Strong first half was key
Ballinglen secure ‘C’ Shield
BALLINGLEN used the strong wind to their advantage as a great first-half performance helped them overcome the challenge of Pearse Gaels in Ballinakill on Sunday morning.
Both teams wanted to finish the championship on a high note by picking up some silverware. The wind would play a massive factor in the game, with the wind favouring Ballinglen in the first half. Centre back Conor Byrne would make a great run through the middle as he kicked over the first score of the game.
Ballinglen would score another four unanswered points through Rory O’Dare, Oisin Gorman with a couple and Patrick Murphy. They were winning all the early battles in the middle of the park from the kick-out with Patrick Murphy and Oran O’Callaghan dominating the air, helped by the very strong win.
It was a tough start for Pearse Gaels but Samuel Bishop got them on the scoreboard with a free. It was 0-5 to 0-1. The Ballinglen lads would extend their lead with three more points. This included a massive point from Conor Byrne far out from the target using the wind to his full advantage. Oran O’Callaghan and Oisin Gorman would add to that. Andrew Waters would get his name on the scoresheet for Pearse Gaels. it was 0-8 to 0-2 at the water break.
Everything was going the way of the lads in the lead; the most impressive aspect of their game was how clinical they were being in front of the sticks when the changes presented themselves. They’d score 1-4 before the end of the half. The goal came when they won the breaking ball from the kick-out, forward Rory O’Dare
was one on one with the opposing defender as he hand-passed it to himself over the top of the defender before he buried the ball into the back of the net.
The trailing Pearse Gaels had a goal chance of their own as a mix up between the opposing goalkeeper and his defender meant Ben Kiernan was able to pounce on the ball, getting a perfect one on one situation with the keeper, he blasted it too high only managing to get the point. It was 1-12 to 0-3 at half-time. Pearse Gaels finished the half with 14 men after a black card.
With the wind at their backs in the second half it was all Pearse Gaels for the majority of this time, with Balinglen failing to score another point. Players like Samuel Bishop, Keevan Doyle and Andrew Waters really started to get into the contest, with all the breaking ball falling in their favour, contra dictionary to the first half.
Pearse Gaels were unlucky not to find the back of the net as a bomb of a ball was booted into the square really threatening the goal, but it was bouncing everywhere but the net. The first score of the half came when Keevan Doyle went racing down the pitch giving the ball to Sam Bishop who stuck in over the posts. The next score was well worked team score finished off by corner back Josh Nichols. They would get four more
points, reducing the deficit to just six points at 1-12 to 0-9.
They would get another goal opportunity very similar to the one earlier in the half, the ball was put high into the sky as it created havoc in the Ballinglen danger area, although once again the ball was hoping everywhere but the place they needed it to be. The Ballinglen youngsters got out of trouble again.
Pearse Gaels will rue their miss changes as they could have got more scores out of that wind. Ballinglen finished the game strong with some good possession before it was topped off by Rory O’Dare getting his second goal of the morning. Ballinglen won on a score-line of 2-12 to 0-9, winning the Minor ‘C’ Championship Shield.
Killian Mulhall, Odhran Doyle, Callum Mutton, Daragh Hayden, Kevin Murray, Conor Byrne (0-03) Cian Fitzgerald, Patrick Murphy (0-03), Oran O’Callaghan (0-01), Sean Weld, John Moran, Evan Doyle, Rory O’Dare (2-02), Oisin Gorman (0-03), Larry Kinsella. Subs: Evan Byrne, Owen Hedderman, Patrick Faye, Cillian Murphy, Maurice Hedderman.
Ryan Clarke, Josh Nichols (0-01) Evan Dwyer, Ethan Mackie, Conor McGrath, Fionn Doyle, Stephen Kearns, Samuel Bishop, (0-04) Matthew Collins, Andrew Waters (0-02), Keevan Doyle, Luke Deasy, Ben Kelly, Michael Byrne, Ben Kiernan (0-02) Subs: Luke Fitzpatrick, Shane Synott, Daragh Heffernan, Joshua Bishop, Shane Dunleavy.
Ciaran Goff (Éire Óg)