Late scoring flourish sees Ballon crowned Intermediate champions
Ballon joint captains Dan O'Connor and Conor Bolger lift the Talbot Hotel Intermediate trophy after their defeat of Tinryland. Photo: Pat Ahern
Ballon struck late scoring 1-1 to lift the intermediate football championship from under the noses of Tinryland in a thrilling encounter on Saturday at Netwatch Cullen Park.
The eventual winners got off to a flying start when Brian Maher rifled over a two-pointer from play. Alex Kelliher extended the lead with a point and then landed a two-point free.
A Peter Hennessy two-pointer was the tonic which Tinryland needed as Cormac O’Brien added another point. On 11 minutes, intercounty player, John Murphy, had a free run on the Ballon defence and with no-one laying a hand on him, he unleashed a rasper which went in off the upright into the top right-hand corner.
Ballon did not panic and from there to half-time the game ebbed and flowed with the sides tied at 0-8 to 1-5 at the interval.
The second half was as intense as it could possibly have been. As in the opening half, Ballon drew first blood when Shane Duffy was allowed to come in from the left and somehow found the way to fire home.
Tinryland hit back and while they didn’t exactly keep the scoreboard ticking over they still drew level with points from Cormac O’Brien (2) and Paddy Regan. It was intense with both sides missing chances. A Diarmaid Walshe two-pointer suggested this was going to be Tinryland’s title.
With time running out, a Ballon break saw substitute, Edward O’Byrne run on where he tipped the ball past an advancing keeper before finishing from close range. They didn’t give their rivals another chance and Brian Maher’s free meant Tinryland needed a goal which was never going to come.
A Kelliher 0-4 (1-2pf), B Maher 0-4 (1-2p 2fs), S Duffy 1-0, E O’Byrne 1-0, C Kelliher 0-1.
J Murphy 1-1, C O’Brien 0-3, P Hennessy 0-2 (1-2p), D Walshe 0-2 (1-2p), P Regan, D Moran 0-1 each.
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 O’Duffy, Alex Kelliher.
Subs: Martin Carroll for C Kelliher (32), Jimmie Carroll for Kelly (43), Edward O’Byrne for J Maher (52), Brendan Fanning for Bolger (56).
Conall McGuire; Jamie Walker, Conor Ryan, Ross Moran; John Murphy, Danny Moran, Lorcan O’Connor; Cormac Walshe, Paddy Regan; Cormac O’Brien, Peter Hennessy, Mark Mullen; Paul Broderick, Diarmaid Walshe, Conor Carew.
Subs: Niall Lowry for C Walshe (h/t), Michael Hosey for D Moran (41), Connor O’Toole for O’Connor (41), Maurice Lawler for Mullen (52), Sean Murphy for Hennessy (58).
David Hickey (Fenagh)
