Borris-Ileigh were prepared to do anything to win

 

By Shane Brophy

 

A spectacular year for Tipperary hurling was given the cherry on top by Borris-Ileigh's never say die performance in claiming the Munster Senior Club Hurling title on Sunday.

You knew what whatever happened in terms of the outcome, what you saw from Borris-Ileigh is what they were going to give and it was enough to wear down a Ballygunner side that didn't have the experience of winning tight games.

For all their ability in dominating Waterford for the last six years and winning last years Munster final in great fashion, Ballygunner have tended to have games won with ten minutes to go, without having to dig them out.

This was Borris-Ileigh's gameplan in a nut-shell, to take the match into the final quarter from where that question could be asked of the Waterford side. We knew Borris-Ileigh would be ready for that considering their last four championship games were won by 3, 3, 1 and 2 points. They know how to win games at the moment and they are prepared to do anything to do so, even to play soccer with the ball as Jerry Kelly and Dan McCormack did in the dying seconds despite being without a hurler.

Their hurling might not have been as easy on the eye as the Waterford side were trying to do but it was about giving Borris-Ileigh the best chance to win. Sometimes heart in the best tactic and that is that Borris-Ileigh had in spades on the day.

To overcome the odds, Borris needed big games from their two inter-county stars and leaders and by God did they get them. Brendan Maher's performance was extraordinary, particularly in the second half with his point from play going down in folklore, firstly coming from nowhere to win possession from a cluster of players, before surging on to fire over from long range. Not only that, when a dirty ball had to be won, he did so.

 

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