Fermoy beat Ballyhea to maintain perfect league record
Fermoy 1-14 Ballyhea 1-11
FERMOY maintained their 100% record in the Cavanagh’s Fermoy Div 2 HL following their close but deserved win over Ballyhea at Fermoy on Tuesday evening. The winners laid the platform for victory with an impressive first half display. Their forwards worked very well as a unit in this period and helped by a well taken James Molloy goal in the seventh minute it moved them 1-4 to no score in front.
Ballyhea registered their first score soon after when Christopher and Kevin Hanley combined well to set up Jonathan O’Sullivan for a well taken point. However at this stage Fermoy were showing the greater composure. David Lardner and Christopher Hanley traded a point by the 18th minute. Conor Barry followed with a point for the winners before a good movement started back in defence by Bryan Barry found Greg Larnder and his clearance picked out his brother David who reeled off a great point from out near the sideline. In the run up to the break Jonathan O’Sullivan and David Lardner swapped a pointed free each as Fermoy were full value of their 1-8 to 0-3 interval lead.
On the changeover Ballyhea who were also unbeaten prior to this game came out a much improved side with Timmy Shanahan, Trevor O’Sullivan, Kevin Copps, Niall Crowley, Tomas Foley, Diarmuid O’Shaughnessy, Christopher Hanley and Jonathan O’Sullivan to the fore. Diarmuid O’Shaughnessy reeled off two fine point with Eric Delaney on target at the otherend with a Fermoy point. In the 35th minute Ballyhea were right back in the mix when a delivery from midfield was gathered by Michael Mortell who billowed the Fermoy net with a cracking goal 1-9 to 1-5.
In a close half exchanges were close from here on. David Lardner and Jonathan O’Sullivan traded two points apiece by the end of the third quarter as four points still separated the teams 1-11 to 1-7. Ballyhea were creating fair share of chances and soon after they were denied a certain goal when Fermoy’s corner back Luke Aherne made a great save off the goalline from Ryan Hanley’s attempt at goal. Nevertheless the Ballyhea challenge continued to gather momentum and by the 53rd minute the lead was down to two points when Jonathan O’Sullivan (2) and Ryan Hanley had minors 1-12 to 1-10 – the Fermoy point coming by Padraigh De Roiste. Try as they might Ballyhea were unable to get any closer and instead it was Fermoy that lifted the siege with Conor O’Keeffe, Trevor Grumbridge, Alan Bargary, David Lardner, James Molloy and Alan O’Connor finishing very well. David Lardner was to get the next two scores in quick succession that restored a four point cushion. Ballyhea completed the scoring when Ryan Hanley pointed from distance but it was Fermoy that held on for victory.
FERMOY: T O’Brien, B Barry, C O’Keeffe, L Aherne, G Lardner, T Grumbridge, J Scannell, A Bargary, R Morrisson, D Lardner 0-10 (6f, 1 ‘65’), J Molloy 1-0, C Barry 0-1, A O’Connor, P De Roiste 0-1, E Delaney 0-2. Subs: G Morrisson for B Barry, C Murphy for P De Roiste, S Kelleher for R Morrisson.
BALLYHEA: D O’Riordan, W Carroll, T O’Sullivan, J O’Leary, T Shanahan, N Crowley, K Copps, T Foley, E O’Sullivan, D O’Shaughnessy 0-2, C Hanley 0-1, M Mortell 1-0, R Hanley 0-2 (1f), J O’Sullivan 0-6 (4f), K Hanley.
REFEREE: John O’Brien (Ballygiblin)