Three goals down Vols
C’BEG-BALLYMURN VOLUNTEERS 3-5 0-7 THREE second-half goals saw Crossabeg-Ballymurn take two crucial points as they advanced in the end to a comfortable seven points victory over Volunteers in this Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group B game in Killurin on Sunday.
In truth, this result was predictable from early in the second-half with wind-assisted Crossabeg-Ballymurn taking control, as it was only a matter of time before they were going to turn their possession into scores.
After much wasteful forward play, with key scores going a begging, they eventually found the target with three goals in the closing nine minutes to secure the points.
For Volunteers it was a disappointing end but they lacked forward power, particularly when wind aided in the first-half, a period when they could only score four meagre points. This factor eventually came back to haunt them.
Andy Butler and Eoin McCarthy shared early points, before three Eoin O’Shea pointed frees left the Vols leading by 0-4 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter.
Two Niall Murphy pointed frees kept the eventual winners in the game though, leaving the Vols with a minimum interval lead of 0-4 to 0-3.
Three minutes into the second-half Niall Murphy saw what appeared a goalbound shot rebound back into play off the post. But onlookers had to wait until the 43rd minute for the opening second-half score, an Eoin O’Shea point off the sideline.
Two quickfire points from Conor Devereux and Niall Murphy (’45) brought the sides level (0-5 each) at the end of the third quarter.
After a Keith Kearney pointed free restored his side’s lead, Niall Murphy got on the end of a neat move to fire across goal into the opposite corner of the net, giving his side a 1-5 to 0-6 lead with nine minutes remaining.
Five minutes from the end corner-back Brian Sheridan deflected a cross into his own net, and when Cormac O’Rourke followed with a 56th-minute goal the points were secure.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Ben Turner; Martin Redmond, Oisín Foley, Matthew Sludds; Ronan Devereux, Conor Devereux (0-1), Seamus Carroll; Paddy Devereux, Pádraig Foley; Bill Eviston, Andy Butler (0-1), Cormac O’Rourke (1-0); Sam Kelly, Robert Byrne, Niall Murphy (1-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ’45). Subs. - Mark O’Connor for Eviston, Cian Lambert for C. Devereux, inj., Barry Murphy for Byrne.
Volunteers: John Cody; Brian Sheridan (o.g.), Mick Murphy, Anthony Walsh; Mikey Lawlor, Jason Kearns, Cian Farrell; Keith Furlong, Ciarán Hillery; Peter Walsh, Keith Kearney (0-2 frees), Eoin O’Shea (0-4, 3 frees); Aaron McGuire, Eoin McCarthy (0-1), Alan Donovan.
Referee: John Tobin (Geraldine O’Hanrahans).