Ballinagar make final with extraordinary extra time win as shell-shocked Daingean let it slip

SOMETIMES football just defies explanation and Saturday's Senior “B” Football Championship semi-final in O'Connor Park was certainly one of these occasions as Ballinagar qualified for a final meeting with Clara thanks to an extraordinary extra time win over a shellshocked Daingean.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship semi-final

Ballinagar 1-22

Daingean 1-12

With the four minutes of injury time almost up at the end of normal time and Daingean leading by 0-11 to 0-8, my after match tweet had been composed, stating: “A deserved win for Daingean. Ballinagar had ample late chances to have rescued it but Daingean played just well enough to win, Ballinagar weren't quite good enough and the result is a very fair one.”

Not too many from either side would have quibbled with the accuracy of that statement at that stage and Daingean had one foot in the final. Having struggled woefully with the wind on their back in the second half of normal time, displaying a lot of the hallmarks of a losing team, Ballinagar salvaged a draw out of almost nothing.

The announced four minutes of injury time were just up when Geordi O'Meara brought it back to a point with a two point score from out on the left of the arc – it was really a pot in the dark at that stage but was a symptom of the way a game can be change. Ballinagar's option taking and decision making had been poor for most of the second half but with them almost gone, they did the right thing with towering and effective midfielder, Alex Cuddy turning down a clear two point shooting opportunity, knowing full well that his prospects of a blazing wide were considerably higher than a curling point.

The ball was recycled out to O'Meara and in that one movement the game was won and lost. Had the final whistle went immediately, not one person from Ballinagar could have said a thing to referee Kevin Williamson but he indicated that there was still time and after Ballinagar won Conal Curley's kickout, another unlikely scorer, outstanding centre back Brian Malone got the equaliser in the 65^th minute. Accuracy is not Malone's forte but had he not taken it on, the whistle would almost certainly have went and against all the odds, Ballinagar had extra time – again, Ballinagar's found patience at the right time with Robbie Gallagher not taking on an impossible shot from way out left as they worked the ball across to the raiding Malone.

Again Daingean could have drawn up their county final plans with a couple of minutes remaining in the first period of extra time.

The winners played with the wind in that period and a super first minute goal from Daingean sub Cian Bracken, followed by a Shane Tierney free four minutes later put Daingean 1-12 to 0-11 up and that was a huge lead at that stage. For the next three minutes, Daingean controlled the play, retaining possession efficiently and more importantly, keeping Ballinagar off the ball.

Yet by half time of extra time, the whole outlook had changed once again as Ballinagar struck for a devastating five points in a game defining three minutes. Two of them were two pointers from Geordi O'Meara and Robbie Gallagher (free) and Morgan Tynan got a lovely left footed point as Ballinagar grabbed a 0-16 to 1-12 lead.

With the wind to come, it was still there for Daingean but they had shot their bolt and Ballinagar were unstoppable in the second period. The livewire Conor Bracken finally came into his own and kicked two great points and then sub Jamie Ballesty turned down the goal opening to fist them into a four point lead with five of the ten minutes gone.

Daingean had one more chance to salvage things when Jamie Hayes broke inside and raced at the Ballinagar goal but he didn't get the right strike and Ryan Kinahan made a comfortable save. Robbie Gallagher also came into his own in extra time and his 76^th minute point put them four in front. Daingean folded after this, their spirits broken as they fell to pieces. Their fate was sealed when Finn McGuinness was red carded for an altercation that left Robbie Gallagher on the ground – Gallagher picked up a yellow for shouldering into the Daingean corner back after scoring the point to put Ballinagar five up but McGuinness lashed back and his red meant that Daingean could not win.

Gallagher pointed a free and then got one from play as it went into injury time and Ballinagar's late goal had farce written all over it. Daingean were penalised for a three man breach as they pushed men forward and a free was given to Ballinagar around a 40 metre line. Suddenly Ballinagar had five against two men, took the quick free, went at the goals with Daingean making no resistance, goalie Conan Curley, excellent for most of the game, standing still and Jamie Ballesty punching to the net.

That meant that the winning margin was ten points but this was never that type of a game. It was one of those things that can happen in extra time and Daingean will spend a lot of the winter wondering how they hadn't won it in normal time. They should have won it really and Ballinagar were absolutely blessed to get extra time but that is what makes games so attractive.

For much of normal time, Ballinagar weren't good enough. They played against the wind in the first half and were going well when trailing by 0-3 to 0-2 after 18 minutes. Jamie Hayes and Shane Tierney put Daingean three clear by the 20^th minute and they managed to lead by 0-6 to 0-4 at half time.

Ballinagar were the favourites at this stage as it looked a four or five point wind but Daingean were excellent for a lot of the second half. Early points from Cathal Ryan and Cian O'Reilly put them 0-8 to 0-4 up and that was a very decent lead – Ryan could have got a goal as he blazed over from a few metres.

Adam Mangan and Robbie Gallagher kept Ballinagar alive but Odhran Connolly and Jack Connolly got the next two to put Daingean 0-10 to 0-6 up with 45 minutes gone. Daingean were clearly the better team at this stage. They were winning a lot of the individual battles, turning over ball and their full forward line of Odhran and Jack Connolly and Shane Tierney had Ballinagar in deep trouble,

Ballinagar's error count was high, their body language, work rate and overall football not quite right. Morgan Tynan under-hit a two point attempt, Geordi O'Meara did the same with one that wasn't really on. Their marquee players, Robbie Gallagher and Morgan Tynan were well short of the influence that Ballinagar needed but as a unit, their desire never waned. They kept pushing and trying and Morgan Tynan and Robbie Gallagher converted frees to bring it back to two points, 0-10 to 0-8 with 11 minutes left.

Sam Wright got a mark for Daingean to make it a three point game with 50 minutes gone and there was no further score until those ones right at the end of injury time. Ballinagar did have ample chances to salvage it before those but seemed hell-bent on cooking their own goose, Adam Mangan went for goal when he should have tapped over and Conan Curley made a great 56^th minute save from Geordi O'Meara, though the excellent O'Meara gave him every chance to make the block from a few metres.

Robbie Gallagher was wide with a decent chance and then ballooned a two point free wide as it went into extra time. Yet Ballinagar persevered, they survived in normal time on their wits and in extra time, they showed how good of a team they are.

They got out of jail here but title favourites Clara will be very aware of the threat to their ambitions of returning to senior. It has also been a meteoric rise up the ladder by Ballinagar who only won junior in 2022 and took intermediate last year. They received tough lessons early in this championship but now find themselves just one game away from the top flight and that is a serious achievement for a club who have spent most of their existence in junior ranks.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Brian Malone (Ballinagar): Two standout contenders for Ballinagar, Adam Joyce and Brian Malone. Joyce put in a fantastic shift with a huge work rate. His ball carrying was excellent and his energy levels remained high throughout when others went into the red.

Brian Malone just edges it as he had his best game of the season. He was immense when Daingean were on top, putting in big hits, covering the hard yards. He won all sorts of ball and while he moves a bit cumbersomely at times, occasionally looking like he might spill the ball, he never did and he always got to where he wanted to go. On a day when Ballinagar were short of their best until the second period of extra time, he was superb, both defensively and driving forward – while he also got that final equalising point.

Geordi O'Meara also made a pivotal contribution for Ballinagar, scoring five points – he should also have scored a goal but his composure on the ball, his calm and patient nature inspired on a day when a lot of his colleagues were occasionally in panic mode.

Had Daingean held on at the end of normal time, Shane Tierney would have been the selection. Him and Odhran Connolly linked superbly in the Daingean full forward line with Jack Connolly also doing a lot of harm. Tierney also had a few assists, though credit to Diarmuid Finneran who stuck to his task with typical doggedness, keeping Tierney from getting in for goals and getting important hands and tackles in.

Adam Bolger was also a contender. Robbie Gallagher had been arguably the most influential player in the championship up to this but by keeping him quiet for so long, he gave Daingean a great chance of a win – Gallagher was great in extra time when he finally threw off the shackles while Bolger's departure with injury four minutes into the second period was another nail in Daingean's coffin.

Sam Wright also had a fine game for them as Daingean took the midfield honours, despite hard working shifts from Adam Strong and Alex Cuddy.

THE SCORERS

Ballinagar: Robbie Gallagher 0-8 (1 x 2pf, 3f), Geordi O'Meara 0-5 (2 x 2p), Jamie Ballesty 1-1, Morgan Tynan 0-3 (2f), Adam Mangan and Conor Bracken 0-2 each, Brian Malone 0-1.

Daingean: Shane Tierney 0-4 (1f), Odhran Connolly 0-3, Cian Bracken 1-0, Cathal Ryan, Sam Wright (mark), Cian O'Reilly, Jamie Hayes (f), Jack Connolly 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Declan Crombie, Diarmuid Finneran, Eoin McGuinness; Jack Gorry, Brian Malone, Aaron Gorman; Adam Strong (Capt.), Alex Cuddy;,Adam Joyce, Geordi O'Meara, Adam Mangan; Conor Bracken, Morgan Tynan, Robbie Gallagher. Subs – Jamie Ballesty for Gorman (54m), Conor McGuinness for Mangan (58m), Aaron Gornan for Crombie (FT), Jack Sheil for Cuddy (62m), Ryan Dunne for Gorry (67m),

DAINGEAN: Conan Curley; Finn McGuinness, Adam Bolger, Ryan Conway; Steven Joyce, Cathal Ryan, Casey Evans; Sam Wright, Aran Byrne; Cian O'Reilly, Jamie Hayes, Ciaran McEvoy; Odhran Connolly, Shane Tierney, Jack Connolly. Subs – Charlie Hayes for Jack Connolly (51m), Cian Bracken for Jamie Hayes (54m), Shane Marsden for Byrne (57m), Aaron Longworth for Joyce (58m), Danny Mangan for McEvoy (60m +1), Jamie Hayes for Bolger, inj. (74m),

Referee – Kevin Williamson.

REFEREE WATCH

Kevin Williamson had another really good game. He penalised Adam Strong for over carrying early on when he ran into the referee and that was a bit hard as he wouldn't have taken too many steps otherwise but the two point free went wide and it a sign of a good refereeing display when this is one of the few things that can be picked out as questionable. Ballinagar's equaliser at the end of normal time came over a minute over the announced injury time but Kevin Williamson clearly signalled that Daingean were time wasting and that there would be one more play.

In a game of this importance and with the tension that exists between these two neighbouring teams, it shows how good Williamson was that there will be, or should be, no attention focused on his display.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Geordi O'Meara's two pointer and Brian Malone's equaliser in injury time of normal time were the really big moments here as Daingean had enough done to win until then.

VENUE WATCH

O'Connor Park looked very well despite the recent inclement weather and the game was well hosted. The rain wasn't as bad early on Saturday as promised early in the week and the wind was a big help in terms of ensuring the pitch would be in tip top shape for Sunday's senior football final.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinagar go into the final against Clara while Daingean's season is over.

SEE NEXT: Clara show real character to grind out tough win over resilient Cappincur

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinagar – 10 (3 in first half, 4 in 2^nd half, 2 in 1^st period extra time, 1 in 2^nd period); Daingean - 10 (5 in first half, 4 in 2^nd half, 1 in 1^st period extra time, 0 in 2^nd period).

Yellow cards: Ballinagar – 1 (Robbie Gallagher); Daingean – 2 (Cathal Ryan and Shane Marsden).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: Ballinagar – 0; Daingean – 1 (Finn McGuinness).