West championshp junior a hurling Final,1999,at ballingarry.

Newcastle West.....................................................................................2-14

askeaton...................................................................................................2-07.

Ballingarry was bleak and windswept on Saturday last.The wind blew strongly from Knockfierna and we played against it in the first half. We dealt firmly with the amonut of ball it sent our way, made a few successful forways into the Askeaton half to plunder 3 points and be a mere 0-3 to 0-5 behind after 20 minutes. Then Alan O'Connor was at the edge of the square  and at the end of an attack to strike home a beaut of a goal in the 21st minute to put us ahead. Two further points to us had us with a 1-5 to 0-6 lead at the interval.When Martin Hennessy and Donal Horgan had points at 2 and 4 minutes, an easy win seemed certain. 

A scoring bust which yielded 2-1 in the 5th and 14th minutes of the second half and brought the scores level at 1-10 to 2-07, threatened an Askeaton revival. It did not materialise.Our backs,jittery for 10 minutes, got on top again,a faltering midfield was revitalised by the arrival of Michael O'Grady and the forwards added 3 super points.The door was not firmly shut on Askeaton however until debutante Alan O'Connor,(the man of the match), doubled a Tony O'Connor pass to flash a bullet to the net in the 53rd minute.A Liam Murphy point almost immediately after was the games final score.

It was a good display by our lads, one of their best this year.Olly was outstanding in goal.Mike Lane,a super full back played a true captains part.Little passed Neilus Sheehy and Mike Mulcahy in the corners. In the half-back line,Pa O'Connor was back close to his 1996 form.Martin Hennessy added to his growing reputation,while Maurice Hurley thrived on the occasion as usual.David Hurley,fitter than for a long time,had an excellent 50 minutes,as had Michael O'Grady who enjoyed a smashing final 10 minutes.Liam Murphy was pinpoint from frees and first class from general play.17 year old Alan O'Connor had a dream outing scoring 2-3 with Donal Horgan formidable at no. 11.Shane Kelly used his pace to breach the gain line and set up many attacks.Tony O'Connor at full forward played very well,adept at gaining possession,first class at laying off the ball.His sidekicks at 13 and 15,Seanie Gleeson and Peter Curtin were marvellous triers,Seanie with his busy first to the ball aggressive style gave his marker a tough time while the more languid Peter, unlucky not to get his name to a couple of goals won an amount of possession.

The win was of great satisfaction to manager Peter Curtin,selectors Jack Egan,Denis Noonan and Billy Lee.Derry McMahon,Donie Gleeson and J.P. Cremin were out for a variety of reasons. 

TEAM:Olly McCoy;Neilus Sheehy,Mike Lane(Capt),Mike Mulcahy;Martin Hennessy(0-1),Maurice Hurley ,Pa O'Connor;Liam Murphy(0-4),David Hurley; Alan O'Connor(2-3),Donal Horgan(0-1),Shane Kelly(0-1);Seanie Gleeson(0-1),Tony O'Connor(0-1),Peter Curtin(0-1).SUBS:Michael O'Grady(0-1),Brian Quirke,Senan Kelly,Vincent Sheehan.