Super Shels come of age

Not since famed Sally Beachers prevailed in 1930 has the proud Over The Water parish provided the kings of the sport in the county, and the joy at bridging that 84-year gap was unconfined as team captain Ciarán O'Shaughnessy accepted the silverware from Co. Chairman Diarmuid Devereux.

This was a triumph for resilience and character as much as hurling ability on a terrible day for a match, although the victors had the latter trait in abundance too. And lady luck can never be discounted either in dishing out the trophies, with the Shels enjoying the rub of the green around the opposing goal as they collected the title despite failing to score in the last twelve minutes plus added time.

St. Anne's looked a beaten docket when the outstanding Joe Kelly got his stick to an aerial delivery from Eoghan Nolan at the Clonard end and directed the sliothar past Joe Codd with the deftest of touches to power his side into a 3-8 to 0-5 lead. Surely there was no way back for the blues at this stage, but in fairness they rallied in true club fashion and were just one goal away from forcing extra-time in a frantic finish.

Overall though, Shelmaliers had done more than enough to deserve the tag of new Pettitt's champions, with the last ten minutes of the first-half when they pounced for 2-2 without reply undoubtedly the key period of a game played amid rain and wind gusting towards the town end.

On a day when collective effort prevailed, it still came as no surprise when ace attacker Joe Kelly was selected for the man of the match accolade. The danger he posed was flagged well in advance as he has been the form player throughout the championship, yet he still collected a decisive 2-1 from open play and chipped in with six points from placed balls, including one of his trademark sidelines which will be one of the abiding memories of this campaign.

And though Kelly accounted for nine of his side's eleven scores on a day they will never forget, the two he didn't register were also memorable in their own way. Teenage corner-back Simon Donohoe looked like he was rocket propelled in first-half added time when he took off on a barnstorming run straight down the middle from inside his own half before his delivery caused consternation in the Anne's square, with Eoghan Nolan availing of the indecision to kick into a gaping net for a 2-7 to 0-3 interval lead.

And the only 'non-Kelly' point came seven minutes into the new half courtesy of the versatile Brian Malone who stepped up considerably on his display in the drawn game and was another hero as the Shels came of age after a decade brimming with under-age success at the highest levels.

The black and ambers made one change in personnel from seven days earlier, with county footballer Eoghan Nolan starting in the full-forward line to the exclusion of corner-back Andre O'Brien whose role was filled by number twelve Benny Barron. St. Anne's also made one alteration as Kevin Whelan, who missed the drawn final through injury, was preferred to David O'Connor who replaced him in the half-forward line after 17 minutes.

Shelmaliers had first use of that strong wind and the individual match-ups which developed after some players swapped positions after the throw-in were significant. Brian Malone was placed on the edge of the square with Stephen Banville moving to the left wing where he was policed by Aidan Rochford, and Ciarán O'Shaughnessy operated on the '40 with Kenny Cloney in his slipstream.

Likewise at the other end, Liam Og McGovern quickly went out to left half-forward and was originally marked by Conor Walsh for ten minutes before Aidan Cash took over. The versatile Michael Fogarty, who had suffered a fall during a race in Bettyville on the previous day, moved into full-forward, and on the evidence of the early stages it looked like St. Anne's were well placed to take a first title since 2000.

Certainly they used the ball intelligently as their handpassing and short stick passes generally found the intended targets, but it all fell apart for them in the second quarter. Shelmaliers were first off the mark when Aidan Cash earned a free which Joe Kelly converted, but it took just over three minutes for Liam Og McGovern to improve on his scoreless drawn outing with a point at the end of an impressive build-up featuring Aidan Rochford, Jonathan Fogarty and Diarmuid O'Keeffe.

Kelly restored the lead from another placed ball after Ciarán O'Shaughnessy won a Shels puck-out and was impeded on the left flank, with Mark Furlong responding from a Liam Rochford handpass after the latter's brother, Aidan, directed a free up the left wing.

Both sides struck three wides in the opening eleven minutes, but Joe Kelly was off target just once from a free before he converted his third which was won by Brian Malone to edge the eventual champions back in front (0-3 to 0-2).

He was also responsible for their opener from play, latching on to a long placed ball near the end of the first quarter from netminder Brian Murphy who has surely done more than enough over the two finals to merit a call-up to the Wexford squad as Mark Fanning's understudy.

Then came a trick of the trade from dead-eye Kelly as he utilised that by now familiar dummy swing as if he was on a golf course before connecting sweetly with a line ball on the left to power his side into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead in the 16th minute. St. Anne's should have still been reasonably happy with their lot when Liam Og McGovern emerged from a scramble for possession in the right half-forward position to solo through for his second point, but it all went horribly wrong for them after Michael Fogarty was thwarted in a bid for a goal by some staunch defending in the 18th minute following good work from the just-introduced David O'Connor and Diarmuid O'Keeffe.

Aidan Rochford and Kenny Cloney had swapped places at this juncture and, after a further exchange of wides from a Kelly free and Diarmuid O'Keeffe which left both sides with four by the break, Shelmaliers pounced for the scores that made all the difference in the long run.

On such a difficult day for handling, an error was almost inevitable at some point, and the unfortunate victim was a man playing in a position where there is no back-up behind you - St. Anne's netminder Joe Codd. Just over 21 minutes had elapsed when Joe Kelly's speculative shot from the left wing ended up in the far corner of the net via his hand as he back-pedalled frantically, and the goal was the perfect tonic for the Shels.

Two more pointed frees from Kelly brought his team's and his own tally to a remarkable 1-7 before that memorable run from Simon Donohoe 15 seconds into added time which created the opening for Eoghan Nolan to finish to the net and leave his side with a commanding 2-7 to 0-3 interval lead.

The question on everyone's lips at the break was simple: would ten points be enough given the strength of the wind now backing St. Anne's? They introduced David Fogarty at full-forward after injury prevented him from lining out in his usual full-back position one week earlier, but the omens in the first ten minutes weren't bright as Shelmaliers frustrated them by hunting in packs and a number of fruitless rucks for possession developed.

Joe Kelly was deployed close to goal for the Shels who drew first blood in the 37th minute when another long free from Brian Murphy was won by Brian Malone who fired over. St. Anne's had three more wides chalked up (they ended with eight while the winners had five) before David O'Connor finally opened their second-half account in the 42nd minute, with James Cash performing a function as an extra Shels back which left Páraic O'Keeffe free at the other end.

Brian Murphy did well to save a head-high Diarmuid O'Keeffe shot at the expense of a fruitless '65 before that golden third Shelmaliers goal arrived early in the last quarter. Joe Kelly timed his run to perfection to knock Eoghan Nolan's delivery to the net for a 3-8 to 0-5 lead, with the score awarded following consultation.

It was the first time I have ever seen a puck-out taken with a lift and strike action akin to a free by Joe Codd, but the play continued and two minutes later the outcome should have been put fully beyond doubt. A sublime pass from Joe Kelly put Stephen Banville clean through but the big number 14 nearly decapitated an unfortunate umpire with his wayward kick as the Shels struck their sole second-half wide.

A couple of pointed Diarmuid O'Keeffe frees started the St. Anne's revival which moved into a higher gear in the 55th minute when he played a one-two with Liam Og McGovern before turning on to his left and finding the corner of the net with an instinctive strike despite being under a great deal of pressure (3-8 to 1-7).

David Fogarty availed of an Aidan Rochford handpass to pull back another point, and St. Anne's threw the kitchen sink at their opponents. Fogarty and substitute Pierce White moved further back the field as heavy-hitters Redmond Barry, Rochford and McGovern were all posted closer to goal, and a further trio of pointed O'Keeffe frees narrowed the gap to just three.

It was a worrying time for the Shels as they stood on the brink of history, but they were equal to the task. Nearly three minutes into added time a free from Pierce White into the danger zone was gathered by Joe Kelly - who else? - and driven over the sideline.

A 'scrum' developed from Francis Simpson's line ball and when Aidan Cash finally emerged with possession, referee James Owens spread his arms wide to signal that Shelmaliers had entered the history books as county champions.

Shelmaliers: Brian Murphy; Simon Donohoe, Aidan Murphy, Benny Barron; Conor Walsh, Clive Lawler, Aidan Cash; Eoin Doyle, Brian Doyle; Joe Kelly (2-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 line ball), Brian Malone (0-1), Ciarán O'Shaughnessy (capt.); James Cash, Stephen Banville, Eoghan Nolan (1-0). Subs. - Tommy Barron for E. Doyle (57), Conor Byrne for Banville (58), Andre O'Brien for Nolan (60+3), also Ciarán Walsh, Noel Mythen, Alan Griffith, Willie O'Shaughnessy, Shane Griffith, Denis Kelly, Glen Malone, Shane Birney, Jody Donohoe, Aaron Murphy, Páraic O'Leary, James Gordon, Johnny Campbell.

St. Anne's: Joe Codd; Tomás Cullen, Rich O'Connor, Páraic O'Keeffe; Kenny Cloney, Aidan Rochford, Kevin Hannigan; Jonathan Fogarty, Redmond Barry (capt.); Kevin Whelan, Diarmuid O'Keeffe (1-5, 0-5 frees), Michael Fogarty; Mark Furlong (0-1), Liam Og McGovern (0-2), Liam Rochford (0-1). Subs. - David O'Connor (0-1) for Whelan (17), David Fogarty (0-1) for M. Fogarty (HT), Pierce White for Furlong (33), Francis Simpson for L. Rochford (51), also Joe O'Connor, Tony McDonnell, Seán Gaul, David Kavanagh, Fergus Whelan, Tomás Byrne, Kevin White, Shane Mythen, Jack Moore.

Referee: James Owens (Askamore).