TINRYLAND 2-10 BALLON 1-10
THIS was the proverbial game of two halves at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday evening as Tinryland were the dominant force at the start, but were forced to dig deep to see off a commendable second half comeback from Ballon.
The outcome? Tinryland advance to the quarter-final where they meet defending champions Rathvilly. Ballon enter a relegation battle, one which Éire Óg now avoids.
There was little hint that Tinryland would be in any sort of trouble in this game.
They played with confidence and belief, taking early control of midfield through Shane Redmond and Cian Moore and had a great target man in full forward Glen Doyle, who finished the game with 1-6, 1-3 coming from play.
The Tinryland attack was creating havoc in the Ballon defence with Glen Doyle getting great support from Robbie Power and Ian Scully in particular.
Tinryland were in front within a minute of the throw-in when Glen Doyle was on the mark out of play. Twice in those early minutes Ballon’s Michael O’Leary scored levelling points from play.
But as the half progressed Tinryland’s outfield dominance began to be reflected on the scoreboard.
They rattled over four unanswered points from Ian Scully, Glen Doyle (free), Robbie Power and Doyle again from a 45. It got even worse for Ballon. A diagonal ball from Ian Scully picked out Robbie Power and he placed Gary Morrissey superbly to rifle a great shot to the corner of the Ballon net.
Facing a 1-7 to 0-3 deficit going into the second half there seemed now way back for Ballon.
But within 30 seconds Ross Nolan had knocked over his side’s first point from play.
When Alan Kelly raised another white flag within a minute things were looking up for the men in red and white.
But a sweeping upfield movement by Tinryland found Doyle and he blasted home.
That score only stalled the Ballon comeback briefly. Michael O’Leary pointed a free and the influential Peter Zerafa added another.
O’Leary ended a fine flowing movement by shooting to the Tinryland net from close range (27 to 1-7).
Alan Kelly, now playing a stormer for Ballon, lofted over a beautiful point from play.
It was truly astonishing to see Ballon put together a necklace of scores out of play, in stark contrast to their inability to do so in the opening half.
Scully provided some relief for Tinryland with a point from play but Kelly pointed immediately. Zerafa then initiated a movement which ended in a Michael O’Leary point as the Tinryland lead was trimmed to the minimum.
Evan Doyle fed Glen to give them a two-point lead again and it was exciting stuff as the ball travelled up and down the field. Crucially Ballon found the scores drying up in those closing stages.
Tinryland regained a semblance of their first half form during the closing stages, with substitute Keith Jackson knocking over a fine point from play to ease them into a three-point advantage.
Holding out for a deserving victory one couldn’t help but wonder what a similar fade-out would mean against Rathvilly.
The loss through injury at half time of John Paul Moore was a blow to the winners but does not fully explain why the team struggled. A lot of questions for Martin Murphy and Co.
Peter Doran, Niall Barrett (whose first half blocked prevented a certain first half goal) Evan Doyle, Shane Redmond, Cian Moore, Robbie Power, Ian Scully and Glen Doyle were best for Tinryland, who will be mighty pleased to have made the last eight.
When they were at their best in the first half Tinryland certainly looked an effective force – their aim will be to extend that good football to a full hour against Rathvilly.
With Alan Kelly in such devastating form in the second half, Ballon always had a chance of pulling off victory.
Padraig George, Willie Byrne, Jimmy O’Brien, Peter Zerafa, Paddy Byrne and Michael O’Leary also showed up well.