Ballyclough have plenty to spare over Ballyhooly

Ballyclough 1-12 Ballyhooly 0-7

BALLYCLOUGH are through to the Synergy Fermoy Credit Union JAFC semi-final following their win over Ballyhooly at Killavullen on Friday evening.

In a low scoring contest the introduction of substitute Thomas O’Neill at the break was a huge factor in Ballyclough’s victory with O’Neill kicking five points in this period that helped turn the tide in their favour.

The opening half saw Ballyclough first to score when Damian Buckley kicked over within seconds of the throw in. Ballyclough were very much off target for the rest of the half when kicking some very bad wides that also included two goal scoring chances. Instead it was Ballyhooly that quickly settled. In the third minute Kevin Kiely with a free forced level with Cathal O’Keeffe edging them in front two minutes later. Kevin Kiely followed with another point following good work by Emmet O’Riordan to move 0-3 to 0-1 in front.

At the other end Ballyclough were very much off target. At the end of the first quarter Peter Carroll was denied a goal scoring chance when the Ballyhooly keeper Adrian O’Driscoll saved at the expense of a ‘45’. In the 18th minute Colm O’Neill who lined out between the posts kicked a pointed free to come within the minimum. Scores were at a premium for the rest of the half with both teams finding it hard to adjust to the wet conditions. Darragh O’Reilly was the sole scorer in a 12 minute spell prior to the break as they held at the interval lead by double scores 0-4 to 0-2.

On the changeover Ballyclough missed another goal scoring chance when Damian Buckley was wide in the 33rd minute. However from here on Ballyclough were a lot more clinical in front of the posts with Thomas O’Neill playing a leading role in his sides victory along with William Fitzgerald, Mark Heffernan, Shane Buckley, Tadgh Healy, Peter Carroll and Damian Buckley. Points by Shane Buckley and Thomas O’Neill had the sides level in the 40th minute.

Ballyhooly regained the lead when Cathal O’Keeffe pointed a free only for Ballyclough to reply with a well taken point by Mark Heffernan 0-5 each. They were also level at 0-6 each by the end of the third quarter when Colm O’Neill and Jake Mehigan swapped a point. With the game firmly in the balance Ballyclough upped their efforts greatly from here with Thomas O’Neill getting the next four points by the 51st minute to move 0-10 to 0-6 in front. In their next attack they finished the game as a contest when a delivery by David Fitzgerald saw Thomas O’Neill and Timmy Hennessy combine well along the end line with the ball falling kindly into the path of Steven Finn who finished to the net.

Ballyhooly battled away with Diarmuid Linehan having a point from a free and even though they had a close in free saved on the line in the final moments it was Ballyclough that emerged deserving winners in the end with Damian Buckley and Tadgh Healy adding two more points in the last five minutes.

BALLYCLOUGH: C O’Neill 0-2f, D Herlihy, W Fitzgerald, D O’Neill, S Walsh, D Fitzgerald, M Heffernan 0-1, S Buckley 0-1, T Healy 0-1, P Carroll, D Buckley 0-2, M Buckley, D O’Sullivan-McCarthy, S Finn 1-0, T Hennessy. Subs: T O’Neill 0-5 (2f) for D O’Sullivan-McCarthy, B O’Neill for T Hennessy,

BALLYHOOLY: A O’Driscoll, F McGrath, F O’Connell, M O’Connor, D O’Reilly 0-1, J Roche, D O’Brien, D Linehan, J Mehigan 0-1, E O’Riordan, C O’Keeffe 0-2 (1f), F Linehan, S O’Mahony, J O’Connor, K Kiely 0-2f. Subs: D Walsh for E O’Riordan, S Murphy for K Kiely, R Campbell for S O’Mahony,

REFEREE: Dave O’Farrell (Mitchelstown)