Ballinlough 3-02-09 (22) Nobber 2-02-12 (22)

Ballinlough and Nobber met on beautiful Saturday evening in Nobber for Round 2 of the Division 4 League, and it was to end all square between the sides in what was a fairly physical and robust game of football.

The home side opened the scoring with a two-point score from play in the second minute before Sean Tunney opened Ballinloughs account with a score from play a moment later.

Ballinlough were seeing plenty of ball in the early stages but lots of good play ended up breaking down long before it got to the stage of getting a shot off. 

By contrast Nobber were having no such issues the other side, and after the sides traded scores with Nobber pointing a free and Ballinlough responding with an Oisin McDermott 45’, the home side pushed on and added three further points to their tally by the 17th minute.

Ballinlough hit back with points from Oisin McDermott and Harry Ryan, before McDermott leveled the sides with a fantastic two-point score from play in the 20th minute.

Further points were traded with Harry Ryan accurate again for Ballinlough before Nobber took the lead again with a well taken two point free from outside the Arc in the 26th minute.

Ballinlough weren’t done yet though and finished the half strongly when Dan O’Brien found himself in space with just the keeper to beat, and while the goalie did well to get something on it, the ball just about squirted over the line and the green flag was raised.

So, when Referee Patrick Clarke blew the half time whistle Ballinlough led on a scoreline of 1-07 to Nobber’s 0-09.

Nobber started the second half with an early goal chance that was expertly denied by Alan Gibney, but they did take the first two scores of the half to regain the lead in the 33rd minute.

Harry Ryan restored parity with a free a moment later before Oisin McDermott raised his second orange flag of the evening with a well-executed free from distance in the 35th minute.

The home side hit a purple patch of sorts over the next few minutes as they added two points from play and a goal in the 40th minute, Alan Gibney doing well to stop the initial effort, but he could do nothing about the follow up shot.

It was then the turn of Ballinlough to have their purple patch as great work from Dan O’Brien set up Oisin McDermott for his seventh point of the evening in the 41st minute, before Harry Ryan pointed another in the 46th minute.

The sides were level seconds later as Oisin McDermott, utilising his customary dummies to buy himself some space, sent over another well taken score.

Entering the final ten minutes it was anyone’s guess as to who would win this one and Nobber re-took the lead in the 52nd minute with a point from play but it was Ballinlough who made the first push for home when Harry Ryan launched an audacious effort from way out the field. Now no matter how I write this next bit someone’s going to be unhappy, but facts are facts !!

When Ryan’s high ball finally dropped down from the sky just shy of the posts it took a bounce and ended up in the back of the net…did Mark McCullen get the deftest of flicks to send the ball goal bound, probably yes, will Harry Ryan ever admit to that..Never !!

So, while awaiting the VAR evidence, we’ll give Harry the benefit of the doubt this time and let him claim his much-wanted goal as he gave Ballinlough a two-point lead !!

That score at that stage of the game should have been the driver to Ballinloughs success, but they were to be punished when Oisin McDermott received what looked a harsh black card in the 54th minute meaning the Lough men would finish this game with 14 men.

Boosted by that Nobber fired over two points in quick succession to level the sides once more in the 56th minute but we still weren’t done with this game!

Extremely patient play from Ballinlough saw them hold onto the ball for about four minutes before finally Harry Ryan decided enough was enough and let fly a speculative shot which in a case of Deja Vu once again dropped just before the posts and amongst the arms stretching for contact, the ball broke loose and was fired to the net by Dan O’Brien who bagged his second goal of game in the 63rd minute.

That really should have been that but with the kick out still we played on and with Nobber still having that man advantage they worked the ball swiftly up the field and into the danger zone where a foolish tackle from a Ballinlough man gave the Referee a decision to make, and the decision was to point to the spot to award Nobber a penalty with the last kick of the ball.

Up stepped Sean Meade and his well struck penalty rattled off the post and in to level the sides and leave things all square at the full-time whistle.

So, when Referee Patrick Clarke called time, the scoreboard read Ballinlough 3-13 to Nobber’s 2-16. 

All square for these sides tonight, how will things fare later in the year when we meet in the white heat of Championship!!!

Ballinlough: Alan Gibney, Ryan Kellett, Robbie Farrell, Robert O’Brien, Jack Connell, Oisin McDermott (0-08(one 45’, one 2pt, one 2ptF)), Fergal Gibney, Eoin Briody, Mark McCullen, Brandon Brunton, Harry Ryan (1-04(1f)), Luke Harte, Dan O’Brien (2-00), Sean Tunney (0-01), Jamie Casserly

Subs: Josh Lynch for J.Casserly 37’, Benji Smith for S.Tunney 41’

Referee: Patrick Clarke

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