At the beginning of the year Robbie Hogan questioned whether or not he would return for a fourth season in charge of the Ballyea senior hurlers, little did he think that he would preparing the troops for a Munster Final in the month of November.
In arguably the greatest game played in Cusack Park this year, Ballyea showed why honesty and character will prevail as they booked their place in the Munster Club SHC final with an extra time win over Thurles Sarsfields.
He’s a Kilmihill man but since becoming the first man to captain Ballyea to glory in the Clare SHC, Stan Lineen will always be associated with the village of Ballyea.
During his playing days with Kilnamona, Fergal Hegarty never came close to winning a Clare SHC medal but in his first year as trainer of the Ballyea hurlers he has helped guide them to the club’s first ever senior title.
All year long Ballyea’s motto has been ‘you win or you learn’, throughout 2016 they have taken lessons from every game resulting in them being crowned the ultimate winners and 2016 Clare SHC champions.
Ballyea won the Clare Senior Hurling Championship for the first time in their eighty two year history when they overcame the challenge of Clonlara on the second time of asking in the replayed final.
Robbie Hogan was moments away from becoming the first man to lead Ballyea to glory in the Clare SHC, for now he’ll have to wait just a bit longer to complete the feat.
He’s been the hero before and it looked like Tony Kelly was going to be the man of the hour for Ballyea, unfortunately for him Clonlara and in particular Cathal Tots O’Connell had other ideas.
