February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
The fact that it was last year’s Junior Cup Final in which one team, Waterford, qualified because Limerick folded, and was played just a couple of days after Westmeath senior hurlers closed up shop, said a lot about the fragile state of Ireland’s national sport in New York.
Connecticut State lifted the Cup, actually a stand-in as the proper trophy was elsewhere, on the strength of a Bonny Kennedy scoring clinic.
Waterford had a useful looking side and Roy Henley gave a fine scoring display with 1-6, while Paul Murray added 0-6 in a good performance for the Deices, but this match was all about Bonny. Had a camera crew been on hand they could well have filmed an instructional video on the art of scoring in hurling.
Kennedy’s first score was a goal and took him six minutes to register it. He nearly fumbled it away for being so wide open, but didn’t and Connecticut, who trailed 0-2 to 0-0 at that stage, were on their way.
Two good Henley pointed frees were Waterford’s response, and then Bonny got rolling. 2-5 of Connecticut’s next 2-7 came off Bonny’s hurl as he shimmied and shook his way past a succession of hapless Waterford markers. Aiden Power was playing well at midfield as Connecticut did their best to feed the hungry Bonny and they led 3-6 to 0-7 at the break.
Bonny could only manage 1-4 in the second half, and goals from Ray Duggan and Henley kept a battling Waterford side in the hunt. In the end, they never really threatened, and Connecticut clinched the title.
Man of the Match: Bonny Kennedy.
Connecticut State:
Tim Cullen, Billy McGuire, Phil Wickham. John Carney, Richie Purcell (0-1), Jason Killeen, Keith Hennessey (0-1), Aiden Power, Bonny Kennedy (4-8), Tim Kelly, Ryan Sands, Seamus Kelly (0-3), Fergal Doyle.
Waterford:
Ian Duggan, Ray Duggan (1-0), Paddy McGloughlin, Joe Walsh, Chris Morrissey, Aiden Sweeney, Jamie Duggan, Roy Henley (1-6, 1-2 fr), Cormac Murray, Paul Murray (0-6), Paudie Kiernan, Niall Duggan, Fergal Mulrooney.