Ballinlough 1-10 Rathkenny 1-13

Ballinlough and Rathkenny made the trip to Kilmainhamwood and with both sides having representatives on the successful Meath Minor team who claimed the All-Ireland title earlier in the day, it was abit of a mad dash from Croke Park for some players and supporters alike.

Rathkenny opened the scoring with a free in the opening minute before Harry Ryan quickly leveled things up with a free of his own, Rathkenny then exerting their dominance early on, hitting three points from play to lead by three. A Seanie Geraghty point in the ninth minute was all Ballinlough could muster up in reply, and indeed it could have being a goal with the ball coming back off the post and Seanie then driving the ball over the bar from close range. There was a goal coming but unfortunately it went to Rathkenny and came in the most fortuitous and calamitous of fashions as a pointed effort was kicked in but dropped short, hitting the lower post just below the bar and bouncing off the back of the hapless Podge Muldoon who had no chance to turn quick enough to see it out, and the ball fell to the back of the net to give Rathkenny a major boost. They tagged on another pointed free just as we headed for the first water break on a scoreline of 1-05 to Ballinlough’s 0-02.

From the restart Collie Mallen kicked Ballinlough’s third point but again Rathkenny rattled off two quick scores to extend their lead. Another Harry Ryan free in the 23rd minute kept Ballinlough ticking over but Rathkenny were finding scores easier to come by and hit two more points from play to leave them eight to the good with 27 minutes played.

Ballinlough did finish the half strongest with Collie Mallen converting another free, and Harry Ryan kicking a fine point from play after great work from the tireless Hugh Briody, the deficit lowered slightly when Referee Paddy Clarke blew the half time whistle on a scoreline of Rathkenny 1-09 to Ballinlough’s 0-06.

Fresh from the half-time chat Ballinlough set about eating into Rathkenny’s lead, but their efforts were hindered when Harry Ryan was forced off with a serious injury, Collie Mallen stepping up to take the resulting free and send it over the bar in the 33rd minute. Mallen repeated the trick moments later as another free was conceded, Ronan McGuinness causing the Rathkenny defence all sorts of bother with his movement.

Just when Ballinlough were clawing their way back into the game, they allowed Rathkenny push on again with the concession of a silly score-able free, which was followed up with a great point from play for the Rathkenny men in the 39th minute.

Collie Mallen fired over another point from play for Ballinlough in the 45th minute, and Ballinlough hearts began to palpitate moments later when a high ball was sent in and Ronan McGuinness was the cat amongst the Rathkenny pigeons causing mass confusion, the ball eventually breaking for Jamie Casserly to smash it to the net from close range to lower the gap to two points as we headed for the second water break, Rathkenny still leading but at a much reduced lead on a scoreline of 1-11 to Ballinlough’s 1-09.

People often curse these water breaks and question their necessity and I’m sure there were plenty of Ballinlough folk would have preferred the game carried on after the goal, as is often the case the break gave Rathkenny a chance to reset themselves and take control of the game once again, kicking a point from play and a free to give them a four point lead. Tommy McCullen scored a classy point for Ballinlough in the 57th minute to leave it a one score game entering the closing stages, and whilst Rathkenny did everything they could to retain possession and see the game out there was to be one last gasp chance for Ballinlough to steal a draw from this game.

Knowing only a goal would do, the ball was sent in high into a packed goalmouth area, and Hugh Briody did exceptionally well to claim possession cleanly but was instantly surrounded by a horde of black and red jerseys, and in a decision that could have easily being a free in referee Paddy Clarke decided to take the other option, penalizing Hugh for not releasing the ball and with that any hope of Ballinlough taking anything from this game faded.

When the final whistle was blown Rathkenny emerged victorious on a scoreline of 1-13 to Ballinlough’s 1-10. Another valiant effort from the lads and some massive improvements made but yet again we just come up short on the day. Next up is a must win game V Dunderry in a couple of weeks.

Ballinlough: P.Muldoon, H.Briody, R.Farrell, C.Rennicks, F.Gibney, D.Caffrey, L.Maguire, D.Galligan, T.McCullen (0-01), C.Mallen (0-05(4f)), H.Ryan (0-03(2f)), M.Geraghty, S.Geraghty (0-01), R.McGuinness, B.Smith

Subs: J.Casserly (1-00) for H.Ryan 33’, M.McCullen for D.Galligan 44’, L.Finnegan for F.Gibney 54’

Referee: Paddy Clarke

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