Ballon back in Intermediate final after strong second half
Ballon’s Callum Crawford has his shot blocked by St.Patrick’s Eoghan Cleary. Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A superb second half at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday where they scored 1-8 to 0-5 ushered Ballon into the Intermediate Football Championship final.
The Tullow side looked almost certain of victory after they scored the opening three points of the second half to push them six clear. The game turned in a three minutes spell from the 38th to the 41st minute when Shane Duffy landed a Ballon point and was credited with the only Ballon goal which took a deflection.
A Rory McCaffrey point on two minutes had put Ballon ahead but St Patricks hit back almost immediately when Cian Doran scored his side’s only three-pointer. There was an element of luck and opportunism to the left-half back’s effort, as twice in a matter of seconds, goalkeeper Andrew O’Brien, made two point blanks saves from Brian Byrne but could do little when he was eventually beaten.
Ballon hit back but again it was a question of fortune favouring the brave when Conor Bolger’s effort hopped over the crossbar without anyone getting a touch. Ballon’s next two-pointer was an excellently struck shot from Brian Maher which cleared the crossbar. That put his side two clear but led by Jack Kennedy St Patrick’s, in the third quarter, outscored their rivals by four points to one to lead 1-5 to 0-6 at the break.
It all looked as if it was going to plan until Duffy’s intervention. From there Ballon made no mistake and finished the game strongly with Johnny Maher scoring his second point and Brian Maher his fourth which was the insurance as far as the Ballon faithful were concerned.
S Duffy 1-3, B Maher 0-4 (1-2p), C Bolger (1-2p), J Maher, A Kelliher (1f) 0-2 each, R McCaffrey 0-1.
J Kennedy 0-6 (3fs), B Byrne 0-3 (1-2p), C Doran 1-0, J O’Neill 0-1.
Andrew O’Brien; Josh Fernandez, Lorcan Doyle, Dan O’Connor; Johnny Maher, Conor Kelly, Rory McCaffrey; Conor Bolger, Corey Kelliher; Callum Crawford, Evan Corr, Fionn McCaffrey; Brian Maher, Shane Duffy, Edward O’Byrne.
Subs: Alex Kelliher for C Kelliher (38), Martin Carroll for Crawford (38), Jimmie Carroll for Bolger (40), Brendan Fanning for O’Byrne (45).
Gerry McGill; Eoghan Cleary, Lee Kavanagh, Rob Gahan; Dylan Hanley, Dylan Gorman Comerford, Cian Doran; Craig Staunton, Ronan Healy; Brian Byrne, Will Doran, Eoin Cunnane; Jack O’Neill, Cathal Healy, Jack Kennedy.
Subs: Adam Johnson for Hanley (45), David Orbinski for O’Neill (51), Stephen Metcalfe for Cunnane (58).
Patrick Murphy (Ballinkillen).
