Cappawhite win first Junior hurling title since 1948 in defeat of Silvermines

FBD Insurance Junior B Hurling Championship Final 

Cappawhite 3-9 

Silvermines 0-14

By James Hayden

Cappawhite hit three decisive goals to be crowned county Junior ‘B’ hurling champions following a thoroughly absorbing final clash with a battle-hardened Silvermines side at Kilcommon on Saturday afternoon last.

A two-goal salvo inside the opening ten minutes coupled with a third major mid-way through the second half provided the necessary impetus for the West champions to capture the Tim Maher Cup.

Silvermines went into this encounter hoping to add silverware to their trophy cabinet having already annexed the North league and championship titles while Cappawhite were seeking to build upon their extra-time victory over Clonoulty in a thrilling west final and an impressive county campaign to bring a county junior hurling title back to the club for their first time since 1948.

County finals are always won on merit but there has to be a little rub of the green thrown in for good measure also and on this occasion, it favoured the men from the West, particularly when it came to their opening goal of the game.

Coming just after 38 seconds of play after full-forward Anthony Barry battled hard for possession of a high-dropping ball. The sliotar broke kindly and Cappawhite’s main target man hacked the sliotar on rugby style before a favourable bounce or two culminated with a cracking first-timed effort to the back of the ‘Mines net to ensure a tonic start for Eamonn Buckley’s side.

Despite being rocked by the early goal Silvermines, who elected to play against the breeze in the opening half, settled quickly and displayed bucketloads of composure to bring themselves right back upside by the fifth minute with a cracking Ronan Cunneen point opening their account following an insightful Daniel Keogh delivery. 

Cunneen, who was the main threat for Declan Nolan’s side on their inside forward line followed up with a well-converted free before arrowing over a third point on the bounce for the ‘Mines.

The evergreen Michael O’Neill responded with his first of three points from play in the half on six minutes following a well-timed Fionn Brady delivery. Cappawhite’s inside forward line carried a threat from aerial balls which were clearly causing problems in the opening exchanges.  

That threat manifested itself in a second Cappa goal on the ten-minute mark and the Silvermines’ rearguard was again breached after James Quinlan’s long delivery was plucked from the skies by Anthony Barry once again. Barry gathered and tore through the cover before rattling the ‘Mines net once more, 2-1 to 0-3.

Cappawhite, with Paddy Julian, Neil Clancy, and James Quinlan snaffling a lot of ball around the middle third, built on their early advantage with two further points on the bounce, a well-taken Michael O’Neill point before a long-range James Quinlan free-fired the West side into a clear two-goal advantage.

Undoubtedly the ‘Mines had the better of the exchanges in the second quarter with Ronan Cunneen drawing a 19th-minute free before converting from close range. Eoin Seymour at centre-back and Cathal McGrath and Cynan Bailey were beginning to gain a foothold in around the middle of the field and Daniel Keogh was also beginning to exert his noticeable influence.

Silvermines narrowed the gap with another free from the stick of Cunneen on 21 minutes before Cappawhite struck back with a sublime effort after Pakie Barry gathered Darragh Barry’s puckout and set up Michael O’Neill for one of the scores of the half. Silvermines responded with a well-worked Sean Spillane effort before Pakie Barry got in on the scoring act himself with his side’s fifth point of the half.

Silvermines had the final say of the opening half however with Ronan Cunneen arrowing over his third from play of the half to see the ‘Mines trail by just four at the break, 0-7 to 2-5. One interesting take from the first half was that all but one of Cappawhite’s scores came from play while Silvermines registered four points from play with three coming from placed balls.

Silvermines re-jigged their side at the break with Paudie Fogarty drafted in for John Ryan and upon resumption of hostilities, the North champions took the game to Cappawhite. 

A well-struck 65’ from Ronan Cunneen coupled with a fourth point from play from the ‘Mines scorer-in-chief whittled down the deficit to two before William Murphy was penalized for fouling the ball while attempting to clear his lines and Anthony Barry duly tapped over the resultant free from close-range.

Daniel Keogh responded with a booming effort from range but Cappawhite were in no mood to let the ‘Mines build up a head of steam and they struck back with Pakie Barry’s second point from play, a cracking effort following impressive play from center-forward, Michael O’Neill as the 40-minute mark approached.

Silvermines introduced Diarmuid Brennan in a bid to strengthen their defence and the momentum was beginning to swing back in their favour after Ronan Cunneen cut the gap to just two points with a well-struck 48th minute free, 0-11 to 2-7.

Seconds later that growing momentum was halted abruptly though with Cappawhite’s third goal of the game, a cracking effort from the stick of substitute Ciaran Doody following impressive work from Fionn Brady and Pakie Barry.

The goal effectively knocked the ‘Mines for six and they were lucky not to concede a fourth minutes later when Neil Clancy’s effort cannoned off the crossbar and fell to the feet of the unmarked Anthony Barry. Barry’s subsequent effort ricocheted off the crossbar and over for Cappawhite’s penultimate score of the game on 52 minutes.

For the remaining eight minutes or so of normal time and injury time the West champions fought a rearguard action with Thomas Costello and Ciaran Ryan marshalling their respective defensive lines. Silvermines weren’t going to ‘die soft’ though and threw everything they had at the West champions in a bid to bridge the six-point deficit. 

Points from brothers Willie and Daniel Keogh cut the deficit to just four points by the 27th minute before a superb slaloming run from midfielder Neil Clancy culminated in a crucial point for Cappawhite, a point that effectively served to put pay to any semblance of a late Silvermines comeback.

The ’Mines went in search of a late goal with Willie Keogh going close and Niall Curran flicking a late effort over the bar, but it wasn’t to be for the North champions as Cappawhite held out to be deservedly crowned county Junior ‘B’ hurling champions.

Cappawhite: Darragh Barry; Noel Ryan, Thomas Costello, Cathal McCarthy; James Quinlan (0-1f), Ciaran Ryan, Cian O’Carroll; Neil Clancy (0-1), Paddy Julian; Fionn Brady, Michael O’Neill (0-3), Eoghan Ryan; Pakie Barry (0-2), Anthony Barry (2-2, 0-1f), Tommy Coughlan.

Subs used: Ciaran Doody (1-0) for E. Ryan (40); Caoimhin Doody (50) for Julian (50); Brian (G) Buckley for Coughlan (53); Michael (P) Buckley for O’Neill (55).

Silvermines: David Shanahan; William Murphy, Sean Ryan Prendiville, Ben Claffey; Cathal McGrath (JC), Eoin Seymour, Sean McGrath; Cynan Bailey, Daniel Ryan, John Ryan, Niall Curran (0-1), Daniel Keogh (0-2); Brian Leamy, Sean Spillane (0-1), Ronan Cunneen (0-9, 0-4f, 0-1 65').

Subs used: Paudie Fogarty for J. Ryan (HT); Willie Keogh (0-1) for Spillane  (41, inj); Diarmuid Brennan for Claffey (44); Conor McGrath for Leamy (57); Eamonn Corcoran for Seymour (58, inj).

Referee: Shane Hodgins (Knockshegowna)