Murphy returns to fire Ballyskenagh to final
Ballyskenagh 1-20 ...... Ballinamere 1-15
Damian Moran reports
Ballyskenagh stayed on course for an immediate return to the Senior Championship
thanks to an emphatic semi-final replay win over Ballinamere in Banagher.
After fighting back to draw the first game, Ballyskenagh were very much
the dominant side last Sunday particularly in the second-half when they
outscored their opponents by 1-9 to just two points.
Despite being under pressure in the opening 30 minutes, Ballinamere kept themselves well in the hunt with two goals in two minutes approaching the break from Nicholas Minnock and Emmet Molly.
Those goals left them one ahead going into the second-half but from there they had no answer as Ballyskenagh eased away to book their place in the final.
The gap between the teams was greater than the final score suggests and had it not been for a string of excellent saves from goalkeeper Kieran McLoughlin, Ballinamere would have been beaten by considerably more.
Ballyskenagh were on top in most areas of the field but the majority of the damage was done by their wing forwards Brendan Murphy and Morgan Lalor who accounted for 1-9 between them.
Murphy did not play in the drawn game and his presence was certainly a major boost for the Ballyskenagh side.
It wasn't just the half-forward line where 'Skenagh were on top as their
half-backs and midfielders also very much had the upper hand.
After a fairly opening ten minutes, the Middleton brothers ran the show
in midfield while the half-back line anchored by Aidan Franks swept up
the vast majority of ball that came their way.
more to follow in the Gallery
They were helped in the second-half by some poor balls into the forwards
by Ballinamere although the forwards were also guilty of waiting behind
their men rather than showing in front for the ball.
The Ballyskenagh full-back line were not under much pressure during the game but they held firm in the last ten minutes when Ballinamere resorted to lobbing high balls in to their attacking players.
In that last ten minutes, Tony O'Reardon won a considerable amount of ball while Cathal Murphy was steady and solid.
What will be of concern ahead of the final was the way Ballinamere waltzed through for two quick goals in the first half and they should have had a third from the penalty spot.
The Ballinamere full-back line led by David Gillespie deserve credit for their performance under intense pressure especially when you consider that the Ballyskenagh full-forward line only scored three points of the team's total of 1-20. Niall Kinnareny also hurled solidly at centre-half back throughout.
Ballinamere made the perfect start to the game and inside the opening three minutes they were two points to the good thanks to a brace of scores from Rory Buggy.
Morgan Lalor opened the scoring for Ballyskenagh after being picked out by Brendan Murphy from a quick sideline but that was quickly cancelled out by Paul Kinnarney five minutes into the game.
However in the next 11 minutes Ballinamere failed to score while Ballyskenagh added six points to move four ahead.
Brendan Murpht and Kieran Kirwin added a point apiece within 30 seconds of each other before Timmy Hennessy was denied a goal by a brave diving block from Kieran McLoughlin.
Aidan Franks did point the resulting '65 and soon after another well worked short sideline put Ballyskenagh two points ahead.
Further points followed for 'Skenagh from the deadly wing-forward combination of Brendan Murphy and Morgan Lalor before Ballinamere finally go back on the scoreboard with a point from Stephen Weir.
A well taken point on the turn for Ballyskenagh from Alan Middleton followed before Ballinamere were given a golden opportunity to get back into the game from a penalty.
It was difficult to see what the penalty was awarded for but Ballyskenagh were given a reprieve when Paul Troy blasted it over the bar.
Brendan Murphy responded with a point from Brendan Murphy from yet another well worked sideline cut before Ballinamere dramatically cut their arrears with a goal from Nicholas Minnock who buried a loose ball to the back of the net.
John Dooley responded with a point for Ballyskenagh before an incisive break through the Ballyskenagh defence by Paul Kinnarney finished with a nicely timed pass to Emmet Molloy resulted in Ballinamere's second goal.
Molloy followed up with a point less than a minute later before Morgan Lalor finished off the scoring for the half with another well taken point to leave Ballyskenagh a point in arrears.
As close as the scoreboard suggested the game was in the first-half, the second was a blowout as Ballyskeangh relentlessly piled on the scores and ran out relatively easy winners.
They could have had a goal within 10 seconds of the restart when substitute Daryl Kearney (Tadhg Maher!) was clean through on goal but his shot was well saved by Kieran McLoughlin.
That missed opportunity did not slow Ballyskenagh down and points from Aidan Franks, Timmy Hennessy and two from Morgan Lalor had them three clear within seven minutes of the restart
Daryl Kearney (Tadhg Maher!) had another goal scoring opportunity 11 minutes into the half but again he was denied by a brave save from McLoughlin.
While McLoughlin was pulling off heroics to keep his goal intact, Ballyskenagh kept racking up the points and by the midway point of the half further points from Aidan Franks and Alan Middleton brought their total to 17 by the midway point of the half.
After 24 minutes without a score, Ballinamere finally ended their drought with a point from Nicholas Minnock but Brendan Murphy quickly returned the gap to five.
While there seemed little hope of Ballinamere staging a late comeback, any lingering hope they might have had was crushed when after yet another blinding save from Kieran McLoughlin, the sliotar was worked to Brendan Murphy and he finally broke McLoughlin's resistance with a blistering close rnage drive to the back of the net.
Ballinamere managed one further point from Emmet Molly but Ballyskenagh finished off the scoring with two points from John Dooley and Aidan Franks to round off an impressive win.
Ballyskenagh: Alan Franks; Padraig Kennedy, Cathal Murphy, Tony O'Reardon; Mark Kirwan, Aidan Franks, Shane Kirwan; Derek Middleton, Alan Middleton; Morgan Lawlor, Timmy Hennessy, Brendan Murphy; Ciaran Kirwan, John Dooley, Ronan Middleton. Subs: Tadhg Maher for Ronan Middleton (17mins), Daryl Kearney (Barry Keeshan!) for Padraig Kennedy (30mins),
Ballinamere: Kieran McLoughlin, Kevin Hennsey, David Gillespie, Ken Molloy;
Damien Spollen, Niall Kinnarney, Pe Leonard; Stephen Weir, Paul Troy;
Gerry Spollen, Rory Buggy, Paul Kinnarney; Emmet Molloy, Nicholas Minnock.
Subs: Christy Corroon for Pe Leonard (17mins), Daniel Minnock for Gerry
Spollen (37mins), Michael Duignan for Martin Og Buggy (50mins)
Referee: Noel Flynn
Scorers:
Ballyskenagh: Brendan Murphy 1-4; Morgan Lalor 0-5 (0-1f); Aidan Franks
0-4 (0-3 '65', 0-1f); Timmy Hennessy 0-2; Alan Middleton 0-2; John Dooley
0-2; CiaADVERTISEMENT ran Kirwan 0-1
Ballinamere: Emmet Molloy 1-2; Nicholas Minnock 1-1; Rory Buggy 0-2 (0-1f); Gerry Spollen 0-1; Paul Troy 0-1 pen; Stephen Weir 0-1
Wides:
Ballyskenagh: 8 (4 1st half)
Ballinamere: 4 (2 1st half)
Yellow Cards:
Ballyskenagh: Alan Franks (24mins), Stephen Weir (52mins), Mark Kirwin
(58mins)
Ballinamere: Nicholas Minnock (24mins), Tony O'Reardon (52mins), David
Gillespie (58mins)
Red Cards: None