Ballintubber snatch draw – and win

Ballintubber snatch a draw – and win


Division 1A
Westport 1-6
Ballintubber 0-9

Daniel Carey
Westport

IT’S destined to become a table quiz question – what clubs played a senior football match in Mayo that finished both in a draw and a victory/defeat? The answer is Ballintubber and Westport, who shared the Welcome Inn League points on offer from last Saturday’s meeting in St Patrick’s Park. That wasn’t the end of the matter, however, as the game was doubling as a Kelly Cup semi-final, and so extra time was required before Ballintubber came out on top.
Despite being preceded by a hail shower, the game attracted a decent crowd, with the stand on the Newport Road close to full. Westport led after a lively first half, thanks to a 20th minute goal by Damien Keane. The centre forward slotted home from close range after a move that went all the way from defence, and saw Ryan Cafferkey claiming an assist.
The Covies had sprinted out of the blocks with three points in as many minutes – two (including one free) from Damien Keane and the other from Cafferkey. Kevin Keane added a free after nine minutes, by which time Ballintubber free-taker Alan Dillon had got the first of his nine points. There were near misses at both ends (Lewis Cawley going close for Westport, Dillon doing likewise for Ballintubber). before Damien Coleman and Alan Plunkett chipped in with decent scores for the visitors. The gap was a kick of a ball (1-4 to 0-4) by the turnaround thanks to another Dillon free.
The second half wasn’t as good, but Ballintubber’s strike rate got better. Dillon led the charge with three frees and his first score from play, while Westport’s only score in the first 23 minutes after half time was another Damien Keane free. That left the sides level, but with noise levels rising in the stand, Ronan Gibbons (fast becoming a cult hero with the Westport fans) nudged the home side back in front. James Horan’s side responded, and John Feeney found PΡdraic O’Connor, who kicked a beauty from distance to tie the scores. A late scuffle could have prompted red cards had the letter of the law been applied, but there was no further scoring before the full-time whistle went, and the league match finished 1-6 to 0-9.
“I had a deadline in Toby’s at eight o’clock,” one Westport fan sighed. His mood wouldn’t have been improved by the on-field action during extra time, as Damien Keane’s early free was quickly cancelled out. Alan Dillon pointed two frees on either side of a beauty from play which even opposing supporters called ‘a great score’. Then, just before the turnaround, PΡdraic O’Connor picked out fellow sub Tommy Kilcoyne, who turned and fired in a goal which left Ballintubber 1-12 to 1-7 ahead.
The leaders could now afford to withdraw Dillon, but apart from a raft of subs and an off-the-ball incident which left James Horan fuming, little of note occurred in the second additional half. Westport got two points back at the death – the first from Kevin Keane after a move which saw Lee Keegan caught late, and the other a Damien Keane free. So Ballintubber drew and won, while Westport drew and lost. Got that?

Ballintuber
N Gibbons; C Hallinan, M Nestor, P Earley; G Loftus, J Feeney, R O’Connor; M Hoban, K McGuinness; R Geraghty, A Dillon (0-9, 7f), A Plunkett (0-1); D Coleman (0-1), D McGing, J Duffy.
Subs used: D Geraghty for Hoban (inj); P O’Connor (0-1) for Plunkett; J Gibbons for Duffy; T Kilcoyne (1-0) for McGuinness (inj); G Dillon for Coleman; D Larkin for Nestor; A Plunkett for Dillon; A Larkin for R Geraghty; N Munroe for Loftus.

Westport
G Keane; B Higgins, T Gavin, Dessie Keane; L Joyce, L Keegan, N O’Malley; K Keane (0-2, 1f), K O’Malley; M Gill, Damien Keane (1-5, 0-3f), E Walsh; R Cafferkey (0-1), L Cawley, P Keegan.
Subs used: P Keegan for N O’Malley (inj); S Broderick for Gill; R Gibbons (0-1) for E Walsh; J McHale for K O’Malley; C Heraty for Cawley; C Walsh for Gavin; L Cawley for Cafferkey; E Horan for Walsh.

Referee: E McAndrew