Sweet goal for Art
Bannow-Ballymitty recover to win
BANNOW-BALLYMITTY 1-7 FERNS ST. AIDAN’S 0-8
BANNOW-BALLYMITTY came from behind at the break to get off to a winning start in Division 2 of the EBS All-County Football League in Ferns on Saturday.
The New Ross District club were under the cosh, trailing by 0-7 to 0-1 heading into first-half added time, but the hard work of Art Sweetman paid dividends as Ferns just failed to keep his punched effort from crossing the line.
After games the previous weekend were blighted by difficult conditions, it was hoped that a weather warning-free weekend might lead to ideal conditions for football. However, the strength of the breeze rivalled that of seven days earlier and it made this a game of two halves.
Ferns played with the advantage of a partial crosswind in the opening half and were building their advantage steadily before the goal.
That said, there was plenty of waste in their play, which isn’t unexpected this early in the season but ended up being very costly.
With all eyes on the new rules, referee James Owens had a quiet game. He blew for one early offensive mark which the hosts advanced sideways, but otherwise the conditions made it near impossible to take advantage of that new rule.
Apart from a bit of handbags in the second-half, it proved to be a fair but tough game too, with Owens having no need to give anyone a ten-minute break on the sideline.
Ian Byrne kicked the opening two points for the hosts, who also saw opposing ‘keeper Seán McCormack make a point-blank save from Patrick Breen’s shot.
After the full-forward pointed, Chris Turner was next to drill an effort narrowly wide, while Breen himself flashed one just over the bar to make it 0-4 to nil in the 20th minute.
Substitute Peter Nolan made it five before an audacious strike from Joe Sinnott pulled one back.
An Adrian Breen double made it 0-7 to 0-1, only for Sweetman to force home David Currid’s searching ball just before the break to give Bannow-Ballymitty real hope.
It was a one-point game seven minutes into the second-half after Currid registered and Niall Harney bounced one over from distance.
Sinnott levelled the contest (0-7 to 1-4) in the 44th minute before Harney gave his side their first lead of the afternoon a couple of minutes later.
Harney added two more before the end, meaning a solitary Breen point two minutes from time wasn’t enough to prevent Bannow-Ballymitty from going home with the spoils.
Bannow-Ballymitty: Seán McCormack; John Mernagh, Niall Murphy, David White; Pádraig McCormack, Art Sweetman (1-0), Conor Neville; Conor Furlong, David Currid (0-1); Ryan Morris, Niall Harney (0-4), Jack Donohue; James McCormack, Jack Farragher, Joe Sinnott (0-2, 1 free). Subs. - John Staples for Sweetman (31), Jon Reville for Farragher (47), Eoin O’Connor for J. McCormack (53), J.D. Cahill for P. McCormack (58).
Ferns St. Aidan’s: Jason McGuire; Pat Nolan, Pádraig Bolger, Patrick O’Hagan; Niall Murphy, James Tonks, Rory Scallan; John Breen, Ian Byrne (0-2); Adrian Breen (0-3, 2 frees), Tommy Dwyer, Joe Fortune; Lee Quigley, Patrick Breen (0-2), Chris Turner. Subs. - Peter Nolan (0-1) for Fortune (19), Christopher O’Connor for Dwyer (40), Diarmuid Doyle for Tonks, inj. (52), Ben Cowman for Quigley (55).
Referee: James Owens (Kilrush).