BY JOHN MURPHY

BALLINASCARTHY boss JC O’Flynn was full of praise for his players after their hard-fought win over Kilbree in the Carbery Junior A Hurling Championship final – a victory that crowned a superb season for Bal.

‘We started well, but that Kilbree goal in the first half knocked us back a bit,’ O’Flynn admitted. ‘The response was exactly what you want from a team – four points before the break. It was vital we carried a lead into the interval, given the strength of the wind.’

Bal led by four at half time and, despite late Kilbree pressure, held their nerve.

‘It was too close for comfort in the final minutes,’ O’Flynn said.

‘We had visions of last year and extra-time, but fair play to the lads – they’re an incredible bunch and knuckled down to close it out.’

He credited his side’s composure and accuracy from placed balls.

‘A bonus for us is having two excellent free-takers, Jeremy Ryan and Brian O’Donovan, who share the duties between defence and attack. Our defence stood firm too when Kilbree went looking for that equalising goal.’

Next up is a county campaign against Kilshannig.

‘Carbery teams are often given little chance,’ O’Flynn said, ‘but we’ll give it a real go. For now, it’s been a fantastic year.’

Captain Luke Murray, surrounded by well-wishers as he lifted the famed Flyer Nyhan Cup, hailed the third quarter as crucial.

‘There was an almost gale-force wind out there,’ said the 28-year-old.

‘Our lads picked off a few vital scores and tightened up defensively in that spell. The backs were excellent – they have been all year. We’ve conceded very few goals.’

Murray also praised the impact of substitutes.

‘Ben, my brother, is home from abroad, and he, along with Aidan O’Donovan and Eoin O’Driscoll, made a big difference. It was a real team performance.’

In attack, Brian O’Donovan and Timmy Cullinane again led the way. O’Donovan reflected on the importance of Bal’s response to Kilbree’s first-half goal.

‘That was a pivotal moment,’ he said. ‘Had Kilbree added to it, we’d have been under real pressure. Fair play to the lads – the response was magnificent. We’ve been improving week on week, everyone’s available now, training’s strong, and there’s fierce competition for places.

‘We’ll enjoy this win and give it a real go in the county.’

Cullinane, a dual player well known for his exploits with Carbery Rangers, produced two superb long-range points.

‘We knew Kilbree would bring a huge challenge,’ he said. ‘Control was difficult in that wind, but the lads reacted positively. I’m over the moon to win this medal. Kilbree came strong at the finish, but our defence, marshalled by Ciarán and Daniel Nyhan, was magnificent. It’s onwards and upwards now – anything from here is a bonus.’