The cream always rises.
TJ Reid has some sort of wizard-like sliotar manipulation that few other hurlers in the country can even dream about.
Any time the ball comes near his vicinity, you will see him ghosting over through a sea of bodies, gliding across the turf with his left hand ready for action and a 34″ weapon ready to mop it up.
So often, when all the others are struggling, are sparking off each other in a ruck of players, Reid just comes in as if to say, ‘what are ye all doing lads? Sure the ball is right here!’
Ballyhale Shamrocks took on Clara in the Kilkenny senior hurling quarter-final in Nowlan Park on Saturday afternoon, and the mesmeric half forward was at it from the word go.
As early as the second minute of the game, a 50:50 ball broke between Reid and his marker. Of course, Reid, with that lethal first touch of his, scooped it up without breaking stride, leaving his man sitting.
Now this is what sets Reid apart from so many other hurlers, what set Kilkenny apart when they were in their prime.
He picked it up basically at the corner flag. Opportunity wasn’t that obvious. Reid didn’t even have to sniff goal, he just naturally put that knew he could conjure something.
Ruthless.
He surveyed his options for a split second, sold the most deftly dummy you’ll see with a magnificent solo, slipped along the sideline, before somehow having the vision amongst the madness to flick it in to the path of teammate Michael Fennelly.
Fennelly buried it.
Let’s just appreciate that pass from Reid, though. He had three men to beat, he flicked it through them and into the path of Fennelly as if they weren’t even there.
He didn’t look up, he didn’t have to. All it took was instinct and a subtle flick of those golden wrists.
03: GOAL!
TJ Reid & Michael Fennelly combine, before Fennelly blasts home to put Ballyhale into an early lead. #ClubChampionships pic.twitter.com/tIQo0D9JV0— eir Sport (@eirSport) September 30, 2017
Easy.
Colin Fennelly’s first half pass was none too shabby either.
ICYMI:
Sensational pass from Colin Fennelly✔️
Clinical finish from Ronan Corcoran✔️
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #ClubChampionships pic.twitter.com/PcDI93q8WA— eir Sport (@eirSport) September 30, 2017
Indeed, it looked as if Ballyhale were going to romp to victory, taking a seven point lead into the interval, but Clara bravely fought back in the second-half, inspired by Chris Bolger to put only one point between the sides with two minutes to go.
It ended a draw, and what a game it was.
