished the move to bring Borris in Ossory Kilcotton level.

It was a moment that demonstrated just how intelligent his movement and reading of the game were.

Campion’s overall performance was outstanding.

He should not beat himself up over being turned over in midfield late in the game, an incident that ultimately contributed to one of Camross’ late match-winning points.

That single moment should not overshadow everything that came before it.

Sport can be cruel because ultimately results are what appear on the scoreboard.

But putting the result aside, Campion should hold his head extremely high and be incredibly proud of his performance.

In fact, he ranks third in my Players of the Week for the entire weekend.

Top 3 Players of the Week

1. Eoghan Murphy — The Harps

2. Thep Fitzpatrick — Rathdowney Errill

3. Joe Campion — Borris in Ossory Kilcotton

Campion’s performance was a perfect example of why individual performances cannot always be judged solely by the final result. His contribution helped turn a nine-point deficit into a level game, he scored twice himself, directly created another score and produced that outstanding 60th-minute goal through intelligent movement.

Camross ultimately had the answers late on, but that should not diminish what was an outstanding performance from Campion.

The game itself provided another reminder of what makes championship hurling so compelling.

Camross had the explosive start, the outrageous long-range scoring, the attacking movement and the individual brilliance of players such as Keyes, Cuddy and Gaughan.

Borris in Ossory Kilcotton responded with resilience, individual quality and an incredible second-half fightback.

And at the centre of that comeback was Joe Campion; a player who, despite the late turnover, should look back on his performance with enormous pride.