Ballinlough 3-08 St.Peter’s Dunboyne 4-10

Ballinlough’s Premier Team made the long trip to take on a red hot St.Peter’s Dunboyne team who have being steam-rolling teams of late in Round 4 of the Div.6 Premier Championship, and it was the visitors who started brightly with two well taken points from Peader Byrne in the opening minutes.

It didn’t take the hosts long to settle in though and they hit back with a point from play and a rocket of a goal in the eleventh minute to get themselves up and running. From there they built on their lead with another goal and a point before Referee Joe Synnott, who was consistent and generally fair throughout the contest, called for the first of the water breaks, Dunboyne leading on a scoreline of 2-02 to Ballinlough’s 0-02.

After the obligatory minutes break the Referee did something I’m a big fan of, calling for the Ballinlough keeper to restart play despite Dunboyne still being in deep discussion on the sideline, the shrill sound of the whistle was enough to get them moving a bit quicker and after a mad dash the defence just about got themselves in position to foul Séan Tunney before the ball was worked to the back of the net, Tunney duly sending the free over the bar.

Ballinlough were dealt another hammer blow when Dunboyne struck for goal again in the 17th minute, from my angle it looked to be picked up off the ground but the Ref didn’t see it that way and Keith McGuinness in the Ballinlough net had no chance of saving the close range shot. A point was added to the Dunboyne men’s tally before Junior Reilly gave Ballinlough a lifeline with a well taken goal in the 19th minute.

Frees were traded with Séan Tunney and his Dunboyne counterpart before Ballinlough finished the half strongest with Paddy Briody sending over a point and Brían Casserly hitting an impressive goal, coming from a short free from the quick thinking Peader Byrne, Ballinlough having closed the gap by half time to two points on a scoreline of Dunboyne 3-04 to Ballinlough 2-05.

The second half started at a blistering pace for the visitors with Peader Byrne sending over a free after three minutes to lower the deficit to one, and the Lough were to take the lead when Robert Ryan finished to the net in the 35th minute. Indeed we could have being further ahead when another goal chance was created with Brían Casserly having an opportunity to almost slam-dunk the ball into the net but Dunboyne just about managed to clear their line in time.

A Dunboyne point in the 38th minute left one between the sides but Peader Byrne kept Ballinlough ticking over with a free a moment later. Then came the sucker punch again for Ballinlough as a penalty was conceded in the 45th minute, and while initially indicting a free in, when Referee Joe Synnott got closer he determined the offence took place inside the square and gave the penalty which was duly dispatched to the net just before the second water break, Dunboyne having wrestled back their lead by the narrowest of margins to lead 4-05 to Ballinlough’s 3-07.

Unfortunately the last quarter seemed to see Ballinlough legs finally tire after a Trojan effort against younger and evidently fitter opposition and Dunboyne rattled off three points, two of which were frees, without reply. Ballinlough did have a great goal chance to try close the gap but Brían Casserly saw his excellent effort kept out by an equally outstanding save from the Dunboyne keeper in the 53rd minute.

Peader Byrne reduced the deficit to three points with a pointed free in the 55th minute but it was the hosts who finished the scoring with two points from play to see them run out five point winners on a scoreline of 4-10 to Ballinlough’s 3-08.

Ballinlough: K.McGuinness, L.Finnegan, E.Smith, B.Jordan, N.McDonnell, H.Briody, J.Lynch, P.Byrne (0-05(4f), K.Byrne, J.Reilly (1-00), S.Tunney (0-02(2f), R.Ryan (1-00), C.Cunning, P.Briody (0-01), B.Casserly (1-00). Subs: M.Farrell for C.Cunning 15’, P.Farrelly for J.Lynch 36’, J.Farrelly for R.Ryan 48’, L.Gibney for K.McGuinness 56’

Referee: Joe Synnott

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