Ballivor 0-09 Cortown 1-09

Ballivor must be absolutely sick of the sight of Cortown. It's now 5 wins in a row for Cortown over the boys in maroon in the last 4 years in all competitions including two in the last 12 months after last year's dramatic first round encounter in the Intermediate Championship which must still haunt the men in maroon and white. 

Cortown made the trip through Athboy and into the abyss with real confidence after two comprehensive wins over Kilbride and St Mary's respectively looking to maintain their 100% to the league campaign. Cortown were without the services of on-duty sergeant Brían Smith, Brian Faulkner who was also busy in work presumably sitting in the lounge indulging on pool and Fifa and not least Declan 'Boots' Clarke who's sidelined with an in-grown toenail which he is currently recovering from in Bray's Pub in Fordstown by the fire and high-stool.

This paved the way for a long-awaited return for golden boy Gary Coyne and that's not slagging his hair or anything but Coyne was making only his second first team start in a start in an astonishing three years! Cortown don't often start quickly but the boys in yellow made a blistering start to proceedings on a delightful Saturday evening in Ballivor.

Ryan O'Rourke got the ball rolling and Cortown on the scoreboard when he curled over a fine pointed free when his fellow corner forward Davy Rispin was tugged back. It was very much a case of offense was the best form of defence for Mattie McCabe's men against the strong breeze when quick thinking from big Decky Clarke in the midfield exchanged a sideline ball with O'Rourke, he ducked and dodged and fired over a beauty to double the Cortown lead. 

Ballivor, without the services of hurling trio in Adam Gannon, Keith Keoghan and Steffan Kelly briefly responded through the small yet effective full forward Kevin McKeown. However the pivotal in not just the half but also the game was the one and only goal of the contest. Some nice interplay in the midfield sector resulted in Glen Loughran chipping an exquisite yet typical pass over the defence straight into the onrushing Colm Kerrigan. Everyone closed their eyes and hoped and the prayers were duly answered as the former championship winning captain slotted cooly into the near corner of the net. 

Cortown were absolutely rampant at this stage as Rispin cut through the defence and slotted over his first of the day. This was quickly followed by another peach from O'Rourke from distance as the dominant Cortown continued to pull away. The defensive effort was absolutely brilliant too with David Coyne, Paddy Kerrigan and Ivor O'Halloran immense in the full back line. This enabled the wing backs to bomb forward wreaking havoc as Coyne picked out lover boy Cormac Lindsay with a textbook pass. The young star elected to delicately place his effort which was saved and the ball agonisingly crept past the post. 

There was still more to come as Coyne played a ball down the right hand side, Rispin collected, dropped the shoulder, went towards goal and elected to steer over to give the away side an emphatic lead approaching the 20th minute mark. Just as 82 year old chairman Pat Lynch was deliberating taking a cheeky selfie with the stylish scoreboard, Ballivor woke up and began to respond. 

It was the McKeown brothers, Kevin and Brendan leading the revival and the hosts reeled off three points in quick succession and it could have much more had it not been for some tremendous last ditch defending from the Cortown rearguard. After this, despite the early dominance it was only a four point lead for the travelling side, 1-05 to 0-4.

McCabe warned his players to expect a continued onslaught and response from the hosts and as James 'Ragsie' Matthews dished out the fuel-filled Jaffa Cakes in which Daragh O'Halloran must have ate about 10; Cortown were ready for a big 30 minutes action. The first 10 minutes of the second period were scrappy to say the very least with plenty of mini scuffles breaking out around the field. This suited Cortown as it kept Ballivor at bay but they did eventually cut the gap to 3. 

You always just felt that Cortown had their number however and the evergreen Loughran pointed an important free after Rispin had been hauled down 21 metres from goal. Loughran was coming to the fore for Cortown at this stage and some neat interplay resulted in man who turned 37 last week landing a monster from 45 metres with the breeze at his back with the outside of his boot. Loughran is the latest Cortown man to sign up to Facebook after chairman Lynch subscripted a few weeks ago.  

Ballivor and Cortown are similar sides though in the sense that they're both pig ignorant and hate being beat, some would say hard bet but we won't go there! Anyway Ballivor kept battling and Cortown despite some guilt edge chance's, couldn't shake off their Intermediate counter-parts and McKeown kept the Intermediate side in touch as they unleashed the veteran Gary Watters from the bench with 15 to go. 

O'Rourke settled the nerves with a fine effort from an acute effort and the sundance kids in O'Rourke and Rispin played an integral role in securing primary possession along with the legend that is Brian Casserly. The Butch was still moving as well at 5.00am in the residents bar as he was for the hour in Ballivor fuelled on pure fat frog rocket fuel which had the King dancing like it 1996 again! 

McCabe turned to the Bronzed Adonis Davy Wright to stem the flow possibly to dazzle the Ballivor men with his impressive tan which never seems to fade somehow? John McGearty was also thrown on for the jaded Coyne and Stevie Clarke who put in two huge shifts. At this stage it was just a case of grinding it out and Loughran sent over a free to keep the scoreboard ticking but Cortown still faced a late bombardment of high balls which were dealt with impressively and after no fewer than 6 minutes of injury time from Jason Plunkett, he finally called a halt to the contest as daylight faded as fast as John McFadden's hair did many moons ago!  

Overall, this was by far Cortown's toughest assignment to date and McCabe and his management team will be delighted their side passed with flying colours! As it stands Cortown are on course for an immediate return to the third division after making it three wins from three games going top in the process with a game in hand over the chasing pack. That game in hand against the dreaded St Paul's will take place at some stage this week and nothing but a win will suffice for the Cortown boys. You'd have to say it wasn't a bad weekend with Ireland drawing, Meath and Cortown recording fine wins and Arsenal not playing so no points dropped!  

Cortown: John McFadden, Ivor O'Halloran, Paddy Kerrigan (C) David Coyne, Stephen Clarke, Daragh O'Halloran, Cormac Lindsay, Richie Flanagan, Declan Clarke, Gary Coyne, Glen Loughran (0-3,2s), Colm Kerrigan (1-0), Ryan O'Rourke (0-4,1f), Brian Casserly, Davy Rispin (0-2). 

Subs: Davy Wright for Coyne, John McGearty for S Clarke.

Referee: Jason Plunkett (Clonard)

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