Gaelic Games

Darren Guiry’s frees prove crucial as The Nire triumph

Kilrossanty were seeking their first Waterford senior football title in 29 years

The Nire won the Waterford football title at Fraher Field on Sunday. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho

Sun Oct 28 2018 - 20:32

The Nire 0-9 Kilrossanty 0-7

The Nire claimed a ninth Waterford senior football title under the Fraher Field lights, edging out a Kilrossanty side which was seeking its first Conway Cup in 29 years.

The West Waterford club had to survive a scare in the fourth additional minute of stoppage time when Kilrossanty’s Pa Cunningham shot through a mass of limbs only to see his effort fly feet wide of Diarmuid Murphy’s right-hand post.

Kilrossanty had much the better of the opening half and went in two points ahead (0-5 to 0-3), with full-forward Paul Whyte turning over two superb frees, in addition to efforts from former Tipperary star Martin Dunne, Tommy Prendergast and Cunningham. Remarkably, The Nire scored only once from play in the opening half, but re-emerged a re-focused and doubly determined outfit, dominating the second period, due in no small part to the efforts of Thomas O'Gorman and Darren Guiry. Indeed, Guiry's three frees proved pivotal in a closely fought, defensively dominated contest.

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The Nire: D Murphy; D Meehan, T O'Gorman, M Moore; J McGrath, T Barron, Darren Guiry (0-3 frees); T Guiry, C Guiry; J Barron (0-1), Dylan Guiry, D Ryan; S Ryan (0-2 frees), C Gleeson (0-1), S Walsh (0-2). Subs: C Walsh for D Ryan (52 mins), S O'Meara for S Ryan (53 mins) and C Mulcahy for C Guiry (59 mins).

Kilrossanty: D Mulhearne; M Prendergast, P Keating, N Walsh; J Whyte, Patrick Whyte, B Prendergast; T Prendergast (0-1), M Dunne (0-1); P Cunningham (0-1), S Prendergast, C Hayes; D Fitzgerald, P Whyte (0-4 frees) J Veale.

Subs: J Whyte for P Keating (20 mins), M Walsh for D Fitzgerald (53 mins) and A Quinn for J Whyte (61 mins).

Referee: Alan Kissane

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