Ballinlough 1-06 Summerhill 1-10

Without a number of regulars Ballinlough made the trip to Summerhill for what was effectively a dead rubber game, with Ballinlough already guaranteed pole position in the group and Summerhill out of the running for a semi-final spot, so one could be forgiven for not expecting much of a game to develop.

Harry Ryan opened the scoring with a point from play before Niall Farrelly doubled the lead when his point effort hopped over the bar in the ninth minute. Another point from play for Ryan left Ballinlough three to the good with 12 minutes played, but the home side finally kicked into action in the 14th minute with a long ball catching out the Ballinlough defence, but veteran keeper Keith McGuinness was alive to the threat and pulled off a massive save, those cat like reflexes have never left the Candyman !! A Summerhill point from play opened their account in the 15th minute but that was to be their only score of the half.

The next period of play was more marred by silly off the ball antics and borderline tackles flying where referee Seamus O’Connor would have wanted eyes not only in the back of his head, but on both sides too, such was the pointless niggle growing into this game. 

After all the nonsense there was a spell where there was a real danger of an actual game of football breaking out with Ballinlough working the ball well with runners off the ball making good ground, and it was one for those runners, full back Emmet Smith, who took the ball in his stride and rifled it to the back of the net in the 26th minute.

From the restart Summerhill brought the ball down the field swiftly and were making good inroads as they sought a goal of their own, but some resolute defensive work to dispossess the forward before the vital last pass ensured that there would be no more scores added this half so when Referee Seamie O’Connor, who probably needed a sit down and a stiff drink at this stage, called for half time Ballinlough lead on a scoreline of 1-03 to Summerhills 0-01.

Summerhill started the second half lively with two quick points to lower the deficit but Ballinlough were to get themselves up and running when gifted a handy free in the 38th minute, the Summerhill keeper hopping the ball twice in quick succession, a comical mistake really for a fella who was quite vocal in trying to Referee the game himself from between the sticks, with Niall Farrely duly tapping over the resultant free.

Further points were traded with a fine effort for Summerhill in the 39th minute and a tidy effort from Louis Finnegan a moment later. A free for the home side reduced the gap to three points in the 47th minute before the score of the match, coming from none other than Peader Byrne, who converted a spectacular effort, sending his man this way and that, before finally nonchalantly firing the ball over the bar, a star moment in a game where stars were hard to find.

Unfortunately for the Men in Red that score, as good as it was, ending up being their last score of the game as Summerhill added a free and then after some sustained pressure they finally broke down the Ballinlough rearguard and got the goal they craved in the 52nd minute to level the sides.

That score spurred on the home side and they added two quick points to give them the lead for the first time in the game.

Perhaps it was the journey, the heat or more than likely the comfort of knowing a Semi-Final awaited regardless of this result, but whatever the reason the Ballinlough threat wilted as the game entered the closing stages as Summerhill added two further points to their tally, so when Referee Seamus O’Connor blew the full time whistle Summerhill took the win on a scoreline of 1-10 to Ballinlough’s 1-06.

So after a highly successful campaign, the lads now have a Semi-Final to look forward to in a couple of weeks time and manager Conn Cleary will have the inevitable but very welcome headache of playing the numbers game as the start of Junior Championship looms just around the corner too !!

Ballinlough: K.McGuinness, B.Jordan, E.Smith (1-00), N.McDonnell, L.Finnegan (0-01), D.Caffrey, C.Briody, P.Byrne (0-01), D.Galligan, J.Reilly, N.Farrelly (0-02(1f), S.Tunney, C.Cunning, H.Ryan (0-02), D.Farrelly

Subs: B.Brady for D.Galligan H/T, J.Smith for C.Cunning H/T, E.Briody for J.Reilly H/T, R.Ryan for H.Ryan 36’, J.Farrelly for D.Farrelly 48’

Referee: Seamus O’Connor

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