Seniors v Ballintubber – Match Report
Ballintubber 1-16 Davitts 3-10
Ballintubber and Davitts met in Ballintubber on Sunday in Div 1A of the Senior League with the spoils being shared after a rip roaring contest. Davitts led by five points with ten minutes remaining but the introduction of Cillian O Connor sparked a late comeback for the homeside.
Jason Gibbons opened the scoring for Ballintubber after 14 seconds with Liam Kearns equalising thirty seconds later to set the tone for the afternoon. Alan Plunket and Brian Walsh pointed for Tubber before Davitts were awarded a penalty, after some intricate forward play involving the influential Paul Carey, Cathal Hennelly and Andy Peters. Liam Kearns hammered home from the spot kick to put Davitts ahead by a point in the 10th minute. A minute earlier Carey’s lob hit the post with Brendan Walsh, the Ballintubber keeper stranded, after the home defence was split open by Colm Boyle and Thomas Waldron.
Conor Finnerty fired over a neat point in the 14th minute before Andy Peters was on the end of another classy Davitts move, and he carefully guided the ball to Walsh’s right and into the net to put his side three points up. Points from the impressive Stephen O Malley, Alan Dillon and Conor Finnerty levelled it before Evan Ronane put Davitts one up with a neat score in the 20th minute.
Brian Walsh and two from Stephen O Malley, (one of which was hotly disputed as it appeared to go well wide) put the homeside two points ahead with five minutes remaining in the half. Cathal Hennelly for Davitts and Stephen O Malley for Ballintubber both scored minors before the half time whistle to leave Ballintubber ahead by 0-11 to 2-3 at the interval.
Liam Kearns opened the second half scoring with a first minute point and the same player hit the crossbar five minutes later after a Colm Boyle inspired move. Two long range Ronan McNamara points in the 8th and 9th minutes had the visitors in front but Danny Geraghty equalised a minute later.
Evan Ronane and Liam Kearns had Davitts points in the 15th and 16th minutes and when Diarmuid O Connor received a straight red card for an incident with Ronan McNamara a minute later, things didn’t look good for Ballintubber. Things got worse for the homeside when another sweeping move involving several players saw Colm Boyle pulled down by keeper Brendan Walsh inside the square and Liam Kearns gleefully blasted home the resultant penalty. It put Davitts five points up with ten minutes remaining.
Cillian O Connor was then introduced and his first touch was so crucial, blasting a superb goal from twenty five metres out. Stephen O Malley and Liam Kearns swapped points in the 24th and 25th minutes. O Malley narrowed the gap to the minimum and Kearns and Cillian O Connor pointed as Davitts held a one point advantage with time running out. Cillian O Connor shot the equalising point in the last minute to draw the curtain on a pulsating game, of championship intensity, that had the large crowd enthralled throughout.
Outstanding for Ballintubber were Michael Plunkett, Jason Gibbons, Alan Plunkett, Alan Dillon, Stephen O Malley and Cillian O Connor.
Davitts stars were Kieran Fahy, Thomas Waldron, the dynamic Colm Boyle, Andy Peters, Liam Kearns, Cathal Hennelly and Paul Carey.
Ballintubber: Brendan Walsh, Gary Loftus, Cathal Hallinan, Brian Murphy, David Clarke, Michael Plunkett, Declan Larkin, Jason Gibbons (0-1), Danny Geraghty (0-1), Diarmuid O Connor, Alan Plunkett (0-1), Brian Walsh (0-2), Alan Dillon (0-1), Conor Finnerty (0-2), Stephen O Malley (0-6). Subs used: Myles Kelly, Cillian O Connor (1-2).
Davitts: Adrian McNamara, Kieran Fahy, Cathal Higgins, Padraig Mangan, Thomas Waldron, Declan Healy, Johnno Clarke, Colm Boyle, Ronan McNamara (0-2), Andy Peters (1-0), Liam Kearns (2-5), Shane Treacy, Cathal Hennelly (0-1), Paul Carey, Evan Ronayne (0-2). Subs used: Keith Prendergast, Aidan McTigue.
Referee: Kevin Connelly.
