All on county final day.
Graigue Ballycallan are back. After three years down, they’re in the big time again.
They fell at the final hurdle last year but they went one better this year. Now they’ve an All-Ireland club to look forward to with the promised land of senior hurling beckoning next year.
Tell you what, the villages of Graigue Cross, Ballycallan and Kilmanagh wouldn’t have been bad places to spend the Bank Holiday weekend.
But for much of that Bank Holiday Sunday, it looked as if it wasn’t going to be their day. Neighbours and rivals Tullaroan got off to an absolute blinder of a start, Kilkenny senior Mossy Keoghan with 1-1 to his name before Graigue/Ballycallan knew where they were.
And when Shane and Padriag Walsh got in on the act to leave last year’s beaten finalists trailing by nine at one stage, they looked down and they looked out.
Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Intermediate Final (HT) Tullaroan 2-8 (14) Graigue-Ballycallan 0-7 (7) #GAA
— Kilkenny GAA (@KilkennyCLG) October 28, 2018
They weren’t.
Even when things were going bad for them, Conor Murphy was going good. The half forward punished Tullaroan for every free they conceded and he was pinging them from open play too.
The St Kieran’s College graduate had his radar on and that kept Graigue/Ballycallan alive in this one. Kilkenny senior Billy Ryan was chipping in too and they began eating into that Tullaroan lead.
With seven minutes left to play in Nowlan Park, they were five points down. The rest as they say, is history.
Big players come up with big plays and that man Murphy stood tall when it mattered most. In those telling last seven minutes where Graigue Ballycallan would outscore Tullaroan 1-5 to 0-1, that man Murphy would bang in 1-3, including three of the game’s last four points.
He ended his county final day with 2-10 to his name, 1-2 from open play and he’d end his county final day a hero.
They’re already calling for Brian Cody to take a loot at hi down in Kilkenny.
Great comeback by Graigue-Ballycallan in @michaellyngmtrs intermediate final, Conor Murphy really caught the eye and is a potential county senior panelist, credit to Co. Board – €15 great value for two finals, now to an intriguing senior Final!
— RICHARD HOLDEN (@kirstyboy) October 28, 2018
Kilkenny clubs always fare well in the intermediate championships so don’t be surprised if the good times are only getting started for Murphy, Ryan, Brennan and co.
Great snap of Kilkenny legend Eddie Brennan celebrating @graiguebcGAA Kilkenny intermediate win today with kids Harry and Maeve 👏 pic.twitter.com/KkBrR1ifMC
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) October 28, 2018
