Brilliant Ballyhar secure final berth at LB’s expense

DENNY DIVISION 1A

LB Rovers 2 Ballyhar Dynamos 4

THE stakes could not get any higher in this big game in Ballybunion as the winner would go through to meet Inter Kenmare in the final

After quite an entertaining game Ballyhar took the spoils after a great second half display. The Firies men had to do it the hard way as they came from 2-0 down and won with a fair degree of comfort at the end.

A strong breeze had a significant influence on this game and LB enjoyed its assistance in the first half. The home side went ahead after 11minutes when Eoin O’Mahony floated in an inch perfect cross to Stephen McSweeney and he applied a lethal final.

By now Ballyhar were playing well with Kevin Casey and Mike Daly very influential in the middle of the park.

They went close to equalising in the 24th minute after good build p play and Ed Kerrisk's final shot went narrowly wide.

Then Eoin O’Mahony went close twice for LB first with a bicycle kick and afterwards his angled shot was superbly saved by Ballyhar goalie Dan O’Shea. Five minutes from the break LB put themselves in a very strong position with a wonder goal from Billy Foley.

The goal came totally out of the blue with Foley winning position 35 yards from goals and he turned and delivered a thunderbolt of a shot which flew into the roof of the net.

To their credit Ballyhar did not buckle after this set back and they got a very crucial goal on the stroke of half-time.

A foul on Mike Day led to a free kick 10 yards outside the box. Daly drilled the ball wide of the defensive wall and it went in off the butt of the left hand post. Things got even better for Ballyhar 5 minutes into the second half when they were gifted an equaliser.

total lack of communication at the back for LB had a disastrous outcome with a defenders back pass putting the ball past his own keeper.

Five minutes later Ballyhar went ahead when a Mike Daly corner kick was flicked on and Paudie O’Sullivan was there to nod home from close range.

They established a more comfortable cushion of safety in the 70th minute when Mike Daly centered the ball to Kevin Casey and he headed to the net. LB now piled on the pressure to get back into the game and it took a great save from Dan O’Shea to deny Billy Foley.

LB forced a good few corners and free kick in the final minutes of the game, but Ballyhar held out comfortably for a great victory. Great credit is due to Ballyhar manager Donal O’Donoghue who does Trojan work for the club and has now steered his side to a final.

LB ROVERS: Darren O’Connor, Cathal While, Eddie Houlihan, Barry Shanahan, Thomas Deenihan, Kieran Connolly, Stephen McSweeney, Billy Foley, Eoin O’Mahony, David O’Connor, Anthony O’Connor Subs: Jonathan Carr, John Horgan BALLYHAR DYNAMOS: Dan O’Shea, Ger Fitzgerald, John O’Mahony, Anthony McMcKenna, Kevin O’Sullivan, Padraig O’Sullivan, Pat Kissane, (Matt Keane 90), Kevin Casey, Mike Daly, Ed Kerrisk, Jason O’Connor, (Denis Kerrisk 90) REFEREE: Kevin O’Regan