Ballinlough 1-11 St.Ultans 0-13

Ballinlough made the short trip to Bohermeen on Thursday evening to take on St.Ultans. With both sides needing victory at opposite ends of the table, and six of Ballinloughs starters togging out just two days after their hurling Final, it was anyone’s guess as to how this game was going to pan out.

Ballinlough opened the scoring courtesy of an Oisin McDermott free off the ground over 40m out in the third minute, but from that point the home side took control, with a healthy breeze at their backs, hitting the next three scores, two from play and a free to give themselves a two point lead by the ninth minute.

Despite seeing plenty of the ball themselves Ballinlough were guilty of some wayward shooting, sending the ball wide on a number of occasions, allowing St.Ultans to extend their lead, adding the next three scores from play to leave the scoreboard reading 0-06 to 0-01 with fifteen minutes played.

The visitors were struggling to break down a dogged St.Ultans defense but they were to be rewarded when another shot hit with hope more than accuracy, this time from Darragh Caffrey in the 17th minute, was kept in play and broken down by Seánie Geraghty before Darren O’Higgins pounced on the loose ball and finished to the net from close range to boost Ballinlough and bring them back into this game.

An Ultans free in the 20th minute extended their lead but good pressure from the Ballinlough attackers on the short kick-out resulted in a turn-over of the ball and Darren O’Higgins fired over the bar to leave two points between the sides.

An Oisin McDermott point in the 24th minute was equally matched by a St.Ultans free before Ballinlough finished the half with probably the move of the match as Alan Gibney found Oisin McDermott from the kick-out, and he moved it quickly to the on rushing Darragh Caffrey who in turn found  Seánie Geraghty, and he made no mistake firing over in the 27th minute to leave just the bare minimum between the sides.

So when Referee Kieran Olwell blew the half time whistle Ballinlough trailed on a scoreline of 1-04 to St.Ultan’s 0-08.

Ballinlough started the second half brightly with Brandon Brunton pointing a good score in the 32nd minute before the visitors took the lead when Daire Shine landed his first free of the afternoon four minutes later.

A St.Ultans point from play in the 39th minute leveled the sides, and then followed a period of in-action as both sides were guilty of coughing up the ball easily, but eventually it was Ballinlough who worked it forward and forced St.Ultans into conceding the free, which Daire Shine duly dispatched in the 46th minute.

A point for the home side a moment later kept things on a par but they were to be punished for a rash and dangerous tackle from their corner back on Darren O’Higgins as he bore down on goal, Ballinlough awarded the free and St.Ultans reduced to 14 men as the black card was flashed to the perpetrator.

Daire Shine tapped over the resulting free and then Oisin McDermott left two between the sides with a fine point from play in the 50th minute. McDermott was guilty of a very wayward shot a moment later but thanks to a needless touch from the keeper he had the chance to redeem himself with the resulting 45’.

Proving it’s easier to score the harder ones than the simple ones McDermott sent the ball perfectly over the black spot to extend Ballinloughs lead to three in the 51st minute.

An Ultan’s free in the 56th minute left them with something to play for entering the closing stages but Ballinlough responded well and were awarded a free from distance in the 58th minute.

While Oisin McDermott had being pinging them over off the turf all evening, Daire Shine stepped up and showed he possessed just as much class, as he sent the ball over the bar out of the hands from a distance of least 40m out.

The home side were to finish the game with a numerical advantage as a second yellow card was shown to Oisin McDermott in the 60th minute for tussling with St.Ultans Cian McBride who picking up a yellow himself, a sign perhaps of frustration at not having things all his own way as Mark McCullen excelled in midfield to disrupt and eliminate the aerial threat of the county man from the game.

Two late points for St.Ultans had the potential to cause a nervy finish for Ballinlough but in truth they held their nerve, which was epitomized when with possession vital, Alan Gibney found Seánie Geraghty with a perfect kick-out, and the Trojan horse Geraghty showed no signs of tiredness despite his exploits with the hurl two days ago, as he raced forward with the ball to bring it further away from danger.

With that and over four minutes added time played, Referee Kieran Olwell blew the full time whistle, Ballinlough taking the win on a score line of 1-11 to St.Ultans 0-13.

That win secures a Semi-Final spot for the lads and Manager Ken Rothwell will be delighted to have another competitive game before the commencement of Championship in a few short weeks time.

Ballinlough: A.Gibney, C.Fleming, R.Farrell, J.Connell, J.Lynch, S.Geraghty (0-01), D.Caffrey, O.McDermott (0-04(1f, one 45’)), M.McCullen, L.Finnegan, B.Smith, D.Shine (0-04(4f)), D.O’Higgins (1-01), J.Smith, B.Brunton (0-01)

Subs: H.Ryan for B.Smith 35

Referee: Kieran Olwell

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