JFC final: Ballivor control contest to take title
October 04, 2020
Ballivor's Nicky Potterton with Stefan O'Neill St. Vincents during the Meath JFC final at Pairc Tailteann
Ballivor coped better with the difficult conditions to see off St Vincent's in the JFC final at Pairc Tailteann early on Sunday afternoon.
Ballivor ............ 0-10
St Vincent's ......0-5
Ballivor had one hand on the Peter McDermott Cup throughout most of the hour and managed very well against the elements in the second-half.
James McNally and John Rafferty's men managed five scores in each half. The opening third of the final saw the teams tied three times. Following Brendan McKeon's 22nd minute free it left Ballivor 0-4 to 0-3 ahead and they took that advantage to the finish.
In claiming the title for the first time since 2011, Ballivor started seven players who lined out for Kildalkey in their dramatic SHC semi-final loss to Trim eight days earlier.
Team captain Adam Gannon spoke well and was respectful towards St Vincent's who were losing their second final at this level in three years.
St Vincent's opened the scoring through Patrick McGill in the second minute. However, it was to be the only time the Ardcath/Clonalvy side led.
Ballivor seemed fitter than St Vincent's. All bar two of their scores came from frees, which may be an indication of the pressure the team who normally wear maroon jerseys was imposing.
There was a strong wind blowing towards town goal with frequent showers, but Ballivor found it difficult to shake off their opponents in white and maroon.
Kevin and Brendan McKeon scored nine of Ballivor's 10 points. Kevin landed five frees while two of Brendan's tally came from frees, including the excellent final score.
The impressive Paddy Conneely provided the assist for that 61st minute point.
Ballivor's 0-5 to 0-3 interval advantage seemed a tad shaky. They proved their worth moving 0-8 to 0-4 clear by the 40th minute. St Vincent's were beginning to rue McGill's goal chance in the 29th minute.
As time wore on Ballivor asserted their superiority as St Vincent's closed their tally with an Eoin Corry free. Before the end Ballivor sub Cillian Canavan and St Vincent's Eric Callaghan were dismissed in separate incidents
Team captain and Killyon hurler Adam Gannon was the other scorer for the winners with his side's penultimate point.
Scorers: Ballivor - Kevin McKeon 0-5 fs; Brendan McKeon 0-4 (2fs); Adam Gannon 0-1.
St Vincent's - Patrick McGill 0-3 (1f); Paddy Arnold, Eoin Corry 0-1 each.
Ballivor - Edward Kirby; Kevin Kelly, David Raleigh, Harry Smyth; Jacob Ryan, Paddy Conneely, Eoin Potterton; Joseph McLaughlin, Keith Keoghan; Chris Dunne, Adam Gannon (C), David Conneely; Nicky Potterton, Kevin McKeon, Brendan McKeon. Subs - Padraig Geoghegan for McLaughlin (51), Cillian Canavan for E Potterton (56), Evan Fitzgerald for N Potterton (60).
St Vincent's - Evan Connor; Ciaran Brangan, Davy Tallon, Mark Crawley; Conor Harford, Niall Tallon, Leo Corry; Robert Tallon, Ryan Hand; Martin Fox, Thomas Field, Paddy Arnold; Patrick McGill, Nigel Hand, Eric Callaghan. Subs - Jack Byrne for Harford (bs 41-45), Jack Byrne for Arnold (45), Robert Lynch for Field (50), Stefan O'Neill for R Tallon (50), Gary Tuite for Brangan (60).
Referee - Andrew Smith (Dunshaughlin)
St. Vincents Report
St. Vincents and Ballivor met in the final of this years junior football championship in Pairc Tailteann on Sunday morning. Conditions were dreadful with heavy rain and wind so the prospect of good open football was not on the cards.
Playing against the elements in the first half St. Vincents started brightly and opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when Ryan Hand fed Patrick McGill who slotted over from 20 metres. St. Vincents defence was holding firm and keeping a lively Ballivor forward line quiet but several dropped balls and misplaced passes meant their attacks were few and far between. Two Ballivor frees on 4 and 14 minutes saw them lead 0-2 to 0-1 at the first water break.
After a period of controlled possession and several well worked passes the ball was played into Paddy Arnold who slotted over from close range on 20 mins. A minute later St. Vincents suffered a blow when Nigy Hand injured an arm and had to be replaced by Eoghan Corry.
Ballivor converted a free in the 22nd minute but Vincents hit back instantly when a scramble for possession in midfield saw Ryan Hand again feed McGill who slotted over to tie it up again at 0-3 to 0-3.
Ballivor converted another free in 24 minutes. Just as the half was drawing to a close a Vincents line ball on the 45 metre was worked into McGill who bore down on goal but his shot brushed the post and into the side netting. In the 2nd minute of injury time yet another Ballivor free closed the half.
Half time St. Vincents 0-3 Ballivor 0-5.
A solid defensive performance in the first half had set Vincents up well to play with the elements in the second period. Unfortunately as a unit they never got going in the second half.
Ballivor scored their first point from play in the 35th minute but from the kickout a well worked move down the terrace side saw Eoghan Corry slot over from 25 metres to reduce the deficit to two again. Despite this score Ballivor were creating more space and two pointed frees in the 37th and 40th minutes proved crucial as they stretched their lead to four.
Eric Callaghan received a red card on 48 minutes and suddenly the mountain just got higher. After the second water break Ballivor scored two more points from play in between a McGill free but the result was inevitable well before the final whistle. Best for Vincents on the day were Davy Tallon and Patrick McGill.
Final score Ballivor 0-10 St. Vincents 0-5.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for St. Vincents on the day but on behalf of their supporters I would like to thank the players and management for the huge effort the put in all year and we still have the Tailteann Cup final to look forward to in three weeks.
Congratulations to an excellent Ballivor team on a hard fought and deserved victory.
St. Vincents: 1. Evan Connor 2. Ciarán Brangan 3. Davy Tallon 4. Mark Crawley 5. Conor Harford 6. Niall Tallon 7. Leo Corry 8. Bob Tallon 9. Ryan Hand 10. Martin Fox 11. Tommy Field 12. Paddy Arnold (0-1) 13. Patrick McGill (0-3 1f) 14. Eric Callaghan 15. Nigy Hand. Subs Eoghan Corry (0-1) for N. Hand. Jack Byrne for Arnold. Robbie Lynch for Field. Stefan O’Neill for B. Tallon. Gary Tuite for Brangan.
