Dromtariffe finish strongly

Dromtariffe 2-10 Ballydesmond 0-9

DROMTARIFFE finished strongly to defeat Ballydesmond to a scrappy Bons Secour County IFC at Boherbue on Saturday.

A tension filled encounter won’t be remembered for the quality of football, a stop start second half ran for 44 minutes, Dromtariffe not too worried on battling tenaciously to secure a spirited victory.

Not even a numerical disadvantage for a long stretch could halt Dromtariffe to repeat a replay win over their Duhallow neighbours from last season. Naturally team manager James McAulliffe was relieved with the result, the outcome sees Dromtariffe join Rockchapel at the head of the table.

“Going down to 14 players in the opening half, the boys dug it out against a physically strong Ballydesmond team but our fitness pulled us over the line. Having met twice last season, the sides probably reminisced on those encounters with the hits tough to a tense encounter but our unwillingness to yield as in the 2018 Co. Junior final brought us through again,” he said.

“All our attention is now on the concluding game in the

Group, ourselves and Kinsale have something to play for and it makes for an interesting contest to what is effectively a knockout clash,” said McAulliffe.

At times, both sides misfired in the opening half, Ballydesmond thankful to a brilliant save from ‘keeper Denis Ring as the Dromtariffe wides tally increased to nine by the interval. And further trouble brewed for Dromtariffe, losing Mark O’Connor to a red card.

A bizarre scenario to that incident, initially referee Colm Maher picked out Seán Cremin, issued with red, he departed the field but on the advise of a linesman, the match official crossed to the opposite line, re-instated Cremin and returned to send O’Connor packing.

Chances continued at either end, Ballydesmond’s Kevin O’Connell blasted narrowly wide only for Donncha O’Connor point a beauty from the sideline for parity at 0-4 apiece at the break. However Dromtariffe’s pace quickened on the restart, rewarded on a crucial goal, full-forward Cremin intercepted a kick-out for Conor O’Callaghan to unleash a piledriver to the Ballydesmond net.

And though Dromtariffe were down to 13 players for ten minutes following the sinbinning of substitute Tomás Howard, they refused to be ruffled with points to O’Callaghan and Evan Murphy.

Ballydesmond remained in with a shout, Darragh Moynihan denied by the post and from the rebound, Dromtariffe ‘keeper Gavin O’Keeffe thwarted Brendan Fleming.

And a frustrating occasion was compounded on former county player Donncha O’Connor being sent off.

On the run in, Dromtariffe had weathered the storm and at the end of a marathon second spell, they had the necessary breathing space, confirmed on O’Callaghan’s pin point crossfield delivery was flicked to the net by Murphy.

A job well done by Dromtariffe yet the business is not totally finished for a result will be required against Kinsale in two weeks time.

For Ballydesmond, back to back defeats adds up to the danger of relegation woes ahead of facing Rockchapel where the latter hold a similar points tally to Dromtarffe, they too require a favourable outcome.

DROMTARIFFE: G O’Keeffe; R Daly, S Howard, L McCabe; B Murphy, J Murphy, B O’Keeffe; A Buckley 0-1, M Healy 0-1; E Murphy 1-2; D O’Donoughue, M O’Connor; D O’Connor, S Cremin, Conor O’Callaghan 1-6 (0-5f) Subs: T Howard for D O’Donoughue (ht), J Buckley for L McCabe (55), C O’Mahony for R Daly (52), O Dennehy for S Cremin (59), Con O’Callaghan for M Healy (68)

BALLYDESMOND: D Ring; S O’Connor, D Kelly, C Linehan; T Howard, J Healy, Seán Murphy; S Kelly, K O’Connell; Shane Murphy, N Fleming 0-4(0-3f), R Flynn; B Fleming, Donncha O’Connor 0-4 (0-2f), D Moynihan 0-1 Subs: Donal O’Connor for R Flynn (51), J O’Keeffe for B Fleming (54), P Breen for C Linehan (64)

REFEREE: C Maher (Buttevant)