Another replay in store as Grange and Ballon can't be separated
Aidan Burrows from Grange scores a vital second half goal depite the best efforts of Ballon's Dan O'Connor Josh Fernandez and Callum Crawford from Ballon Photo: Pat Ahern
These sides will have to do it all again as nothing could separate them in this Intermediate Football Final on Saturday in Netwatch Cullen Park.
In a risk free first half, both sides played the possession game while the respective defences were happy to sit back and avoided pressing forward. The sides were level twice with John Murphy and Ned Pender the scorers for Grange while Ballon enjoyed a 0-3 to 0-2 interval lead thanks to two points from Corey Kelliher and Callum Crawford.
If the opening half had been a cautious affair, the second was equally so. Maybe even more careful.
With the sides tied at 0-4 each midway through the third quarter, Ballon fashioned a goal with Alex Kelliher the scorer. It should have been decisive but Grange hit back and Aidan Burrows broke through for an equaliser.
With thirteen minutes to go, Grange led by two points but they were pegged back. Evan Corr converted a free and Crawford was also on target to bring the game to a replay.
A Burrows 1-1, J Murphy 0-3 (1-2pf), N Pender 0-2, S Cormican 0-1.
A Kelliher 1-1, C Kelliher (2fs) 0-3, C Crawford 0-1, E Corr (f), S Cormican 0-1 each.
Louis Kilcoyne; Vijay Eghraveba, Shane Byrne, Diarmaid Burrows; John Doyle, Henry Hegarty, Tom Dillon; Cillian Murphy, Patrick Hickey; Aidan Burrows, Darragh Burrows, James Hickey; Ned Pender, John Murphy, Shane Cormican. Subs: Matthew Bird for Hickey (45), Jack Byrne for Byrne (54), Hickey for Doyle (56), Davy Moran for Cormican (62).
Dylan Cunningham; Josh Fernandez, Martin Carroll, Dan O’Connor; Lorcan Doyle, Conor Kelly, Rory McCaffrey; Jimmie Carroll, Conor Bolger; Callum Crawford, Shane Duffy, Fionn McCaffrey; Corey Kelliher, Brendan Fanning, Evan Corr. Subs: Alex Kelliher for Fanning (h/t), Johnny Maher for Kelly (42).
Marion Hayden (Éire Óg).
