Ballinagh 0-16
Lacken 1-9

Ballinagh held off a resilient comeback from Lacken this evening at Kingspan Breffni Park to advance into the semi-finals of the senior championship.

After leading by nine points at the break, Ciaran Brady's chargers endured somewhat of an onslaught from their neighbours, whom only had three scorers over the hour, in the early stages of the second-half which saw veteran attacker Finbar O'Reilly hitting 1-3 in the space of six minutes.

However, through Niall McDermott, who finished with 0-7, Colin Gumley (0-3) and Kevin Smith Ballinagh were able to pick off enough scores in the last 20 minutes to make sure that their impressive first-half display would stand to them to join Castlerahan, Crosserlough and Cavan Gaels in the last four.

Gumley opened Ballinagh's account after the first minute and four-in-a-row (one a free) followed from the in-form McDermott to leave them five up after 10 minutes.

Stephen Brady eventually got Lacken off the mark when he cut inside for a fine score, but it wasn't about the halt their opponents' momentum as David Finnegan and McDermott (free) sent the intermediate champions further adrift before Brady doubled their tally on the quarter hour mark.

Minus the starting services of centre-back Niall O'Reilly, who had been one of their best performers in the campaign so far, Ballinagh had little difficulty in piercing Lacken's rear guard which yielded them handy frees. Thomas Moore grabbed the best score of the half from a placed ball 50 metres out and by the 20th minute McDermott's personal tally was at 0-6 when he floated over from the right flank off his trusty left boot.

Gumley and Declan Beard continued the one-way traffic but Lacken could well have had a lifeline had Niall McKiernan's tame effort of a point fell under Daragh McCarthy's crossbar, rather than rebound off and find its way to safety.

Instead, Lacken would have to settle for a Finbar O'Reilly free on the half-time whistle, which cancelled out a fine effort from Kevin Smith, who replaced Terry Smith in the starting line-up at left half-forward, to leave it at 0-12 to 0-3 for the interval.

Lacken manager Jason O'Reilly opted not to alter his team for the second-half and they resumed in superb fashion with Finbar O'Reilly grabbing his only point from play 30 seconds after the throw-in. A minute later the former Cavan senior would catch Ballinagh's defenders off guard with a quickly taken free on the edge of the square which flew past an unexpecting McCarthy and into the back of the net.

Ballinagh's net-minder would see red soon after when he kicked out at Lacken midfielder Joe Crowe, forcing Ciaran Brady to stick wing-forward Declan Beard in between the posts.

Down to 14 men, Ballinagh faced a battle for the next 25 minutes as O'Reilly (free) made it a four-point game, but some great fielding by Padraic O'Reilly freed up Gumley for time and space to register his third point and resettle the Saffrons.

However, there was still plenty of fight left in Lacken and they could well have been level in the final quarter had new 'keeper Beard not pulled off a fine save on Raymond Galligan in between points from O'Reilly (free) and Crowe.

A well-struck free by Smith restored a four-point advantage for Ballinagh and they were fortunate not to pay for a lapse at the back which allowed McKiernan to roam through. The midfielder, who had been quiet for most of the evening, saw his powerful shot bravely blocked by McInerney and in the dying stages all Lacken could muster was a fifth O'Reilly free as substitute Karl Clerkin smashed off the crossbar after being released by Galligan.

Niall O'Reilly's introduction in injury-time would prove profitable for the winners as he pointed in his first possession of the evening to stretch the lead to four and ensure the win and Ballinagh's semi-final slot.

Ballinagh: Daragh McCarthy; Killian McBride, Patrick Carroll, Michael Ward; Conor Smith, Damien McInerney, Philip Bogue; Padraic O'Reilly, David Finnegan (0-1); Declan Beard (0-1), Thomas Moore (0-1, 1f), Kevin Smith (0-2, 1f); Colin Gumley (0-3), Niall McDermott (0-7, 3f), Enda Brady. Subs: Andrew Ward for P Carroll (57mins, inj), Terry Smith for E Brady (57), Niall O'Reilly (0-1) for Gumley (60).

Lacken: Colin Comerford; Martin Brady, Killian Galligan, Daniel Brady; Shane Finnegan, Philip Moynagh, James Moynagh; Joe Crowe (0-1), Eddie Sheridan; Michael Shanaghy, Raymond Galligan, Stephen Brady (0-2); Martin Brady, Finbar O'Reilly (1-6, 1-5f), Niall McKiernan. Sub: Karl Clerkin for M Brady (58mins).

Ref: Raymond Kelly (Knockbride) Tweet

Most Read Stories