Ballinlough 0-14 Drumbaragh 1-06

Ballinlough welcomed Drumbaragh to the Park for this U-19B Championship Semi-Final, and it was the visitors who started off brightly, with an early penalty goal and two points to set them up nicely in the opening ten minutes.

Ballinlough finally hit back with two Daire Shine points and a point from Kit Óg Lynch to leave just two points between the sides in the 17th minute.

While the home side had plenty of the ball they were wasteful in attack, dropping the leather short into the keepers hands on a number of occasions to deny themselves a chance at reducing the deficit.

Further points were traded with Daire Shine accurate for Ballinlough in the 22nd minute, and then a driving run from his brother Tom a moment later was enough to set Rory Smith up to point to leave just one point between the sides.

Drumbaragh were to be hit with a blow in the 25th minute when they lost their talismanic Hughie Corcoran to a black card but they did take the next score when they pointed two minutes later.

A Daire Shine free in the 32nd minute concluded the scoring for the first half so when Referee Raymond Tynan called for the ball Ballinlough trailed by a point on a score line of 0-06 to Drumbaragh’s 1-04.

Ballinlough immediately restored parity upon the restart with Daire Shine pointing in the opening minute of the half, and despite Drumbaragh returning to their full compliment after three minutes, it was Ballinlough who took control of proceedings Daire Shine pointing twice in as many minutes to give Ballinlough a two point lead, Darren O’Higgins working overtime without the ball to get it back into Ballinlough hands and over the bar.

A beautiful outside of the boot effort from Kit Óg Lynch sailed over the bar in the 37th minute before Tom Shine added his name to the scoresheet with a fine score as the clock hit forty minutes.

Drumbaragh to their credit were still getting forward and creating some problems but with Charlie Lynch in outstanding form in defense the Drums were to get short change from their attacking endeavors.

Another tidy point from Kit Óg Lynch as he jinked his way between men to fire over in the 42nd minute extended Ballinlough’s lead before Drumbaragh got their first score of the half four minutes later.

Ballinlough were playing at another level now though and pushed on with a classy pointed free from Daire Shine, he might have had something to say to his Drumbaragh FanClub after that one went over!!

Ballinlough were to finish the game with 14 as Oisin McDermott received his marching orders on the back of a second yellow in the 57th minute, and while Drumbaragh added a pointed free to their tally they didn’t do a lot more to overly trouble the Ballinlough rearguard.

From a Drumbaragh attack in the 62nd minute, the ball was turned over after solid defending from John McCullen as he worked the ball forward to Rory Smith, and when he saw Brandon Brunton ahead of him in acres of space he let fly, Brunton for his part collected possession, turned his man and tipped the ball over the bar to put five points between the sides with time as good as up.

So when Referee Raymond Tynan blew the final whistle Ballinlough took the win and a place in the Final on a score line of 0-14 to Drumbaragh’s 1-06.

Waiting for us in the Final will be St.Mary’s after they defeated St.Michaels/Moynalty in the other Semi-Final, and we’ll bring you details of that game when we have them!

Ballinlough Team: M.Farrelly, C.Lynch, J.Connell, F.McDonnell, J.Mollison, E.Briody, A.Gibney, O.McDermott, D.Shine(0-08(4f)), R.Smith(0-01), K.Óg Lynch(0-03), S.Lynch, B.Brunton(0-01), D.O’Higgins, T.Shine(0-01)

Subs: J.McCullen for F.McDonnell 46’, F.McDonnell for J.Mollison 55’

Referee: Raymond Tynan

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