Goals decisive as Causeway bow out
MUNSTER CLUB IHC QUARTER-FINAL
Ballysaggart (Waterford) 2-14 Causeway 0-15
THERE was an explosive finish to this Munster Club clash in Fraher Field, Dungarvan on Sunday last when, deep into the three minutes of time added on, almost out of nothing, a brawl broke out in midfield in front of the dug outs involving numerous players from both sides.
With just seconds remaining and the issue decided with the home side leading by five points, it was a totally unnecessary development and out of keeping with the spirit in which the game had been played.
When order had been restored Limerick referee Johnny Murphy, on consulting his linesman, sent two Causeway players, Evan Murphy and goalkeeper John Mike Dooley, and Ballysaggart substitute Bobby Ryan to the line on straight red cards before blowing the final whistle seconds later to send Ballysaggart into a Munster semi-final against Seán Treacys of Tipperary on Sunday next.
That unfortunate incident apart, this was a keenly contested game from the start between two committed sides on a heavy surface with the issue up for grabs right up to the closing stages.
There was nothing between the teams at the end of a first half that saw the sides level on three occasion before going in at half-time on level terms at eight points apiece.
Causeway had got off to a flying start with points from Gavin Dooley and Joseph Diggins inside two minutes before the remainder of the half was dominated by the free taking of Brandon Barrett and Stephen Bennett respectively with Barrett sending over four of his sides subsequent six points and Bennett accounting for six of the home side’s total, going on to give a man of the match performance.
Playing with the breeze in the first half Causeway needed to get scores on the board, but with Ballysaggart playing a sweeper and content to rely on Stephen Bennett’s frees for scores that was never going to be easy despite the best efforts of Jason Diggins at centre-back and Joseph
Diggins in midfield who ended the first half with three excellent points from play.
Ballysaggart took the lead early in the second half when, after Billy Lyons received a yellow card for a foul on Stephen Bennett the Ballysaggart man’s low shot from the free was deflected for a ‘65, which he sent over the bar.
The Causeway defence was breached for the first time in the 34th minute when Stephen Mangan turned over possession outfield and drew defenders before off loading to the unmarked Kenneth Cashel who gave Dooley no chance in the Causeway goal.
Now trailing by four points Causeway bounced back in determined fashion with Brandon Barrett’s shot at goal from a close in free being deflected over the bar by Michael Ryan before Colum Harty broke through on goal from the left wing only to see his powerful shot shaving the upper side of the crossbar.
In the 40th minute substitute Tommy Casey announced his arrival with a point and the momentum seemed to be back with Causeway.
That momentum was soon broken as the Bennetts, Stephen and Kieran, sent over massive points from play to go three clear again. Colum Harty replied with his second point of the game and then came the defining moments of the game when Ballysaggart goalie Michael Ryan made a brilliant reflex save from a Brandon Barrett shot just a few metres out from goal and with the ball dropping on the goal line Stephen Bennett got back to make the clearance.
Seconds later a free out of the full back line by Stephen Bennett into the Causeway goal area saw the ball break across the goal with Chris O’Gorman getting to it first and sending it along the ground to the net.
Once again Causeway responded with Brandon Barrett sending over from play before Michael Ryan was again called on to make a brilliant save from Joseph Diggins.
There followed an exchange of points between Ronan Walsh and Brandon Barrett as the game went into the last five minutes of normal time but in the 56th minute Causeway suffered a setback when substitute Seán Leahy was somewhat harshly given a straight red card for crashing in on goalkeeper Michael Ryan after he had made yet another brilliant save.
A man down and with Stephen Bennett now operating in defence the path towards the Ballysaggart goal was essentially shut down as a point from Chris O’Gorman extended the home side’s lead in the 59th minute.
With the game in added time Stephen Bennett capped a massive personal display with an enormous strike from a free inside his own ‘45’ before a last ditch effort by Gavin Dooley went over the bar for Causeway.