By Kieran Murphy

Ballon 1-13
Leighlinbridge 1-7
IF it had been shown on television Mick Nevin’s wonderful 48th minute point would surely be in line for one of the scores of the year. Out on the right there seemed little danger but having been afforded space by a tiring Ballon defence he took his chance. With the outside of his right peg his shot from the right-hand side of the pitch towards the far post had point written all over it from the time it left his boot.
A great point indeed in this junior C football championship semi-final at the Training Centre but it was not enough to save Leighlinbridge from making their exit.
Willie Kearney scored a first-half goal as Leighlinbridge led 1-5 to 0-6 at the break. With the wind in their backs in the second half Ballon dominated. The half-forward line of John Murphy, James Doyle and Padraig Nolan scored a point each in succession immediately after the break. Paul Lyon’s goal on 45 minutes was the clincher as Ballon confidently advanced to the decider.
Ballon: Jack Ryan; Danny Lewis, Kevin Doyle, Adrian Barry; James Maher, Willie Byrne, Eoin Byrne; Ross Nolan, Padraig Lawler; John Murphy (0-2), James Doyle (0-3,2fs), Padraig Nolan (0-3); Michael Barcoe (0-1), Dessie Nolan (0-2), Paul Lyons (1-2). Subs: Billy Fanning for D. Nolan (54 mins), Jamie Thorpe for Murphy (55 mins).
Leighlinbridge: Brendan Flynn; Robbie Elliott, Kevin Regan, Richard Kearney; Alan Quinn, Tom Connolly, Ger Cullen; Brendan Kehoe, Philip Kehoe; Willie Kearney (1-1), Dan Kearney (0-1), Conor Daly; Brian Kavanagh, Mick Nevin (0-2), Jack Townsend (0-3,1f). Subs: Hugh Kelly for Kehoe (25 mins), Caoimhin Ryan for Kearney (35 mins), Edmond Dermody for Daly (51 mins), Ciaran Dunne for Quinn (52 mins), Darragh McNally for P. Kehoe (53 mins), Donie Nolan for Elliott (56 mins).
Referee: Jimmy Lawlor (Clonmore).

Tinryland 1-8
Clonmore 1-3
Clonmore trailed by 1-4 to 0-1 early in the second half of this junior C championship semi-final at the Training Centre but with only eight minutes remaining they were right back in the game. Daniel Quigley’s 47th-minute goal gave Tinryland the fright of their lives but the eventual winners responded well to see out the game with Michael Dobosz and substitute Jason Curran scoring vital points.
In the first half it never looked as if it was going to come to this. Tinryland were rampant with Garry Scully scoring their goal within the first two minutes. Clive Lambe replied with a point for Clonmore but further efforts from Eoin Fields, Dean Fields and Dobosz eased Tinryland clear. At half-time they led 1-3 to 0-1.
The introduction of Richard Bulmer and Martin Byrne steadied the Clonmore challenge and they chipped away at the lead. The performance of full-back Jack Ryan and the experience of PJ Murphy was a deciding advantage for Tinryland who were grateful for those late interventions. No doubt they were more than a little relieved to hear the full-time whistle.
With Ballon having finished their semi-final a quarter of an hour earlier it gave them a chance to look over their semi-final opposition. They probably saw the best part of the game with that spirited response from Tinryland when danger threatened.
Tinryland: Michael Delaney; Fergal Kelly, Joey Ryan, Alan Byrne; Seamus Curran, John Whyte, PJ Murphy; Alan Kirwan, Keelan Gaffney (0-1); Garry Scully (1-0), David O’Shea, Dean Farrell (0-2); Eoin Fields (0-2), Michael Dobosz (0-2), Brian Mullen. Sub Jason Curran (0-1).
Clonmore: Jason Fitzharris; John Connolly, Colin Doyle, Ger Doyle; Mick Smith, Pauric Lawlor (0-1), Richard Roche; Ronan Doyle, Cian Heffernan; Daniel Quigley (1-0), Adam Byrne, Enda McGrath; JP Doyle, Paul Byrne, Clive Lambe (0-1). Subs: David Doyle, Martin Byrne, Richard Bulmer, Gary Byrne (0-1f), Joe Hickey.
Referee: Brendan Fitzgerald