Tinahely 0-16 Baltinglass 2-09
Tinahely ended a 40-year famine when they clinched the Wicklow senior football crown thanks to a 0-16 to 2-09 victory over Baltinglass in a thrilling decider in Echelon Park.
Trailing by six points at half-time, Martin Ging's men produced a superb second-half display as they employed savage energy and remarkable dynamism in a cauldron-like atmosphere, against such a formidable opponent as Baltinglass.
The sublime kicking of Matthew Ging and his overall display earned the inside forward the man of the match award, the victory and his performance made all the sweeter for the fact that his father is the team manager.
Ging’s scoring heroics helped to pull Tinahely back level with Barry Hayes’ side as the clock headed for 60 minutes but, in the end, the winning of the match fell to Wicklow star Eoin D’Arcy who converted a free from 40 out into the town end with the breeze at his back.
When that ball dropped in over the crossbar the entire village of Tinahely erupted in the stand and terraces and when referee Darragh Byrne sounded the final whistle, a wave of joy and relief swept over the crowd, who flooded on to the pitch to celebrate with their heroes who had finally banished the talk of 1984.
In his captain’s speech, the outstanding Michael Byrne said that they had heard about Vinnie Harvey and the win of 1984 for 40 years but that from now on it was Martin Ging and the victory of 2024.
Goals from John McGrath and Chris Heaslip in the opening half helped the Slaneysiders to that 2-07 to 0-07 half-time lead, but while things had been looking bleak for Tinahely, they finished the half strongly with points from Eoin D’Arcy and Matthew Ging to leave just six between the sides with the wind at their backs in the second 30.
They rampaged into the second half with three unanswered points, but Baltinglass responded with two frees from John McGrath, which left them 2-09 to 0-10 ahead.
However, that would be the last time Baltinglass scored in the game, with Tinahely growing in confidence and belief and with Matthew Ging kicking some outstanding scores, some from out near the sideline off his left boot.
Eoghan Byrne helped the cause with a fine score of his own, but the drama and tension built to a crescendo when a foul on a Tinahely player allowed D’Arcy the chance to kick the winner.
After the game, D’Arcy said that he had been practicing frees such as that one since he was four years of age against the gable wall of his house, so there was no panic, just belief in his own ability, and it sailed sweetly between the posts to end 40 years of hurt.
Tinahely: Alan Nolan; Kevin Mulhall, Michael Byrne, Bradley Hickey; James Hedderman, Noel Mulhall, Cillian McDonald; Brian Walsh, Daniel Hedderman; Larry Kinsella, Eoin D’Arcy (0-03, 1f), Paddy O’Rourke; Matthew Ging (0-12, 8f), Rory Stokes, Jason Cush.
Subs: Eoghan Byrne (0-01) for B Walsh (22, inj), Shane Hogan for J Hedderman (45), Thomas Kelly for J Cush (54).
Baltinglass: Mark Jackson; Chris Grimes, Tom Burke, Karl Furlong; James Fleming, Jason Kennedy, Arun Daly Danne; Patrick Whelan (0-01), Jack Kirwan; Stephen Heaslip, Kevin Murphy, Pat Burke; John McGrath (1-05, 2f), Adam McHugh (0-01), Chris Heaslip (1-01).
Subs: Dan Kelly for K Murphy (35), Tommy Keogh for S Heaslip (44), Sean Doody for D Kelly (46, temp, reversed 48), Sean Doody
Referee: Darragh Byrne
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
