IFC: Keeper Lynch delivers for Michaels
August 16, 2021
St. Michaels Matthew Halpin gets in his pass as Jamie Casserly (Ballinlough) looks on during the opening round of the Meath IFC at Martry
St. Michaels 0-11, Ballinlough 0-10
St. Michaels fell over the finish line to bag the two points on offer in their opening match of the Meade Farm Group IFC played in Martry on Sunday afternoon. This was a dour affair that will not live long in the memories of those in attendance who witnessed some poor deliveries and shot selections, bad misses and yellow, black and red cards aplenty.
14 man St. Michaels were struggling to come to terms with a resurgent Ballinlough side in the second half however the “Lough” boys shot themselves in the foot in that final 30 minutes as they sent seven attempts wide of the posts. St. Michaels on the other hand who played with a man down for the last 38 minutes following the influential Sam Briody getting his marching orders on a second yellow picked off their scores as the opportunities arose and they can be thankful to their top scorer on the day, stand-in 'keeper Ciaran Lynch who made four successful trips to the opposite end to convert frees.
Four points from David Lynch (2) Oran Meehan and Ciaran Lynch (1 each) gave St. Michaels 0-4 to 0-2 lead at the first water break. Two Lynch frees gave his side a slender 0-6 to 0-5 interval advantage. Ballinlough went a man down to a black card in the opening half.
Neither side could muster a score in the opening twelve minutes of the second half and it was Ballinlough who broke the deadlock to level the match. Two great efforts from Shane McDonnell and Ray Reilly put the 'Michaels back in front to lead by two at the second water break.
The final quarter produced the best football of the entire match as both sides went for the jugular, Ballinlough made it a one point game on 47 minutes but good work from Jamie Farrelly and substitute Felim O'Reilly restored a three point lead for St. Michaels, Ballinlough kept plugging away and levelled the match on the 60th minute. But a foul on Ray Reilly in injury time meant Lynch had to make another trip to the opposing goals for what could be the winning score and he duly obliged.
Ballinlough will be disappointed with the result and with the fact that they were beaten by 14 men and the poor shooting in front of the posts but credit must go the the six St. Michaels defenders who hassled and harried the opposing forwards into making all those shooting errors.
St. Michaels team and scorers: Ciaran Lynch (0-4); Ciaran O'Reilly, Matthew Halpin, Ben Reilly; Christopher Drew, Mark Stafford, Sam Briody; J.B. O'Reilly, David Lynch (0-2); Cian McFadden, Jamie Farrelly (0-1), Brian O'Reilly; Oran Meehan (0-1), Shane McDonnell (0-1), Ray Reilly (0-1). Subs: Felim O'Reilly (0-1) for JB O'Reilly, Brian Reilly for McFadden, Cian Sheridan for B. O'Reilly, Patrick Tobin for Meehan.
Report: Pascal Reilly PRO.
