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Mike O’Halloran on the opening fixture of the Garvey’s Supervalu Kerry Senior Hurling Championship between Lixnaw and Ballyheigue in Abbeydorney on Friday night…
A brilliant catch by Mark Dineen of Ballyheigue during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Lixnaw 0-17
Ballyheigue 0-15
Surely, Abbeydorney must be the sporting and cultural capital of Kerry.
The village has a long tradition in the organisation of drama, music and sport and on Friday night, their reputation for organisation and “doing things right” has been further enhanced with the staging of the opening game in this year’s Garvey’s Super Valu Senior Hurling Championship between the defending champions Lixnaw and the young guns from Ballyheigue.
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The organisers were busy from very early in the day getting things ship-shape and the pride in their community was evident from the attitude of the well informed and polite stewards who organised the parking etc.
I have always thought that going to a game in Abbeydorney is like going into a welcoming neighbour’s house where it is insisted that you drink lovely ‘sweet tae and buttered curny cake’ while sitting in their most comfortable chair.
That’s how I felt yesterday evening on arriving at the field.
Mikey O’Halloran clears his lines during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
The pitch was in pristine condition as if it had been tended by a Turkish barber and wrapped in a hot towel after the shave.
I have been going to matches in Ireland, Britain and the continent and I have never seen a pitch to compare with the surface in Abbeydorney on Friday evening.
Word on the street is that Cricket Ireland has applied to host the next Cricket World Cup on seeing O’Dorney!
Oh sorry, the game – almost forgot that this is supposed to be a match report.
John Griffin of Lixnaw is first to the sliotar during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Lixnaw came out the right side of this game by two points winning on a scoreline of 17 points to 15.
The margin at the end was only two points but that is not to my mind a true reflection on the game given that Lixnaw had 12 wides and two clear cut goal chances.
Lixnaw are the reigning senior and minor champions and brought all their young talent to Abbeydorney to overcome a Ballyheigue team who had put in a lot of hard work over the past few months with this day in mind.
Phillip Lucid opened the scoring on three minutes with a free from a huge distance but two minutes later James Flaherty had Lixnaw on the board.
Michael Conway fails to block Jason Casey’s clearance during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
A further two minutes passed before young Shane Conway pointed into the wind.
Ballyheigue added three more points – two from Lucid and one from their corner back Mark Dineen – before John Griffin split the posts for Lixnaw.
Danny Casey and the evergreen Enda Galvin exchanged points and Lucid added another to leave the score on 20 minutes, Lixnaw 0-4 Ballyheigue 0-6.
The chase is on as Shane Conway of Lixnaw breaks towards the goal during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Ballyheigue did have three half chances of goals but were denied by over elaboration and a resolute Lixnaw defence.
James Flaherty had two further points to level matters on 25 minutes, before Philip Lucid had two in a row to put Ballyheigue two ahead again with four minutes to go to halftime.
The young hurling genius that is Shane Conway made it 0-8 to 0-9 before Lucid and Conway the elder exchanged points to leave the halftime score Lixnaw 0-9 Ballyheigue 0-10.
Action during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
On the resumption, Lixnaw were ahead with points from the sticks of Shane Conway and Colin Sheehy, who was introduced for Jeremy McKenna.
Lixnaw could have gone a further goal ahead if Enda Galvin had converted a goal chance.
Michael Conway put two between the sides before James Flaherty was one and one with John Mike Pierce but struck poorly and John Mike cleared his lines.
By the sixteenth minute the score was Lixnaw 0-14 Ballyheigue 0-11 with Lucid scoring one and Michael Conway scoring two.
Action from the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
Ballyheigue were clawing their way back into the game points from Philip Lucid (2) Damien Casey (1) and Paudie Carroll (1), those scores were negated by a point from Colin Sheehy, and two from Michael Conway, leaving the final score Lixnaw 0-17 Ballyheighue 0-15.
Lixnaw will be glad to start the defence of The Nelius Flynn Cup with a win and Ballyheigue will realise that they are not far away from success.
They will trouble any of the losers in the next round and could get a second chance at Lixnaw later.
Lixnaw’s James Flaherty keeps his eye on the ball. Photo by Dermot Crean
The movement of the championship games to “hurling country” while the field in town is being redeveloped got off to a grand start.
Abbeydorney have raised the bar for the other venues hosting games over the weekend with their presentation on Friday and have made a great case for hosting the final provided their own club does not make it to the big day.
Lixnaw’s Ricky Heffernan lets fly despite the attention of Mikey O’Halloran during the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw Kerry Senior Championship game in Abbeydorney on Friday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean
