Late McKeon point seals narrow but welcome victory for Ballivor
Football League Division 3
Ballivor... 0-11
Dunderry...0-10
Thomas Macleod
This Division 3 Football League round one tie finally got played, almost two months after it was originally fixed.
The weather has finally turned and hopefully the summer of football can now get into full swing. We hope.
It was Ballivor’s first league game at home of the year and credit to Seamus Bagnall who got the pitch playable after weeks and weeks’ worth of rain.
There were familiar faces arriving with Dunderry, in the form of former manager Pat O’Halloran who is now on the Dunderry side-line and Ray McKeown who this year transferred to his new club after over 20 years of adult service for Ballivor. Both men were warmly welcomed back.
The game threw-in at 7pm, the slight wind that was blowing, favouring Ballivor in the first half. Ballivor won the throw-in and broke quickly, playing the ball through the hands and it was excellently slotted between the posts by Brendan McKeon.
The kick-out was pressed high and it was won by Ballivor who played it quickly into full-forward Joe McLaughlin who doubled Ballivor’s lead. The rest of the first half would have been very pleasing for the Ballivor management, especially with how the players responded to the two defeats over the last week.
Scores from Jamie Kavanagh, David Raleigh and three from Kevin McKeon, along with some excellent defending put Ballivor five ahead at the break, 0-7 to 0-2.
The second half started the same as the first half, only this time it was Dunderry who came flying out of the traps. They rattled off 5 points in a row including a 45 from goalkeeper Ray McKeown and were level 13 minutes into the second half.
Brendan McKeon struck a ball sweetly from the right-hand side of the pitch and it looked to be a point to everyone except the referee. Having no umpire at that end didn’t help either.
Two points from play stopped the rot for Ballivor, the first from Kevin McKeon which was then swiftly followed up by brother Brendan. They were two important scores as Dunderry had definitely got on top and were looking like they were going to push on and win. Dunderry kept fighting and got those two points back, bringing it back to a draw with 24 minutes of the second half gone.
With 5 minutes to go, Dunderry were driving up the pitch looking to take the lead for the first time, until the ball carrier was hit with a huge shoulder from Kevin McKeon on the halfway line.
Ballivor pounced on the loose ball and quickly let it into the forward line. It landed with Adam Gannon who decided that he would rather turn and take on his man instead of calling the mark. It turned out to be the right decision as Gannon burned past the defender and slotted the ball over with his left boot.
Dunderry pulled one back to level it once again with the 30 minutes now played. Ballivor won Tosh Raleigh’s subsequent kick-out and raced up the pitch, not satisfied with a draw.
There was a goal chance on when the ball came to 17-year old Jamie Kavanagh until he was dragged to the ground on the 20 metre line and a free in was awarded. Kevin McKeon raised the white flag from the free.
Dunderry got another chance to level it again, but Ballivor defended well and when the away side did get their shot off it went well wide and the final whistle was blown. It wasn’t the prettiest of victories but after two losses in a row it was a much needed one.
Thanks to Dunderry for a great game and to referee Owen Ganly. We have second team games this week on Tuesday and Thursday in Athboy and Bective respectively, and then on Saturday we welcome Nobber for the next round of the Division 3 Football League
Ballivor - Tosh Raleigh, Ronan Comey, Stefan Connolly, Harry Smyth, Ciarán Browne, Mark Healy, Brendan Mckeon (0-2), Keith Keoghan, Evan Fitzgerald, Shay Diggins, David Raleigh (0-1), Adam Gannon (0-1), Jamie Kavanagh (0-1), Joe McLaughlin (0-1), Kevin Mckeon (0-5 2 frees). Subs - Ciarán Dowling for Shay Diggins, Mark Hand for Ronan Comey, Luke Douglas for Ciarán Browne.