GROUP 1
ROAN LYNCH spotted the gap in the Carnew defence with 31 minutes on the clock right at the death of the first half. It wasn’t much of a gap, but it was there, and no better man to slip through it than the Ballymanus centre half forward.
He took off like an Aer Lingus plane heading down the runway at Dublin Airport with Carnew defenders, like over-worked baggage handlers chasing the speeding plane with a piece of forgotten luggage, struggling to catch him.
On he went, screaming past the 21, skipping over the 14 before unleashing a fierce low shot past Cormac Doyle that found the back of the net despite the best efforts of full-back John Walshe.
When Lynch’s goal hit the net, Ballymanus’ championship hopes took flight into the beautiful August sky leaving Carnew’s dreams of victory shattered in their green and white jet stream. It might have only been the end of the first half and the goal might have only put Ballymanus a point up at 1-3 to 0-5 but the score had a devastating effect on James Hickey’s Carnew side, an effect they would not recover from for the remainder of the game.
There are a number of reasons why Carnew never came back from that goal. Such was their exertions over the opening 30 minutes to hold the Ballymanus threat, they seemed to be a spent force in the second half.
This tiredness may have contributed to the defensive collapse in the opening minutes of the second half when Ballymanus put this game to bed with a 1-2 harvested from Carnew mistakes and sloppiness; the goal from Kevin Byrne after eight minutes to make it 2-6 to 0-5.
Another contributing factor to Carnew’s demise was the excellent performance from Ballymanus in the second half – the fact that Mark Kenny dominated the second 30 minutes, the incredible boost that Paddy Byrne (Moyne) gave his side when he entered the fray and his kicking of two sublime points, and the ownership and responsibility claimed and taken by the likes of Darragh Byrne, Aidan Byrne, Shane Whelan and Ciarán Whelan.
Playing as they did in that second half, albeit against a weary looking Carnew, it’s entirely reasonable to suggest that Ballymanus will take serious stopping in this year’s Darcy Sand Intermediate Football Championship.
It looked anything but like that in the opening half. Carnew came with a plan to curtail their attack and for a time it worked a treat, limiting Paddy Molloy’s men to just three points while accruing five of their own. James Hickey made the big call to put corner-back Michael Rock on Roan Lynch and for a time it certainly didn’t seem to be failing although you worried about the size differential if it came to a 50/50 ball. Hickey was obviously concerned about Lynch’s pace. It would prove completely warranted.
The passion was high on the sideline in the opening half. Some- thing stirred the Ballymanus substitutes and officials early on as they reacted with wides eyes and throbbing veins to a remark of some kind. James Hickey was instructed to return to the county of his birth with utmost haste, ironic given that Paddy Molloy hails from the same territory but, in fairness, minor details such as these can be overlooked in the white heat of battle.
It was 12 minutes before Ballymanus registered a score, a fisted point from Seamus Coogan to answer Carnew points from Seanus Osborne and John Kavanagh as Hickey’s side led the charge in the early stages with three wides already notched.
The pace of the game was impressive with Enda Donohue shining in the full-forward position and causing Darragh Byrne all sorts of problems. Huge Carnew pressure on the Ballymanus kickout and attack provided the Wexford border men with the platform to attack and they earned three frees which John Kavanagh slotted to leave them leading by 0-5 to 0-2 with 24 on the clock.
A fine Mark Kenny point reduced the deficit before Lynch escaped the attentions of Rock and walloped home to the back of the net for what was a knock-out blow for Carnew.
Kevin Byrne followed up his goal with a superb point after Ciarán Whelan had robbed Michael Rock. John Kavanagh point- ed a free but Ballymanus had unleashed Paddy Byrne (Moyne) at this stage and his two effortless and beautiful points sent the Ballymanus supporters and sideline wild with delight.
Ciarán Whelan would add two late frees either side of another John Kavanagh placed ball and it was all over.
A massive hurdle crossed by Paddy Molloy’s side. James Hickey’s men are down but certainly not out. There’s a long way to go in this Darcy Sand Intermediate championship yet.
Scorers – Ballymanus: Kevin Byrne 1-2, Ciarán Whelan 0-3 (3f), Paddy Byrne (Moyne) 0-2, Roan Lynch 1-0, Pádraig Byrne 0-1, Aidan Byrne 0-1, Philip Coogan 0-1, Mark Kenny 0-1.
Carnew Emmets: John Kavanagh 0-5 (4f), Seamus Osborne 0-2.
Brendan Doyle; Glen Farrar, Darragh Byrne, Aidan Byrne; Shane Whelan, Brendan Whelan, Colm Coogan; Darragh O’Keeffe, Mark Kenny; Philip Coogan, Roan Lynch, Seamus Coogan; Kevin Byrne, Pádraig Byrne, Ciarán Whelan. Subs: Killian Farrar, Paddy Byrne (Moyne), Paddy Byrne (Gap), Seanie O’Neill, Paul Murray, Liam Byrne.
Cormac Doyle; Michael Rock, John Walshe, Paul Nolan; Niall Osborne, Mark Colins, Willie Collins; John Doyle, Thomas Kennedy; Nick Skelton, Seanie Kinsella, Padraig Doran; Seamus Osborne, Enda Donohue, John Kavanagh. Subs: Michael Collins, Drew Brennan, Paudi McGing, Justin House.
Pat Dunne (Hollywood)