AFL3: Drumconrath run up against in form 'Bracks
February 17, 2015
Ballinabrackey's Nicky Judge
Ballinabrackey 2-9
Drumconrath 0-5
Ballinabrackey made the long journey north to Drumconrath on a fine Sunday morning aiming to make it two wins from two.
Welcoming back county men Damien Carroll and Nicky Judge to their ranks for this game,the Drums were never going to make it easy and with huge numbers back the Bracks found it hard to break them down. Yet they kept at it throughout and managed a well deserved win and a healthy 2-09 against a very tough defensive unit.
Ballinabrackey: Alan Dalton, Michael Kearney, Derek Flynn, Stephen Donoghue, Aidan Flynn, Nicky Judge, Ray Kearney, Trevor Bannon (0-01), Seamus Curry (0-02), Joe Bannon, Chris O Connor, Damien Carroll (0-04), Aaron Kennedy (0-01), Danny Quinn (2-00), Andrew Munnelly. Subs Evan Daly, Aaron Gannon, Kevin Coyne.
Drumconrath Report
Ballinabrackey 2-9
Drumconrath 0-5
Ballinabrackey last year's beaten Intermediate Finalist's proved to strong for a battling Drumconrath side in Drumconrath in Round 2 of the Division 3A Leagues.
Bracks fielded a strong team with County panelists Damien Carroll and Nicky Judge lining out with them on this occassion.
On a cold but dry Spring morning the Drumconrath pitch freshly cut and lined out for this game it was the visitors who started best with Damien Carroll pointing from play. Drums received a blow when Oran Finnegan was forced off early on and where still rearranging their defensive when Ballinabrackey struck for their 1st goal on 9 minutes when after a fine Sean Kane save Andrew Munnelly was on hand to find the net with the rebound.
Two excellent Stephan Crosby points from play got Drums off the mark but that was to be their lot for the 1st half as Carroll point 3 frees on 14, 18 and 26 minutes. Nicky Judge got forward to point from play and Seamus Curry pointed a late free to leave it 1-6 to 0-2 at the break.
With the stiff breeze now in their faces Drumconrath it was an uphill battle for the home side in the 2nd half and Curry again fired over a free just 2 minutes in.
Drumconrath defended bravely and neither side managed another score in that 3rd quarter and the supporters had to wait a full 16 minutes when Crosby pointed twice from frees on 48 and 49 minutes to leave the score 1-7 to 0-4 at that stage.
Indeed Drumconrath felt aggrieved when Crosby was fouled but managed to get the ball to Alan Byrne who palmed to the empty net but with no advantage given the play was called back for that 2nd Crosby pointed free.
A mistake in the Drums defense on 50 minutes saw Danny Quinn palm to the empty net to effectively seal the game and soon after a booming Trevor Bannon point from 60 metres made sure of the points from the Bracks.
Late points from Aaron Kennedy on 55 and a fine injury time point from Crosby ended the scoring with Ballinabrackey moving to the top of the table following this result.
Drumconrath; Sean Kane; John Lynch, Sean McMahon, Oran Finnegan; John McDermott, Colm McEvoy, Peter Tighe; Jamie Myles, Alan McEvoy; Alan Byrne, Christopher Tighe, Gavin Finnegan; Derek Duff, Stephan Crosby (0-5), Peter McEvoy. Subs; Eoin Martin for O Finnegan (9 min), Conor O'Halloran for G Finnegan (h/t), Tomas Conlon for McMahon (45), Damien Glass for C Tighe (55)
