Ballinlough 1-10 Gaeil Colmcille 3-08

Ballinlough and Gaeil Colmcille met on a glorious hot Sunday morning for Round 1 of the Division 3 Meath GAA Premier Football Championship, and it was the Senior side who got off the mark quickest hitting the first three points of the game by the 11th minute, whilst also rattling the underside of the bar for a goal chance, Corey Monaghan doing exceptionally well to deny the rebound effort with a point blank save.

After a couple of shots dropped short into the keepers hands, Ballinlough finally got motoring with a fine Peader Byrne free off the ground in the 14th minute but it was the Kells men who were playing all the early football, a goal practically walked to the net in the 15th minute before two further points were added to their tally.

Ballinlough were to be boosted when Gaeil Colmcille lost their full back to a black card in the 22nd minute, with Peader Byrne nailing the resulting free kick before getting Ballinlough right back in it with a penalty goal, Referee Seamie O’Connor correctly spotting the infringement inside the large parallelogram and Byrne slotting the ball to the back of the net to leave three points between the teams.

It didn’t take Gaeil Colmcille long to restore their healthy advantage though as their wing back made great strides forward unchecked and was on hand to deliver the ball to the forward line to gift Kells their second goal of the game in the 27th minute. A further pointed free from Peader Byrne in the 29th minute concluded the scoring for the first half, so when Referee Seamus O’Connor blew the whistle the scoreboard read Ballinlough 1-03 to Gaeil Colmcilles 2-05.

Upon the restart Ballinlough instantly set to work to reduce the deficit with Peader Byrne landing another free in the 32nd minute, and the gap should have being closed further when Substitute Simon Deevey did all the hard work, rounding the keeper but then opted to square the ball across rather than take his own shot and with that the chance of a goal was gone.

Jamie Casserly sprung to life in the 34th minute for Ballinlough sending over two excellent points in quick succession, the second of which was well set up by the aforementioned Deevey.

With Gaeil Colmcille still posing a threat of their own it was important for the Ballinlough rearguard to not lose focus and they carried out their duties superbly in the second half putting plenty of pressure on the kicker to see Gaeil Colmcilles wide tally increase.

How Ballinlough didn’t score more than one goal in this game I’ll never know as another opportunity came in the 41st minute but Ciaran Ryan’s effort was straight at the keeper and played away from danger. Eoin Briody left just a point between the sides with a point from play, and Ciaran Ryan atoned for his earlier miss with a well taken score to level the sides in the 43rd minute.

Gaeil Colmcille got their first score of the second half with a point in the 48th minute and then they were to the benefactors when after a bit of fisticuffs Referee Seamus O’Connor dished out two yellow cards, indeed they could have being two straight reds, but unfortunately for Ballinlough it was Declan Galligan’s second infringement and he was sent to the line to leave Ballinlough a man down for the last ten minutes of the game.

With a hop ball being the result after things calmed down Ballinlough won possession and worked the ball down the field where Peader Byrne was fouled again and pointed his own free to restore parity on the scoreboard in the 53rd minute.

The niggle that was present throughout the game was still a part of it in the closing stages, and after another flash point more yellow cards were handed out, Referee Seamie O’Connor might have needed a second book to keep track of them all!!

Ballinlough took the lead for the first time in the 58th minute when Peader Byrne played a lovely ball into Simon Deevey, and with Eoin Briody off his shoulder he had a chance to put the game to bed but his effort went flying over the bar when in truth the goal was definitely on offer.

How Ballinlough would come to rue that missed opportunity, as up at the other end the ball was worked to the shooter and while Gary Arkins will lie and say he meant it, his point effort dropped short catching Ballinlough keeper Corey Monaghan out, and the ball went over his shoulder and into the back of the net.

That score took the wind out of Ballinlough sails and the Senior town side kicked on to add two further points from play by the 61st minute to give themselves an unassailable four point lead.

Shortly thereafter Referee Seamus O’Connor called time on the contest, Gaeil Colmcille the winners on a scoreline of 3-08 to Ballinloughs 1-10.

Ballinlough: C.Monaghan, M.Farrell, P.Muldoon, B.Jordan, H.Briody, L.Maguire, C.Rennicks, E.Briody (0-02), D.Galligan, N.McDonnell, J.Casserly (0-02), E.McCabe, C.Ryan (0-01), S.Tunney, P.Byrne (1-05(5f, 1 Pen))

Subs: S.Deevey for E.McCabe 32’

Referee: Seamus O’Connor

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