A report with a difference from Ballinlough PRO Susan Farrell

Ballinlough 0-17 Drumbaragh 1-13

I’m not going to lie lads, a few stiff Hennessy’s were needed to control the shaking hand before I could get typing this report.  I’ve been to many games in my life time but this one will live long in the memory of all Ballinlough supporters to come. The best place to start a story like this is the beginning so that’s where we shall go...

After 15 minutes we were 5 points to no score down and it wasn’t for the lack of trying as Ballinlough hit 5 wides in the first seven minutes!! Ronzer McGuinness finally got us on the scoreboard after 14 minutes and only for a Simon Deevy point from play and a Peader Byrne free in the 20th minute, the Lough were short for scores as Drumbaragh tagged on points from play and a pivotal goal in the 15th minute to leave themselves 1-09 to 0-03 points to the good at half time.

I have often heard the phrase a game of two halves and I have often dismissed such reports but tonight I can honestly say the Lough came out like a different team in the second half. Whatever Stephen Baxter said(or roared) at half time, had the desired effect as a Ballinlough team with a completely different mindset entered the field. Mark McCullen kickstarted the revival on the 39th minute either side of two Drumbaragh points and at this stage it was not looking good for the men in red. What followed though was a masterclass in hunger, passion and desire. Darragh Caffery, making his debut in Championship football, came on and stepped up to the plate. He added a much needed boost to the Ballinlough team. He stuck his head in places many others wouldn’t and won ball around midfield that he had no right to claim, but it was the push Ballinlough needed to drive themselves on. Peader Byrne found his scoring boots and chipped over two scores, one from a free and one from play. Two minutes later Simon Deevy had a glorious goal chance to really put us back in the game, but instead of palming it to the net, he caught the ball and attempted to manoeuvre himself and the ball between the sticks but the Drumbaragh keeper was wise to his intentions and cleared his line! But with a close scare like that a sense of panic was coming into the Drumbaragh defence and their tackling became sloppy, leading to frees, allowing the cool Peader Byrne to slot over the bar three frees in as many minutes. 

Ballinlough were back in this game and following on from a superb pass Ronzer McGuinness found himself in a situation where he had only the keeper to beat. Well he bet the keeper but unfortunately he didn’t beat the crossbar, rattling the ball off the wood to an audible groan from the Ballinlough support. We thought this was our chance to get back into the game and we messed it up... but we were wrong!!

Mark McCullen kicked a fine effort from play , before Peader Byrne scored an even better one, and then not to be outdone Tommy McCullen hit an absolute peach of a point from long range to leave the deficit down to three points. In between two Peader Byrne frees, Robbie Farrell found himself in space in the 57th minute and sailed the ball over the black spot to level the match, the same Robbie who worked tirelessly in defence to limit Drumbaragh to just 4 points in the second half.

But credit Drumbaragh when they knew the game was on they livened up and went looking for a winner of their own scoring a point in the 59th minute. Another Peader Byrne free cancelled that one out and we were all square heading into injury time. Momentum was all with Ballinlough at this stage and after some patient build up, they worked themselves into a scorable position. You’ve often heard of Fairytale endings but this was on another level. Seàn Geraghty was introduced on the 56th minute to the Balllinlough team. Seánie hadn’t kicked a ball competitively since January when he took a knock in pre-season that resulted in a ruptured spleen and eliminated him from both club and county action for the best part of three months. But cometh the hour, cometh the man and the bauld Seán kicked the winner in the 62nd minute to an eruption of noise from the large Ballinlough support !! 

It’s easy to say, and most reporters probably will call this the Peader Byrne show or “PeaderLough” as I’ve heard in the past, well the man did kick 9 points in the second half, 8 from frees. But what that headline doesn’t tell you is the heart and passion that each and everyone of the Ballinlough team put into the second half to win those frees, to claim the ball, to be part of the action. I’m not going to tell you who was best for Ballinlough because every man on that field from 1-15 and then some, give absolutely everything in the second half to turn this game around. To be 9 points down at half time and win by one, with no goals... 17 points is a serious haul for any team, but this team never gave up, never give in, never let the heads drop. They have something that you cannot train, they have self-belief and they put it into practice on the hallowed ground of Pairc Tailteann today. Drumbaragh will feel they left it behind them but truth be told once our lads started playing football there was no competition. 

No time to celebrate (I did, for the team!) as a massive game v Oldcastle is just around the corner, but the Lough got off to the best possible start today and hopefully we can add to that going forward.

Ballinlough Scorers: P.Byrne 10pts (8f), M.McCullen 2pts, R.McGuinness, S.Deevy, T.McCullen, R.Farrell, S.Geraghty 1pt each

Ballinlough: D.Muldoon, R.Farrell, P.Muldoon, M.Farrell,E.Smith, M.Geraghty, J.Reilly, L.Maguire, T.McCullen, P.Briody, R.McGuinness, M.McCullen, B.Smith, S.Deevy, P.Byrne. Subs: D.Caffery for P.Briody 26mins, S.Geraghty for S.Deevy 56mins

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