MULLINAVAT 3-07 GLENMORE 0-11
It's six days later, 300 supporters instead of 82,127, the six o clock bells at Mooncoin church as background music rather than the Artane boys band, but for Willie O'Dwyer, Michael Murphy and Richie Mullally it was another Final in the career of GAA players.
Yes it must have been as different as the Tramore Donkey Derby is to its Epsom horse racing equivalent as Mullinavat won a first ever Kilkenny County Senior Football Final with a 3-07 to 0-11 victory over a Glenmore side joint top of the football Roll of Honour with 19 titles.
Having lost last years Final Mullinavat had actually prepared well for the traditional Gaelic Football season in Kilkenny of January to April and still retained enough knowledge to beat the near neighbours in what was a very poor standard of football.
The game appeared to be continuosly stalled by fussy refereeing by Tyrone native referee Paul Devlin with technical fouls the order of the day. But then again maybe the Tyrone man would be more familiar with Gaelic rules than the couple of hundred natives still semi hangover from the hurling activities of the previous weekend!
Jamie Fennelly, son of dual All ireland hurling captain Liam, put Mullinavat ahead before Paul Phelan equalised from a free for the Glens men.
A point from a midfielder put the Glen boys ahead as even in Kilkenny football the roving trend of Dublin's seventies star Bobby Doyle has finally caught on in the county.
Mullinavat hurling underdog of TG4 fame Andrew McGovern put the Vat men level from a free.
Two Glenmore scores from the multi coloured Paul Phelan from a free and full forward Michael Phelan put Glenmore four-two ahead. I say multi coloured as casual dress applied to Glenmore in contrast to Mullinavat who sported new jerseys and socks for the occasion.
Jamie Fennelly reduced the margin to one for Mullinavat before Paul Phelan, a New Ross Celtic soccer player of ability apparently, chipped over another Glenmore free. It was now 0-05 to 0-03 for Glenmore but shortly afterwards, probably against the run of play Mullinavat got a goal.
Nicholas Anthony was the goal scorer finishing off a well worked move.
If Glenmore had a colourful free taker Mullinavat had a Johnny Wilkinson type in McGovern who looks at the post and ball five or six times before contact. Most of the time it worked however and again did shortly afterwards with his second pointed free.
The game slid more towards Mullinavat with a second goal within a further couple of minutes.
A ball came down off the post and Tony Duggan was on hand to slot home, now 2-04 to 0-05.
Before the break Paul Phelan has two more pointed frees leaving the interval score, Mullinavat 2-04 Glenmore 0-07.
A thriller this was not and just six points were recorded in the first 25 minutes of the new half.
Three points from frees by Phelan for Glenmore countered by three further frees by McGovern for Mullinavat.
There was always a chance of an equalising goal although at this stage the man from the football board passed the stand with a torn brown paper bag containing the county trophy so at least he must have expected Mullinavat to hold out.
A further free by Phelan on 28 minutes reduced the margin to two, Glenmore behind 0-11 to 3-07 but before the finish the man who got the games first score also got its last.
Jamie Fennelly was fouled in the square and he converted the penalty himself to seal a Mullinavat victory 3-07 to 0-11 .
It mattereed to Mullinavat, manager Paul Whelan having already led Kilkenny girls to a junior football All ireland Final in a forthnight, has again shown the way in Kilkenny football.
No time to celebrate though as the Mullinavat clubs hard won senior hurling status can be retained with a victory over Dunnamagin next weekend.
Although this was important, a first senior football title for the club, well given a choice of this or that I think I know which would be deemed more important to the club when they look back on 2007? I think!
It's six days later, 300 supporters instead of 82,127, the six o clock bells at Mooncoin church as background music rather than the Artane boys band, but for Willie O'Dwyer, Michael Murphy and Richie Mullally it was another Final in the career of GAA players.
Yes it must have been as different as the Tramore Donkey Derby is to its Epsom horse racing equivalent as Mullinavat won a first ever Kilkenny County Senior Football Final with a 3-07 to 0-11 victory over a Glenmore side joint top of the football Roll of Honour with 19 titles.
Having lost last years Final Mullinavat had actually prepared well for the traditional Gaelic Football season in Kilkenny of January to April and still retained enough knowledge to beat the near neighbours in what was a very poor standard of football.
The game appeared to be continuosly stalled by fussy refereeing by Tyrone native referee Paul Devlin with technical fouls the order of the day. But then again maybe the Tyrone man would be more familiar with Gaelic rules than the couple of hundred natives still semi hangover from the hurling activities of the previous weekend!
Jamie Fennelly, son of dual All ireland hurling captain Liam, put Mullinavat ahead before Paul Phelan equalised from a free for the Glens men.
A point from a midfielder put the Glen boys ahead as even in Kilkenny football the roving trend of Dublin's seventies star Bobby Doyle has finally caught on in the county.
Mullinavat hurling underdog of TG4 fame Andrew McGovern put the Vat men level from a free.
Two Glenmore scores from the multi coloured Paul Phelan from a free and full forward Michael Phelan put Glenmore four-two ahead. I say multi coloured as casual dress applied to Glenmore in contrast to Mullinavat who sported new jerseys and socks for the occasion.
Jamie Fennelly reduced the margin to one for Mullinavat before Paul Phelan, a New Ross Celtic soccer player of ability apparently, chipped over another Glenmore free. It was now 0-05 to 0-03 for Glenmore but shortly afterwards, probably against the run of play Mullinavat got a goal.
Nicholas Anthony was the goal scorer finishing off a well worked move.
If Glenmore had a colourful free taker Mullinavat had a Johnny Wilkinson type in McGovern who looks at the post and ball five or six times before contact. Most of the time it worked however and again did shortly afterwards with his second pointed free.
The game slid more towards Mullinavat with a second goal within a further couple of minutes.
A ball came down off the post and Tony Duggan was on hand to slot home, now 2-04 to 0-05.
Before the break Paul Phelan has two more pointed frees leaving the interval score, Mullinavat 2-04 Glenmore 0-07.
A thriller this was not and just six points were recorded in the first 25 minutes of the new half.
Three points from frees by Phelan for Glenmore countered by three further frees by McGovern for Mullinavat.
There was always a chance of an equalising goal although at this stage the man from the football board passed the stand with a torn brown paper bag containing the county trophy so at least he must have expected Mullinavat to hold out.
A further free by Phelan on 28 minutes reduced the margin to two, Glenmore behind 0-11 to 3-07 but before the finish the man who got the games first score also got its last.
Jamie Fennelly was fouled in the square and he converted the penalty himself to seal a Mullinavat victory 3-07 to 0-11 .
It mattereed to Mullinavat, manager Paul Whelan having already led Kilkenny girls to a junior football All ireland Final in a forthnight, has again shown the way in Kilkenny football.
No time to celebrate though as the Mullinavat clubs hard won senior hurling status can be retained with a victory over Dunnamagin next weekend.
Although this was important, a first senior football title for the club, well given a choice of this or that I think I know which would be deemed more important to the club when they look back on 2007? I think!
? got one point.