Graigue through to All-Ireland Club Final

Saturday, 31 March 2001 20:51

Kilkenny team Graigue-Ballycallan are through to their first evern All-Ireland Club Hurling Final after victory over Clare's Sixmilebridge in Thurles today. In the drawn game five weeks ago, Graigue were slow to get into serious action but the reversed was the case today. Their hurling in the opening eight minutes was flawless. Denis Byrne at wing-forward pointed a 55-yard line-ball in the second minute. Two minutes later Eddie Brennan scored a spectacular goal. Byrne followed this up with another point from 70 yards before Michael Hoyne pointed another line-cut.

That gave the Kilkenny team a six-point lead within minutes but Sixmilebridge were not going to surrender that easily. A goal from Brian Culbert just before half-time helped their cause, bringing them within four points of their opponents. The second half was a tense affair with Bridge's centre-back Pat Hayes sent off five minutes before the end. Graigue maintained their lead but the Claremen grew more determined and only the superb play from Johnny Butler and Alan Hoyne kept them at bay.

With time almost up, Sixmilebridge were awarded a penalty when trailing by just two points. Keeper Davy Fitzgerald came down to take it but his effort flew over the bar rather than under it, much to the Graigue fans relief. Overall, they were the better team and deserved their victory, albeit a slim one, with Tomás Dermody being awarded the man-of-the-match. Graigue-Ballycallan will now take on Galway's Athenry in the All-Ireland Final in Croke Park on Easter Monday.

Afterwards, Michael Dermody, chairman of the club was thrilled with the result. "It was a tremendous game of hurling and we were the better team but, having said that, Sixmilebridge came back and got the scores. We should have got more scores and put them away earlier," he said.

"We are only a small rural parish with about 300 houses and a population of about 600-700 people. I never thought in my lifetime that we'd be in the club championship final. It was accepted that we'd be heading to Croke Park in September with the county team but not a club team in our parish, you'd never have thought it years ago. But, as we're there, we're going to give it a shot and, please God, we'll win it," he added.

Here are the results from the rest of today's GAA action:

ULSTER UNDER-21 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Antrim 1-06 2-06 Monaghan

Armagh 1-12 1-17 Cavan (AET)

Tyrone 1-12 1-11 Down

LEINSTER U-21 FC SEMI-FINAL

Kildare 0-07 0-11 Dublin

Wicklow 2-05 1-11 Meath

MUNSTER U-21 CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL

Cork 1-11 1-10 Kerry

Limerick 1-09 0-03 Tipperary

CONNACHT U21 FC SEMI-FINALS