SFC Section c
Ballagh’2-15
Shrule/G’corrib3-7
Austin Garvin
Ballaghaderreen
THIS was a tremendous advertisement for the county senior football championship. Ballaghaderreen edged through in the end to book their place in the knockout stages, but they were made to fight every inch of the way. This game produced riveting fare, with hard knocks given and taken in the right spirit. There were some great individual performances, magnificent scores and a second half that got better as it went on.
Shrule/Glencorrib were dealt a severe blow beforehand when their ace marksman Conor Mortimer was forced to cry off with a thigh injury. Naturally enough, this affected them to a large degree, as they were slow to make an impression on the scoreboard early on despite the fact that full-forward David Geraghty was giving Dessie Keegan a torrid time.
Ballagh’ led by 1-4 to 0-1 after 21 minutes courtesy of two points (including one free) from the outstanding Barry Regan, who gave Kieran Conroy a difficult afternoon all through, and one each from Michael Solan and Andy Hanley. The goal arrived when Andy Moran coolly stroked a penalty past Damien Craddock after an attacker was fouled in the small square.
The cheering had hardly died when Trevor Mortimer scored a goal good enough for any stage, a left-footed effort after a great move involving James Martyn and Mark Ronaldson. It was due reward for Mortimer, who was superb and covered acres of space from his midfield position. In fact, one of the highlights of the game was the great tussle in the midfield area between Mortimer and Kieran Walsh against Barry Kelly and James Kilcullen.
Ballagh’ led at half time by 1-6 to 1-3 after Barry Regan added two great points from play, the first initiated in defence by an excellent Stephen Drake and carried on by Andy Hanley. Trevor Mortimer and Ronan Ward (free) added the extra points for the visitors, and the three-point gap was about right given how the game had developed.
The first half was good, but it paled into insignificance compared with the second, as Shrule/Glencorrib opened the half with all guns blazing. Very quickly, they had turned the three- point deficit into a two-point lead with Mark Ronaldson and Ronan Ward adding points and Brian Murphy scoring a blistering goal after David Geraghty had worked tirelessly in creating it. Geraghty’s influence on the game was such that Ballagh’ had deputed David Kilcullen to mark him, but his influence was curtailed later when he suffered what looked like a hamstring injury.
Ballagh’ replied with two great points without reply from Andy Moran and one from Barry Regan. But Trevor Mortimer emphasised the border club’s stubborn resistance with a fine point from play to leave the sides level with 14 minutes to go.
Ballagh’ were gaining more possession in vital areas of the field now, and they edged ahead with a Barry Regan point from a free. Then Barry Kelly knocked down a high ball that was going wide into the path of sub Gavin Conway, who duly found the net.
Two more points from Regan and Noel Tuohy left the home side looking good, but a marvellous move by Stephen Joyce’s team involving David Geraghty and David Walsh saw Mark Ronaldson find the net.
Ballagh’ finished with a flourish, however, and producing some great combined football reminiscent of last season, they added points from Andy Hanley (two) and Andy Hanley, with Eoin Ronaldson replying for the border side. Ballagh’s five-point victory was a little flattering in the end but they fully deserved their win. Shrule/Glencorrib often played worse and won; on this occasion football was the real winner.
Ballaghaderreen
O Flanagan; S Drake, D Keegan, D Loftus; N Tuohy (0-1), D Kilcullen, D McGarry; B Kelly, J Kilcullen; M Solan (0-1), A Hanley (0-2), P Kelly; A Moran (1-4, 1-0 pen), B Regan (0-7, 3f), J Dillon.
Subs used: K Cunniffe for D Keegan; G Conway (1-0) for J Dillon.
Shrule/Glencorrib
D Craddock; N Sullivan, K Conroy, Dermot Geraghty; K Duffy, R Walsh, D McTigue; K Walsh, T Mortimer (1-2); J Martyn, B Murphy (1-0), R Warde (0-3, 2f); M Ronaldson (1-1), David Geraghty, E Ronaldson (0-1). Subs used; L Garvey for K Duffy.
Referee: V Neary (Bonniconlon)
