Great second half sees Shanballymore into final
Shanballymore 0-16 Dromina 1-12
SHANBALLYMORE emerged close winners over Dromina in the Cavanagh’s Fermoy Division 1 HL semi-final at Ballyhea on Tuesday evening. This game was certainly a game of two halves. The sides were level 0-2 and 0-3 each after 11 minutes. Dromina moved their key forward David Jones outfield and he was outstanding. The only goal of the game came in the 13th minute when Paddy Burke and Michael Naughton worked well for Luke Morrissey who goaled. Dromina added rapid points by David Jones, Diarmuid Buckley and Richard Morrissey after good play by Ger Hayes and Johnny Delee 1-6 to 0-3 after 15 minutes. Further pressure by Dromina saw David Jones and Diarmuid Buckley add points with Jones pointing two long range frees. Shanballymore battled back well Miceal Burke pointed two frees with Brian O’Reilly putting his brother Colman through for a point in the 27th minute 1-11 to 0-6. Barry Sheedy made a great clearance for Shanballymore in injury time as the trailed at the break 1-11 to 0-6.
For the second half Dromina made a number of positional switches and they introduced four substitutions in this half. Shanballymore got on top in the half backline where Padraigh Fitzgerald, Sean Lynch and Eoin O’Regan were in great form. They also did well in midfield and up front Brian O’Reilly was in great form. Dromina found it very hard to make any progress up front. They had a single score in the second half and they had to wait till the 59th minute for that pointed free by David Jones. Shanballymore had two early pointed frees by Miceal Burke with Vincent Burke placing Miceal for a 39th minute point 1-11 to 0-9. Brian O’Reilly followed with 3 points that cut the lead 1-11 to 0-12 by the 48th minute. Eoin O’Regan pointed a long range free and in the 5lst minute the sides were level when a sideline cut by Brian O’Reilly found Darragh Palmer who levelled. Both sides were reduced to 14 players.
Brian O’Reilly gave Shanbally the lead with a long range point. Dromina had a long range free by David Jones that landed in the area but was well collected and cleared by Barry Sheedy. David Jones levelled from a 59th minute free. Six minutes of injury time were played with Brian O’Reilly having the winning point in the 65th minute. Kevin O’Callaghan made two great saves for Dromina in the closing moments. Shanballymore will now meet Harbour Rovers in the final. SHANBALLYMORE: S Donegan, D Roche, E McHugh, Barry Sheedy, P Fitzgerald, S Lynch, E O’Regan 0-1f, D Palmer 0-1, R McHugh, C O’Reilly 0-1, Brian Sheedy, B O’Reilly 0-7, M Burke 0-6 (4f), V Burke, N Barry.
DROMINA: K O’Callaghan, J Jordan, D O’Shaughnessy, B Naughton, J Delee, G Hayes, K Hayes, P Burke, J O’Shaughnessy 0-2, L Morrissey 1-0, D Buckley 0-2, R Morrissey 0-1, M Naughton, P Hayes, David Jones 0-7 (3f). Subs: M Finn for J Delee, J O’Connor for D O’Shaughnessy, B Bowles for R Morrissey, D Buckley for M Naughton.
REFEREE: Ciaran O’Regan (Ballyhea)