Billies fall to Ballinacor Sending off a huge factor

at Pearse’s Park, Arklow calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net. Coming into half-time this was a great score to get but just as Ballymanus thought they were going into the break with a lead, Ballinacor full-forward Ronan Phelan got the ball on the half way line and started slaloming through the Ballymanus defence before putting the ball over the black spot this score made the game level at half-time.

Ballincor started the second half well with midfielder Patrick Byrne scoring a great point from play before industries wing forward Brian Hanlon working hard to put another one of the bar. Ballymanus then got a score back through full forward Paddy Byrne from a free.

Then the game started to to and fro with the defenders coming out on top.

Ballinacor then went on the attack this is when the pivotal moment in the match occurred when Ballymanus midfielder Ray Stapleton made a fairly innocuous challenge in the midfield and got a second yellow card and was sent off. This was the game changing moment as there was only one score in the game.

Soon after the red card Ballinacor started to empty their bench to get fresh legs on the pitch and almost immediately this worked when sub James Murphy scored a fine point from play.

Ballinacor then started to use their extra man to great advantage. They started playing direct football and it started to pay dividends when corner forward G Byrne won a breaking ball on the 21-yard line and slotted it over the bar before the same man got another point from a free.

At this stage Ballinacor had gone two scores up but Ballymanus hadn’t given up hope with centre back Mark Kenny trying to burst through a stern Ballinacor defence but Kenny’s effort was well defended.

Some great defending with a bit of luck involved with Ballymanus putting the ball wide on a few different occasions.

Then Kenny went on one last run combining well with some of the forwards before a goal bound shot was blocked by a Ballinacor defender.

Ballymanus got a free kick for a foot block but as Ballinacor had everyone back on the line Kenny had to just tap the ball over the bar and hope there was time for one last attack.

There was time for one last attack but it was for Ballinacor as full-forward Ronan Phelan got one last monster score to put the game to bed. After a great game the sending off for Ballymanus made a huge difference.

Scorers – Ballinacor: J Nolan (1-0), B Hanlon (0-3), G Byrne (0-4), Ronan Phelan (0-2), Paddy Byrne (0-1), J Murphy (0-1).

Ballymanus: Paddy Byrne (0-3), Roan Lynch (0-1) Glen Farrar (1-1) Mark Kenny (0-1), Kevin Byrne (0-1)

Ballinacor: Ciaran O’Neill; Sean Boyle, Christopher Kennedy, JP Byrne; Martin Byrne James Byrne, David Byrne; Danny Dowling, PaddyByrne; Chris Murphy, David Carter, Brian Hanlon; Jamie Nolan, Ronan Phelan, Ger Byrne. Subs: Denis Heffernan for JP Byrne, P Byrne for C Murphy, J Murphy for D Carter.

Ballymanus: Brendan Doyle; Aidan Byrne, Seanie O’Neill, Darragh Byrne; Shane Whelan, Mark Kenny, Liam Byrne; Darragh O’Keefe, Ray Stapleton; Roan Lynch, Paddy Byrne, Kevin Byrne; Colm Coogan, Padraig Byrne, Craig Farrar. Subs: Glen Farrar for A Byrne, Ciaran Whelan for D O Keefe, Paul Murray for G Farrar, Philip Coogan for C Farrar, Aidan Byrne for P Coogan (BC).

Referee: Garreth Whelan