Ballyhale Shamrocks aren’t no one man team.
It was Kilkenny senior championship number 16 for Ballyhale Shamrocks on Sunday. Bennettsbridge came roaring back, but the Shamrocks were always in control.
After four years out, Ballyhale are back on top and they’re back in a Leinster championship. There’s no James Cha now, Henry Shefflin is on the other side of the line now too and only six of the starters from the 2016 All-Ireland club final are still starting games.
This is a new-look Ballyhale now, but they still have plenty of experience to guide them.
Michael Fennelly is pushing on in years but he’s still lording it at centre back. So is his brother Colin at the other end of the field. Joey Holden minds the house and Richie and Eoin Reid are in the mix.
Then, you’ve the youngsters.
Youngsters like Evan Shefflin – Henry’s nephew who’s only 20 but who plays with an old head at wing back. The Mullens, Darren, a DCU Fitzgibbon star and his brother Adrian, one of the hottest young talents in Kilkenny. Both of these lads are cousins of the Fennellys and then you’ve Eoin Cody, another 20-year-old, the dynamite forward having honed his skills off the walls of St Kieran’s College over the last few years.
Just like the rest of them.
And then, you’ve the best of them.
Everything goes through TJ Reid, Kilkenny’s and Ballyhale’s man mountain at number 11. His goal in the third minute just summed him up. He gets the ball almost 45 yards out. Most lads would be relieved to get such a handy chance for an early point, just to settle themselves into the game. TJ Reid isn’t like most lads.
He sees things differently to the rest of us and he had goal on his mind the millisecond that ball broke his way. He thundered through and buried it. Ballyhale on their way, welcome to the big time Bennettsbridge.
TJ Reid gets @BallyhaleGAA off to a flying start with an early goal in the Kilkenny SHC Final! #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/9tQ116FMPA
— The GAA (@officialgaa) October 28, 2018
In fairness to Bennettsbridge, they did arrive to Nowlan Park and they did hit Ballyhale Shamrocks hard. Jason Cleere grew into it and so did Enda Morrissey and it got fairly hairy for Ballyhale Shamrocks down the home stretch.
But they never really looked like losing it. Fearless leader TJ Reid led his troops. He ended his afternoon with 1-10 (1-2 from open play) but this was far from a one-man show and that’s why Ballyhale will be so dangerous in Leinster and in the All-Ireland.
Every one of their six starting forwards scored from open play. Of their 2-20 tally, ten of their players had contributed to it. Half backs Shefflin and Mullen chipped in, so did Ronan Corcoran from midfield.
Eight Bennettsbridge players also got on the score-sheet, meaning 18 players scored from open play in this Kilkenny final.
Ballyhale have scorers all over the field. Ballyhale Shamrocks are back.
