Duleek-Bellewstown 2-8 Ballivor 0-13

If any spectators in Batterstown on Friday night were unaware of the permutations of the group that were in play, then the scenes at the end of this Meade Farm Intermediate Football Championship Group B Round 3 fixture would have been very confusing. Referee Owen Ganly blew the full time whistle, the Ballivor players jumped in the air with elation while the Duleek-Bellewstown players dropped to their knees in despair, despite Duleek winning the match by one point.

Ballivor knew going into the match that anything better than a two point loss would guarantee qualification to the knockout stages of the championship on score difference. Duleek needed to win by 2 or more points or hope that Longwood beat Castletown in the other fixture, neither of which came to fruition and results with Duleek now having to play a relegation play-off to secure their Intermediate status.

From the moment cars started to roll into Batterstown, this game had the feeling of a big knockout championship match. The warm-ups were intense, floodlights were on, the Clubber camera’s were set-up and the supporters were excited. It was very unlikely that this one was going to disappoint.

This game was frantic right from the start, it was hard hitting and everything was done at 100 miles an hour. Ballivor started well and the first score came 2 minutes in when Nicky Potterton looped around the back of Gary Sherrock, received the pass and put it high and between the posts. Nicky then doubled Ballivor’s lead with a free off the deck from outside the 45.

Duleek responded with a pointed free and then on the 7th minute, a lapse in concentration from Ballivor proved to be very costly. The linesman on the dugout side incorrectly gave a line ball to Duleek and while the Ballivor players were protesting the decision, Duleek took the line ball quickly and seconds later the ball was being palmed past Tosh Raleigh into the net.

The next three scores were all frees, one for Duleek and two for Ballivor’s Brendan Mckeon. It was back to just a one point game but once again misfortune struck for Ballivor. After some good defending, Duleek’s attempted point was blocked down but unluckily, the ball landed in the lap of the Duleek full forward who offloaded to the runner on his shoulder, and it was finished to the back of the net from close range. Both teams tacked on a couple of points each before the break, both of Ballivor’s coming from free’s, one for each of the Mckeon’s. The east Meath side led by 2-4 to 0-6 at half-time.

The second half was ferocious, although the scoreboard was slow to get moving. Both teams put in huge hits and tackles all over the pitch. Of the next eight points scored, six of them were for the men in maroon. Two frees for Brendan Mckeon, one free for Adam Gannon and three monstrous scores from play from Martin Healy, Brian O’Halloran and Kevin Mckeon respectively brought the sides level with just 5 minutes left on the clock.

 As previously mentioned, Ballivor knew that a one point loss guaranteed passage into the knockout stages and a draw would have meant topping the group. Duleek however, did not have that same luxury and needed to go for the win.

Duleek scored another free to give them a one point lead going into injury time. On the 33rd minute of the second half Ballivor were awarded a free and a chance to level it again. Brendan Mckeon who was excellent all day and a thorn in the side of Duleek all over the pitch, stood over it and it was by no means an easy kick. The crowd went silent as the man of the match swung his left boot and watched the ball sail between the sticks for his sixth point of the evening.

Duleek took the kick out quickly and desperately broke up the pitch in numbers. They needed a goal but instead opted for a fisted point. In fairness to the scorer he was probably unaware of the score in the other fixture in the group and just wanted to ensure the win. Tosh Raleigh found a Ballivor man from the kick out and that was it. Ballivor were through and the finalists of the past two years were out.

The challenges keep coming on Ballivor’s road to Intermediate glory with high-flying Oldcastle the opponents in the quarter final in a fortnight’s time.

Ballivor Team: Thomas Raleigh, Jamie Smyth, Stefan Connolly, Harry Smyth, David Conneely, Gary Sherrock, Martin Healy (0-1), Brian O’Halloran (0-1), Keith Keoghan, David Raleigh, Patrick Conneely, Brendan Mckeon (0-6 6f), Nicholas Potterton (0-2 1f), Adam Gannon (0-1 1f), Kevin Mckeon (0-2 1f).

Subs used: Evan Fitzgerald for Gary Sherrock

 

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