Courtesy of IrishExaminer.com
The joy on the Abbeydorney players’ faces when referee Kevin Jordan sounded the final whistle in the 2024 Kerry Senior Hurling Championship final and the pitch invasion by almost the whole of the Abbeydorney parish was proof that fairytales do happen at Austin Stack Park.
It ended a fifty year famine as the last club that had not won a SHC title since the millennium and for Abbeydorney it was a day when hope and history rhymed for the black and amber.
Superbly led at the back by skipper James O’Connor and at centre forward by talisman Micheal O’Leary, there was no stopping O’Dorney march into history as the team that ended not alone a fifty year wait but also made up for their county final loss in 2005, when corner back Kieran Dineen played at midfield.
It was evident from early on that the favourites Ballyduff were in trouble after Michael O’Leary grabbed the throw-in, was fouled and he duly converted the resultant free. O’Leary then floated over a point from play and the tone was set, Abbeydorney were ravenous and winning all the key match-ups, while Ballyduff struggling all over the field.
Stephen Egan was curbing the threat of Ballyduff danger man Podge Boyle with Ronan Donovan sweeping in front of him. James O’Connor had the measure of Jack Goulding and with Micheal O’Leary proving a handful at the other end, Ballyduff were clearly rattled.
Abbeydorney had raced 0-6 to 0-2 clear at the end of the opening quarter with Michael O’Leary ( 2fs), Jack Sheehan and Daniel O’Leary adding point while Kevin Goulding and Jack O’Sullivan replying for Ballyduff.
By the 20th minute Ballyduff had closed the gap to 0-7 to 0-5, thanks to points from Podge Boyle (2) and another from Jack O’Sullivan. But Abbeydorney were on fire and added 1-4 without reply in the remaining minutes of the half, with Oisin Maunsell collecting from Niall O’Mahoney before slipping two Ballyduff defenders and finishing the ball the net. Then James O’Connor drove up the sideline and fired over an inspirational point, as Jack Sheehan then closed out the half, and retired 1-11 to 0-5 in front.
It seemed an impossible ask for 25 times champions Ballyduff and they started well with points from Jack Goulding and Adam Segal. Oisin Maunsell then missed a goal chance for Abbeydorney but their half back line of James O’Connor, Ronan Donovan and Jedd Maunsell were impregnable while the three O’Leary brothers Michael, Daniel and Brendan were causing Ballyduff all sorts of problems.
Ballyduff were not getting shots off and Podge Boyle going for goal from a close in free, it was batted away by James O’Connor. The O’Leary brothers all added points with Michael adding two and Ballyduff knew the game was up despite emptying their bench.
Despite a late Jack O’Sullivan goal, it was destined to be Abbeydorney’s day. It was fitting that Michael O’Leary should get his just rewards after a decade in the trenches. Let nobody say that the better team didn’t win this game, they did and by some margin. After a fifty-year wait Abbeydorney have done it, becoming the final of the eight north Kerry clubs to register a 21st century championship success. The village will be rocking tonight, and for some time to come.
M O’Leary (0-7, 6fs), O Maunsell (1-2), D O’Leary and J Sheehan (0-2 each), J O’Connor, N O’Mahoney, C O’Sullivan and B O’Leary (0-1 each).
J O’Sullivan (1-2), P Boyle (0-4, 0-2fs, 1’65), K Goulding, A Segal, J Goulding and E Boyle (0-1 each).
C Bohane; K Dineen, S Egan, M Clifford; James O’Connor, R Donovan, J Maunsell; T Ó hAiniféin, D O’Leary; N O’Mahoney, O Maunsell, J Sheehan; D Egan, M O’Leary , C O’Sullivan.
Subs: B O’Leary for N O’Mahoney, 36, D Hogan for T Ó hAiniféin, 41, K Sheehan for D O’Leary, 59, M Slattery for C O’Sullivan, 60(+2)
D Quinlan; A Kavanagh, P Costelloe, K O’Connor; E Boyle, K Goulding , D O’Carroll; N Mangan, A Segal; J O’Sullivan , J Goulding , A O’Connor; P Boyle, D Moriarty, L Rochford Subs: D Slattery for A Kavanagh, 36, J Enright for D Moriarty, 36, JP O’Carroll for L Rochford, 43, K Boyle for E Boyle, 57, J Bowler for a O’Connor, 57
Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)
