St. Michaels 1-11, Ballinabrackey 1-13
Two red cards, high intensity, high entertainment and late drama which resulted in a two point winning margin for the home side were all the ingredients served up by these two teams in sunny Castlejordan on Saturday evening. Eleven places separate these two sides in the division 2 league table but that didn't appear evident in this match as St. Michaels who prop up the division should on the balance of play have secured the two points on offer. This game ebbed and flowed from first whistle to last and although scores were hard to come by in the first quarter, it was the home side who made the better start and went 3 points up after twelve minutes following early misses by the visitors, however a Jamie Farrelly point on thirteen minutes settled the early nerves for St. Michaels and within five minutes the teams were all square after Ciaran Lynch split the posts with two points, one from a free. With nothing between the sides St. Michaels upped their game keeping Ballinabrackey scoreless for the next 15 minutes they built up a three point cushion as the home sides indiscipline in their own half of the pitch was punished by Ciaran Lynch who converted the resultant frees. Ballinabrackey came back into the game adding 4 points in the final 4 minutes of the half to lead by one at the break, 0-7 to 0-6. St. Michaels lost their influential full back Jamie Reilly through a black card on the stroke of half time and he was replaced by Ben Tobin.
The second half was barely two minutes old when Jamie Farrelly won a ball at midfield, off-loaded to the lone Davy Lynch who rounded two players and blasted to the top corner of the net to put his side two points in front. The home side reduced the deficit to one a minute later before Oran Meehan made it a two point game once again, Meehan was the provider for the visitors next score when he found Farrelly free for the next point to leave it 1-8 to 0-8 for the visitors. Ballinabrackey had one come off the upright for their next score. On 41 minutes St. Michaels were dealt a blow when they were reduced to 14 men after Meehan got his marching orders, however four minutes later the home side received a similar sentence when their no 8 got his ticket for an early shower. Both sides then exchanged points with Darren O'Connell deflecting the 'Brack's goal bound effort over the crossbar, but there was nothing O'Connell could do a minute later as Ballinabrackey rattled the net to go one point in front with 5 minutes remaining. It was all to play for as Ciaran Lynch converted another free to level matters on 59 minutes however the home side finished with two more points from play in injury time to secure the victory.
St. Michaels would like to thank the Ballinabrackey club for their kind gesture of providing food for our team and mentors after the match, it was very much appreciated.
St. Michaels team and scorers: Darren O'Connell, Adam O'Brien, Jamie Reilly, Sam Briody, Thomas O'Brien, Philip Rogers, Matthew Halpin, Ciaran Lynch 0-8, Peter O'Connell, Davy Lynch 1-0, Ronan Lynch, Paddy Clarke, Oran Meehan 0-1, Jamie Farrelly 0-2, Ray Reilly. Sub: Ben Tobin for Jamie Reilly BC 30 minutes. Referee: Bernard Heaney. Report: Pascal Reilly.
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