Late drama in Tipperary as Ballyea win without Tony Kelly

Niall McIntyre

It’s peak club season, with county finals taking place left, right and centre, and this was another jam-packed weekend that didn’t disappoint.

The story of the day was certainly in Galway, where after years of heartache and near misses, Mountbellew Moylough seized the day to beat a Corofin team who look like they have reached the end of the road. The best club football team of the last decade were well outplayed by a youthful and hungry Mountbellew-Moylough side who were inspired by the brilliant duo of Michael Daly and Eoin Finnerty. After so many big day losses, nobody could begrudge the victors.

Eoin Finnerty is some player.pic.twitter.com/3PEb6BrpFS

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) November 14, 2021

In Clare, the senior hurling final was as exciting as you’ll get with Ballyea and Inagh Kilnamona going right down to the wire. That Ballyea were able to prevail in spite of Tony Kelly’s absence through injury is a measure of this great club. Niall Deasy and Gary Brennan were once again immense for Ballyea, and that man Kelly was unable to contain his emotions at the final whistle.

Class.

Tony Kelly's ankle is in a bad way but he couldn't contain his emotions at the final whistle. That's how much club GAA means 👏pic.twitter.com/fIEmrIaQ6x

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) November 14, 2021

In Tipperary, it was even tighter as Loughmore-Castleiney and Thurles Sarsfields couldn’t be separated and will have to go again in fortnight’s time. The dual club will rue a pair of soft goals but John McGrath did what John McGrath does to drag them back into it. He has now won man-of-the-match in each of the last five games he has played.

That is the county quarter, semi-final and final in hurling as well as the quarter and semi in football. Talk about a man in form. There was some controversy for a finish however, as with the scores tied and time up, Loughmore won a line-ball only for the ref to blow for full-time. The fact that Noel McGrath had scored from a sideline 20 minutes earlier will have heightened Loughmore’s grievances with the decision. But as John McGrath said in his post-match interview, they’ll get on with it and they’ll come back again.

Elsewhere, Crossmaglen were caught by a Clann Éireann comeback in Armagh while Portlaoise were hammered by Portarlington in Laois. Ramor United, meanwhile, won the replay in Cavan while St Finbarr’s defeated Castlehaven in a penalty shoot-out in the Cork semi-final.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!