The best of this year's Senior Hurling Championship
Ballinkillen's Dion Wall Photo: Pat Ahern
Kieran Murphy was at all the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship games this year and from those games he has picked his year's Nationalist Team of the Senior Hurling Championship
It was a case of so near and yet so far for his club and particularly in the semi-final. His fellow club-man, Craig Doyle, may have scored a late goal from a free to give Bagenalstown Gaels a second chance but the keeper, brought off a great save from Marty Kavanagh, which if the shot had found the net, would have spelt curtains for the Gaels. This was Andrew Townsend all season. Solid as a rock behind his defence and just doing what a goalkeeper should do with the minimum of fuss.
Some things haven’t changed that much over recent years where the Joe McDonagh cup winner continues as an anchor in the full-back line for St Mullins. He is deceptively fast and is a good man-marker while he is also superb under the high ball. He is the quintessential full-back who continues to perform at the highest level for club and county
The intercounty player brought his form into the club season and was one of the performers of the season for Ballinkillen. He is cool under pressure and as well as looking after his own area he is also a good man marker. His distribution also turns defence into attack while he is an ideal leader for the young players to learn from as they develop their careers in the club.
Three times this year he was given the job and three times he carried out his task successfully when keeping a close watch on St Mullins celebrated Marty Kavanagh. Everyone in Carlow hurling and beyond knows who “Alfie” is that in itself is a tribute to one of Carlow’s greatest ever defenders.
Centre-half back this year. A midfielder in the past and if he is required up front next season, this most versatile of players will be sure to produce a performance. Nothing epitomised him more than the sight of the Rangers player improvising with his broken hurley as he got the sliotar under control during a championship club game. He can also pick off long range frees and is ultra-cool under pressure.
Unheralded and very much an under-rated defender, the Rangers half-back had a tremendous year with club and county. He is hard to get around and is comfortable on the ball. He continues to grow in confidence and picked off a number of points for Rangers in a busy season for the intercounty player.
The St Mullins defender opted not to play with the county this year and Carlow’s loss was St Mullins gain where the defender was fresh and injury free coming into the championship. He was a stalwart in defence and while he is selected in the half-back line, he was equally comfortable in the last line of the defence.
After a long spell out through injury the championship was a perfect platform for the Ballinkillen man to remind hurling followers what he is capable of. He did not disappoint and his sweet striking saw him fourth highest scorer of the championship with 3-38 while he combined well with those around him.
He probably lives a little in the shadow of his free-scoring brother, Chris, but his value to his club and county match any player on the Carlow and Rangers teams. He plies his trade in the middle area of the field and over the club season some of his scores out of a total of 0-20 from deep and from all angles speaks for itself.
The Rangers man was a bundle of energy in the half-forward line for his side who had a county title in their grasp but the Gods favoured their St Mullins rivals this year. With 2-34 he was the fifth highest scorer in the championship where he also set up scores for those around him and was deadly accurate from placed balls.
Man of the Match in the replayed county final he was, on 5-55, the leading scorer of the championship. Quite simply, he was all but unstoppable and filled a range of positions with deadly effect in the half-back, midfield and half-forward positions. A player for the ages, he has recovered from injuries and, when he pulls on the jersey he continues to give his all for club and county.
Over the last couple of seasons, he has cemented his place on the Carlow and St Mullins teams. Not the biggest player on those teams his languid style disguises his fierceness when challenging for possession. While he accounted for 2-14 over the club season, his assists probably contributed as much to St Mullins feat in regaining the championship.
The Mouse may have had a quiet year by his high standards but he scored three goals in the fourth-round group game and by the end of the season had amassed 7-33. His late strike in the drawn county final saw St Mullins given a second chance and with Marty scoring 1-8 the next day, this side were crowned worthy champions.
It was his goal strike which gave his side a semi-final replay against St Mullins. On 2-45 he was the third highest scorer in the senior hurling championship but his contribution further out the field where he roamed and linked with those around him which brought the Bagenalstown club so near to a second final appearance in three years.
Having missed all the group games, it might seem the Rangers forward hasn’t done enough to get into the Team of the Championship. Without the player who scored the winning point in the 2023 Joe McDonagh Cup final Rangers would not have laid a glove on St Mullins in the replayed county final where he scored 2-5. Yes, his club season was short but in the final he showed true class on a difficult day for his club.
The Carlow senior hurling championship of 2024 was a vintage one. There were so many great performances by clubs and players.
Jack Kavanagh scored two vital goals for St Mullins and without those strikes, Rangers would almost definitely have retained their crown. He is a formidable competitor.
Dean Tobin had a nightmare county final with his early dismissal but he should not forget what he has contributed to his club since he came into the team. He scored 1-18 in the championship. He will be back.
Jack Treacy energy lifted his Ballinkillen club and he also scored 1-7 in the group and semi-final stages. Speaking of scoring feats, John Doyle of St Mullins nailed 4-10 and like his team mate, Jack Kavanagh, was prolific in his assists for those around him.
How does one leave Brian Tracey out of the Team of the Championship? Being an intercounty goalkeeper, the Myshall man is almost an automatic but it was a difficult year for Naomh Eoin who didn’t make the knock-out stages. Treacy’s team mate, Ciaran Abbey, also had a decent championship and was accurate from all distances with placed balls.
