Report by Paul Muldowney
A great day was had by all team and mentors on Sunday last when we travelled in force to the Leinster Final between Kilkenny and Galway.
An early start for everyone from our club grounds in Kilmanagh leaving on Ger Ronan’s bus at 7:45am with the first stop to play a challenge game against Liffey Gaels, Lucan U14 team.
Played in poor conditions, it was a very open and skillful game played with great heart. Jason O’Brien provided a super launch pad with every puckout and several good saves on the day. Full back line was air-tight with Kevin Ging, Simon O’Dwyer and JJ Ryan providing a formidable defence. Brendan Dunne, Eoin Delahunty and Shane Comerford supported and created a platform of running defence spraying plenty of ball forward & creating opportunities. Daniel Lawlor and OisÍn Egan held the midfield roles well and opened up the play into the forward lines. Scott Lawlor, Paddy Brennan and Dan Cahill won a lot of ball on the half forward line and opened up the play very well. Full forward line of John Muldowney, Jack Walton and Mark Brennan caused a lot of problems for the Liffey Gaels defence using the space very well and combining with great skill. Liam Cleere, Billy Egan, Conor Walton, Jack Butler, Tom Brennan and Craig Lawlor all entered the game with great determination and gusto and performed brilliantly. In the end, although we lost, the team gave everything and had no regrets-
To cap the day off, our team were thrilled to see Alex McCluskey join the ballad group on the field in Croke Park for a super ballad performance followed by a determined Eoin Delahunty lining out for the half time junior game where he did all our team so proud along with a focused Tara Ronan and Sinead Murphy. What a day for all!!!.. A great and proud day for our club and all families involved. Huge thanks to Thomas Ryan, Tomás McCluskey and Martin Delahunty for top class organisation of the day and to the support of our Graigue Ballycallan Hurling committee. !!!