Rapid-fire start helps St Pats overcome battling Ballon
Brian Byrne showed great accuracy against Ballon at Netwatch Cullen Park, top-scoring for St Patricks with 0-8. Photo: Pat Ahern.
This was an enthralling second-round Intermediate Football Championship Round 2 encounter, which swung one way and then the other at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
The eventual winners got off to the best possible start when Craig Staunton flashed over a two-pointer from play in the opening minute and added another three minutes later.
The Slaneysiders continued to press and Jack Kennedy found the posts from a narrow angle on the right. Ballon couldn’t get their hands on the ball and Brian Byrne knocked over a two-point free for St Patricks. Also on the mark was Cathal Healy while Ballon’s solitary point came from a Brian Maher free on 16 minutes.
St Patricks led 0-12 to 0-1. The Tullow side then coughed up a good chance and Ballon brought the ball through the hands where Callum Crawford found the net with ease.
Ballon pressed once more. Maher was surely going for a point when he failed to make a good connection and the ball dropped short and into the path of the onrushing Shane Duffy. All he had to do was touch the ball with his hand. This he duly did and Gerry McGill in the St Patrick’s goal hadn’t a chance.
St Patricks were reeling, but they held themselves together and were rewarded with a Brian Byrne two-point free that left his side 0-14 to 2-2 ahead at the break.
While Kennedy added a 31st minute free to extend the St Patricks lead, Ballon went on to dominate for the following 20 minutes, starting with a Duffy two-pointer and an Alex Kelliher double. Maher added a brace of two-pointers before a third orange flag gave his side the lead.
St Patricks had only scored once in the second half. Ballon were in the ascendancy. The Slaneysiders had to act quickly and they did. Kennedy converted a free, which seemed to be more a sign of hope than anything else.
Then the game transformed as Ballon were now playing like a side dazzled by the headlights. Byrne converted two frees in succession on 52 and 53 minutes. St Patricks fought for everything after that, but when Maher converted a 40-metre free, the Tullow men had a two-point lead.
Ballon had to do something. They created two goal chances. The first saw their ball carriers crowded out close to goal as the defence saved St Patrick’s bacon. The second chance Ballon chance was more clear cut but Maher watched his shot go agonisingly wide at the left-post.
The drama was not over yet. A breach free gave Ballon a chance to save their day. Maher took on the responsibility from outside arc. He struck the ball well but it flew just wide of the left-hand upright.
Despite only scoring five times in the second half, St Patricks won the day. The intermediate football champion is definitely up and running after this one.
B Byrne 0-8 (2tpf, 2f), J Kennedy 0-6 (3f), C Staunton 0-4 (2tp), C Healy 0-1.
Brian Maher 0-6 (2tp, 1f), Shane Duffy 1-2 (1tp), Callum Crawford 1-0, A Kelliher 0-2, F McCaffrey 0-1.
Gerry McGill; Conor Murphy, Adam Johnson, Rob Gahan; Eoghan Cleary, Dylan Gorman Comerford, Cian Doran; Dylan Hanley, Ronan Healy; Brian Byrne, Jack Kennedy, Cathal Healy; Jack O’Neill, Craig Staunton, Eoghan Cunnane.
Jamie Ansbro for Gahan (h/t), Stephen Metcalfe for Murphy (42), David Orbinski for Cunnane (42), Will Doran for Johnson (54).
Dylan Cunningham; Johnny Maher, Dan O’Connor, Josh Fernandez; Lorcan Doyle, Conor Kelly, Rory McCaffrey; Conor Bolger, Fionn McCaffrey; Shane Duffy, Callum Crawford, Corey Kelliher; Alex Kelliher, Evan Corr, Brian Maher.
Andrew O’Brien for Cunningham (h/t), Jimmie Carroll for J Maher (35), Brendan Fanning for Bolger (49), Bolger for C Kelliher (54).
Brian Deering (Rathvilly).
