Heroic Ballinagar give defensive master class to take out parish neighbours

BALLINAGAR gave a text book example of how to come up with the right game plan and apply it as they wrestled the life out of parish rivals Raheen in an absolutely compelling Intermediate Football Championship final in O'Connor Park on Sunday.

Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football Championship final

Ballinagar 2-8

Raheen 1-8

The winners, just two years after taking the junior title, gave a defensive master class on the day as they targeted Raheen's danger men, stuck to them like glue, hunted in packs and crowded them out every time they got the ball.

Raheen only got one point from play and that remarkable statistic shows how successful the Ballinagar tactics were. They got their match ups right on the day with Diarmuid Finneran following Dylan Hyland everywhere, Declan Crombie almost an attachment of Brian Crombie and Brian Malone keeping Conor Carroll out of things to such an extent that the vastly experienced player was the first Raheen man replaced in the 36^th minute.

The game looked to be slipping away from Ballinagar at one stage in the second half and they showed tremendous character to regain control from here. Ballinagar got 2-6 of their 2-8 from play and that single statistic shows how worthy of winners they are.

It has been a sensational rise up the ranks by Balinagar and they now compete in second flight football for the first time in years.

For Raheen, it is a third final loss in four years and this one is a bitter pill to swallow. They gave it their all on the day but just couldn't break down the Ballinagar defence and will once again feel that they didn't perform on the big day – on this day, they weren't let perform but Raheen will be bitterly disappointed. They depended an awful lot on Dylan Hyland and to be fair to the Offaly star, he was the main reason they were so close as he operated in an incredibly tight environment with space at such a premium. His place kicking was flawless as he stroked home their goal from a penalty and kicked six frees as well as getting their only point from play.

With Crombie, sensational in earlier games and the scorer of a 2-6 haul in the quarter-final, and Carroll unable to make headway, Raheen were way too dependant on Hyland and he simply couldn't win it on his own. They played with great heart on the day with Mikey Keogh and Rory Grehan impressing in their defence and James Lalor having a very good spell at midfield when Raheen got on top in the second half, well assisted by Adam Kelly in this period but they were in serious bother from midfield up.

Collectively and individually Ballinagar were better on the day. Their defence deserve a lion's share of the plaudits but they were much more dangerous going forward. Adam Strong and Morgan Tynan won the midfield battle comprehensively enough overall and they moved the ball much better into a forward line, who moved better, created much better chances and were way more threatening as a unit.

Ballinagar led by 1-2 to 0-3 at half time but it was much better than this scoreline indicates. With a huge crowd in to watch these parish neighbours and their intricate web of family connections, there was a great intensity to proceedings. Ballinagar were definitely the better team in the first half and would have been further ahead only for some poor misses.

All three of Raheen's points came from Dylan Hyland frees and they rarely looked like scoring from play. The first score of the game was a decisive one, a Ballinagar goal in the 3^rd minute. Morgan Tynan and Robbie Gallagher did the donkey work and Geordi O'Meara did very well to fist it into the net.

Ballinagar were 1-2 to 0-1 ahead after 23 minutes and that reflected the way it was going. They had poor misses from Morgan Tynan and Robbie Gallagher but were against the wind in the first half and a two point half time lead had them in a very strong position.

Quick points from Robbie Gallagher and a super Morgan Tynan score got Ballinagar 1-4 to 0-3 ahead early in the second half but Raheen received the break they needed with a Dylan Hyland penalty goal in the 39^th minute after Brian Crombie was fouled by Adam Strong.

Raheen scented blood and went for it. Dylan Hyland got two frees, Jimmy Nolan almost got a goal and Kaelyn Thompson's free gave them a 1-6 to 1-4 lead with 48 minutes gone.

Raheen's momentum looked unstoppable but somehow Ballinagar plugged the leaks. When Robbie Gallagher had a bad wide in the 49^th minute, it looked like it would be one of those days for them but then sub Steven Dwane got a close range point a few seconds later to bring it back to a point. Dwane had a poor wide before Morgan Tynan stepped up to the mark, showing his value to the team as he made space and arrowed over a super point.

Raheen edged back in front with their first point from play in the 54^th minute, an excellent Hyland score but Robbie Gallagher equalised with a great point. Then came the all important goal, and a fortunate one as Robbie Gallagher's pile driver hit the cross bar in the 57^th minute. It went high up in the air and with defenders and attackers piling in on it as it fell, it bounced into the net without a touch.

Raheen were then reduced to fourteen men when sub Liam Boland was red carded for lashing out with his elbow on Morgan Tynan in the 59^th minute after winning a free.

Ray Daly almost got a clinching goal in the 60^th minute, his rocket brilliantly deflected over by Mark Byrne but a four point cushion was a huge one. Dylan Hyland got it back to a goal with a 61^st minute free and five more minutes were played. James Lalor got sight of goals in the 64^th minute but Ryan Kinahan made the save and that was Raheen's last real chance of a goal as they were kept at bay for the couple of minutes over the four minutes of injury time that was played.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Diarmuid Finneran (Ballinagar): Diarmuid Finneran gets the nod for a quite superb defensive display on Dylan Hyland. Hyland was Raheen's best player but Finneran was a great example of a defender doing his primary job and sticking to his opponent. By restricting him to just one point from play, Finneran gave Ballinagar a great chance of winning this – he was assisted by other defenders coming into help and forwards and midfielders dropping back but Finneran won some great turnovers and was very disciplined in his tackling.

There were plenty of other contenders for Ballinagar, none more so than Adam Strong, who was a close second and gave a powerful tour-de-force in midfield. He was so composed and solid, never putting a foot wrong. Morgan Tynan also contributed powerfully beside him. He may have drifted out of the game for periods but when he was in it, he was so effective. He was hungry and scored two beautifully important points from play.

The whole Ballinagar defence was outstanding – players such as Jack Gorry and Aaron Gorman were typical of how well every man did his job and used the ball effectively.

Robbie Gallagher was their best forward and Geordi O'Meara had very good spells. You had to admire Gallagher for his perseverance. Once again, his shot to points conversion rate was not near high enough and had Ballinagar lost, some of his misses would have been scrutinised but he showed a great mentality. The misses never dented his confidence and he was always looking for the next ball, willing to take on the next shot. His movement was very good, his ball winning ability impressive and while he is raw, a work in progress and his accuracy in need of improvement, he has a lot of potential to be worked on.

THE SCORERS

Ballinagar: Robbie Gallagher 1-3 (1 mark), Geordi O'Meara 1-0, Morgan Tynan 0-3 (1f), Ray Daly and Steven Dwane 0-1 each.

Raheen: Dylan Hyland 1-7 (goal from a penalty and 6f), Kaelyn Thompson 0-1 (f).

THE TEAMS

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Jack Gorry, Diarmuid Finneran, Declan Crombie; Aaron Gorman, Brian Malone, Adam Joyce; Adam Strong, Morgan Tynan; Jacob Beatty, Geordi O'Meara, Jack Sheil; Conor Bracken, Ray Daly, Robbie Gallagher. Subs – Jamie Ballesty for Sheil, inj. (35m), Steven Dwane for Beatty (42m), Conor McGuinness for Daly (63m),

RAHEEN: Mark Byrne; Eamon Bolger, Mickey Keogh, Peter McKeagney; Mickey Buckley, Rory Grehan, Jimmy Nolan; James Lalor, Adam Kelly; Niall Dempsey, Brian Crombie, Brian Corcoran; Kaelyn Thompson, Conor Carroll, Dylan Hyland. Subs – Jack Keogh for Carroll (36m), Dylan Cahill for Dempsey (42m), Liam Boland for Corcoran (49m), Glen Hassett for Buckley (60m), Lee Mulpeter for Thompson (61m),

Referee – Kevin Williamson (Tullamore).

REFEREE WATCH

Kevin Williamson was a very good choice for this final and he justified his selection with a very competent display. He was very fair and consistent. It is a sign of how well he refereed it that one of the few negatives was that his blue jersey was too close to the Ballinagar colours – it was a lighter blue but there were at least a couple of occasions when Ballinagar players were close to passing to him and had to look twice. He had one crucial miss when Brian Corcoran won a mark and put his hand up to claim it. He played on, handpassing the ball and the Raheen penalty arrived in the aftermath of this – once you claim a mark, you can't play on, and if you do, it's a hop ball. When his two umpires didn't know about a late Ray Daly shot, Williamson was quick to call it and wave it wide. Liam Boland had no complaints at his late red card as he clearly elbowed Morgan Tynan, who had fouled him. He allowed two minutes over the four minutes of injury time but there had been delays during that and there was at least a minute extra to be played and he can probably stand over the two minutes.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Ballinagar's 57^th minute goal from Robbie Gallagher decided this game. It was a lucky goal but Gallagher had been unlucky to hit the crossbar with his first shot and breaks such as this often decide games.

VENUE WATCH

The O'Connor Park pitch was in excellent shape and there was a great atmosphere with both sides having a huge support present. They cheered every block and tackle, not to mention score, and it all added to the occasion.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinagar play in the Leinster Club Junior Football Championship.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinagar – 8 (4 in first half); Raheen – 8 (6 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ballinagar – 3 (Geordi O'Meara, Aaron Gorman and Robbie Gallagher); Raheen – 1 (Mikey Keogh).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0.