Goals the difference as Ballon move past Fighting Cocks
Shane Duffy shoots past the despairing dive by Billy Nolan to score Balon's first goal
Ballon advanced to the semi-final of the Intermediate Football Championship when their ability to score goals proved decisive at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
The eventual winners were good value for their victory. They enjoyed an explosive start when Shane Duffy found the Cocks net before a minute had elapsed. They tacked on two further points before Aaron Dowling clipped over a point and Cillian Fagan landed the first of his three first half points for the Cocks.
Before the first quarter had elapsed, Ballon found the net again. This time, Fionn McCaffrey was on hand to score from close range after two shots had initially been blocked.
Both sides hit the posts with a number of goal chances as Ballon took a 2-6 to 0-6 lead into the half-time dressing rooms. The attempted comeback from last year’s junior champions duly emerged as Dowling and Cormac McElligott both raised white flags.
Eight minutes into the second period, Ballon struck a decisive blow when they broke out of defence and Duffy found the net at the other end of the pitch. The Cocks were facing an uphill battle from there and their best chance of a goal came two minutes later when Ballon keeper, Andrew O’Brien, got his body behind the ball to deny McElligott.
Dowling continued to be a danger to Ballon but they were doing enough as they kept their distance. Last year’s intermediate finalists finally sealed their place in the last four when they disrupted the Cocks defence and Evan Corr stole in for the clinching three-pointer.
S Duffy 2-2, E Corr 1-2 (1-2p), F McCaffrey 1-1, E O’Byrne 0-2, C Crawford, B Maher 0-1 each.
C Fagan 0-4, A Dowling 0-4 (2fs), M Dowling 0-2 (1-2p), C McElligott, G O’Rourke, J McDonald, L Sheppard, W Kelly 0-1each.
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: Martin Carroll for Fernandez (32), Jimmie Carroll for Crawford (35), Brendan Fanning for McCaffrey (40), Crawford for J Maher (46), Donncha Murphy for O’Byrne (59).
James Hogan; Conor Ruane, Moling English Hayden, Dylan Ruane; Matthew English Hayden, William Kelly, Billy Nolan; Cormac McElligott, Liam Sheppard; Alex Gordon, Jack McDonald, Emmet Moran; Cillian Fagan, Aaron Dowling, Glenn O’Rourke. Subs: Eoin O’Byrne for Moling English Hayden (22), Sean McGrath for Matthew English Hayden (h/t), Mattie Dowling for Gordon (40), Eoin Smithers for Kelly (50), Padraig Eustace for Moran (59).
Paud O’Dwyer (Palatine).
