TJ Reid scored an incredible last play goal to send Ballyhale into the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship final.
Ballyhale trailed by two points with the three minutes of injury time almost up against Galway champions St Thomas' when they were awarded a free. The time on the clock and scoreline meant that Reid had to go for goal from the placed ball.
Incredibly, Reid scored a goal from the free to give Ballyhale a 2-15 to 0-20 victory. For most of the game, it had looked like it would be St Thomas' heading to the All-Ireland final.
"I think that was my first free, outside of a penalty, scoring [a goal]!" Reid, scorer of 2-5, told TG4.
"Not a bad place to start. Pure luck. I asked the ref what was left, and he said 30 seconds. I said to myself that I'll just have to hit this as hard as I could. Lucky enough, it went in.
"I had only one option. It was to strike the ball as hard as I could. It went through a few bodies there. It's pure delight, and relief."
TJ Reid goal Ballyhale vs St Thomas'
63 nóim@BallyhaleGAA 2–15@StThomassHC 0-20
CÚL EILE AG TJ!!!@BallyhaleGAA HAVE WON IT!!!!@GAA_BEO
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/NcnNOnfM8i
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 23, 2022
It's the second time during this club championship campaign that Ballyhale have required a late goal to rescue their chances of winning a third consecutive title. Eoin Cody score a last play goal in the Leinster semi-final against St Rynaghs, with Ballyhale three points down, to send the game to extra-time.
Ballyhale will face Ballgunner in the final after they beat Slaughtneil in the day's first semi-final.
"I know Ballygunner, they are only 20 minutes away from Ballyhale," said Reid.
"They wanted an All-Ireland final. They've been training and hurling for the last seven or eight years. I have no doubt that they want this one.
"2019 we beat them. They're coming with pure motivation. Even for ourselves, the talk was 'Ballyhale and Ballygunner in the All-Ireland final'. Maybe that sunk into us, and we were a little bit complacent today.
"Tunnel vision now for Ballygunner. They are a serious outfit."
“We didn't perform well as a team, we'll be disappointed.”
Smaointí TJ Reid tar éis an cluiche.@GAA_BEO @BallyhaleGAA #GAABEO #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/apIVfZkPdF
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 23, 2022
See Also: 'That Will Tell You How Good A Hurler He Is, He's So Flexible'
