Drumcullen 1-16 ....... Ballyskenach 2-12
The old saying 'a good start is half the battle' was certainly true in this
Offaly Senior Hurling Championship at Banagher on Saturday evening as after
a useful opening half Drumcullen then faced a resurgent Ballyskenach side who
fought back well only to be eventually pipped at the finish.
The final ten minutes of this clash provided thrilling action. With eight minutes left and Drumcullen leading by four points, Ballyskenach's John Dooley goaled to leave a point in it. The Drumcullen men then sealed the win, with two points with five minutes remaining in the game.
The final quarter of the match was in contrast to the first where Ballyskenach struggled to click into any useful pattern. On one occasion with five minutes left in the first half, they trailed Drumcullen by eight points after a torrid opening half.
Drumcullen got into the game and settled easier than their counterparts in the opening ten minutes. A brace of points set them on their way, firstly from corner forward Pat Guinan followed by a Conor Gath free.
The margin was extended to 0-4 to 0-0 by the ninth minute.
Ballyskenach had to wait until the 13th minute for their opening point, this arriving from an Aidan Franks free making it 0-4 to 0-1.
Midway through the half Drumcullen added two points in two minutes, midfielder Larry Guinan getting his first point from play and one from Ray Quegan.
Ballyskenach struggled in the first twenty five minutes to breach in any meaningful way the Drumcullen half back line. With seven minutes left in the half Drumcullen led 0-9 to 0-2 and helped by the contributions of half forward Conor Gath, Donal Mannion at midfield and Tony Ryan, they had Ballyskenach struggling.
When Drumcullen half forward Michael Spain supplied Donal Mannion with a pass to shoot over, Drumcullen led 0-10 to 0-2.
Three minutes before the break. Ballyskenach did their hopes a huge boost by getting a goal when John Dooley was in space and arrowed in a lob at goal, goalie Stephen Ryan caught it but was adjudged to have crossed back over his line.
Ballyskenach
then dispatched a free from Aidan Franks, his third of the half and a superbly
dispatched score from the left wing from Kevin Franks. Drumcullen went in leading
0-10 to 1-4.
Ballyskenach added to their encouraging first half finish by putting a point in the game after two pints in a minute from Noel Murphy and John Dooley.
After making a comeback, Drumcullen then hit back with a goal two minutes later when Ray Quegan firstly missed out, Tony Ryan arrowed past keeper Michael O'Hara, this made it 1-10 to 1-6.
In a daring three minute blast that followed Ballyskenach pulled back once more with three unanswered points, Liam O'Toole and John Dooley scoring from play while Aidan Franks hit over a free.
With eleven minutes left in the contest only a goal separated the sides after Colm Gath arrowed over a free. When Noel Molloy registered his first score of the game making it 1-14 to 1-10. it looked like the Drumcullen were heading home with the points safely in the bag.
Over a minute and a half later though, the match was turned on its head again when Ballyskenach's full forward John Dooley fired home his side's second goal. Now there was only a point in it. Drumcullen were made to fight it out, though with five minutes left a brace of points from Pat Guinan and a Corner Gath free pulled Drumcullen clear, although Ballyskenach did manage to hit back to reduce the gap to the minimum again.
DRUMCULLEN: Stephen Ryan: Peter Lyons, John Molloy, Paul Mannion: Colm Gath (0-2. frees), Aidan Mannion, Michael Spain: Larry Guinan (0-1), Donal Mannion (0-1): Conor Gath (0-5, four frees), Noel Molloy (0-1), Ray Quegan (0-2); Pat Guinan (0-2), Tony Ryan (1-1), PJ. Kavanagh (0-1).
BALLYSKENACH: Michael O'Hara: Eugene Hannon, John Gunnell, Eugene Kirwan; Mark Kirwan, Cathal Murphy, Donal Franks; Noel Murphy (0-1), Liam O'Toole (0-1); Aidan Franks, (0-6, five frees), Pat Donnelly, Vinny Franks; Bill Lalor, John Dooley (2-2), Kevin Franks (0-1).
Subs: Philip Shanahan (for Kevin Franks): Peter Murphy (for Bill Lalor). Olly Ryan (0-1).
REFEREE: Ger Wynne.