Daingean given big scare by spirited Ballycumber before securing crucial win

DAINGEAN flirted with a disastrous defeat before securing a very hard earned win over relegation threatened Ballycumber in an unexpectedly tight Senior “B” Football Championship clash in Durrow on Sunday.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior B Football Championship Round 6

Daingean 0-16

Ballycumber 1-11

With Daingean needing to win to stay on track for the semi-finals and Ballycumber already in the relegation play off against Gracefield irrespective of the result, we expected a fairly routine win for the favourites.

Instead they struggled the whole way and Ballycumber could very easily have won this as they gave a superbly spirited performance, their best of the campaign by a distance. It completes their group games and while they have six defeats out of six, it will really boost their confidence ahead of the relegation play off.

It was a crucial win for Daingean and a point in their last game against Tubber will guarantee a semi-final berth – they can afford a defeat if Clara beat Ballinagar but Daingean certainly won't want to be relying on this.

It took two injury time points from Charlie Hayes to secure the win here and they were mightily relieved as a defeat would have changed a lot for them. They were also fortunate that Ballycumber were reduced to fourteen men in the 52nd minute after a black card for Keith Lawler.

Ballycumber took the game to Daingean from the start with a great Clive Keenan goal giving them a 1-5 to 0-3 lead after 16 minutes. Daingean did well to steady the ship from here with the lively Odhran Connolly getting two points as they trailed by 1-7 to 0-6 at half time.

Ballycumber continued to play well in the second half and led by 1-9 to 0-7 with 36 minutes left. A shock loomed but Daingean got the next three to get back into it.

Ballycumber clung to a 1-10 to 0-12 lead with ten to play and Gary Larkin put them two ahead with a free three minutes later.

The extra man was a big help as Shane Tierney and Jamie Hayes levelled it up and those two late Charlie Hayes' points sealed the win.

THE SCORERS

Daingean: Shane Tierney 0-6(0-2 Frees), Jamie Hayes 0-3 (0-2 Frees), Odhran Connolly 0-2, Cian Reilly 0-2 (TP), Charlie Hayes 0-2, Adam Bolger 0-1.

Ballycumber: Gary Larkin 0-4 (0-2 TPF, 0-2 Frees), Cormac Quinn 0-3 (0-1 Free), Clive Keena 1-0, Jamie Cornally 0-2 (TP), Keith Lawler 0-2.

THE TEAMS

Daingean: Conan Curley (Capt.), Cathal McKnight, Ryan Conway, Steven Joyce; Adam Bolger, Cathal Ryan, Casey Evans; Sam Wright, Danny Mangan; Cian Reilly, Shane Tierney, Jamie Hayes; Shane Marsden, Odhran Connolly, Aran Byrne. Subs: Cian Bracken for Aran Byrne (Half Time), Charlie Hayes for Casey Evans (36 mins), David Walsh for Danny Mangan (47 mins), Finn McGuinness for Cathal McKnight (inj. 54 mins), Jack Connolly for Odhran Connolly (56 mins).

Ballycumber: Oisin Carroll; Adam Daly, John Egan, Harry Champ; Dylan Daly, Cathal Guinan, Clive Kenna (Joint Capt.); Cormac Quin (Joint Capt.), Ethan Keena; Keith Lawler, Gary Larkin, Jamie Cornally; Colin Daly, Nigel Grennan, Marcus Keena.

Referee: Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).