Ballinlough break semi-final hoodoo in fine style

Ballinlough ..........................1-3-12 (21)

St Vincent’s ..........................1-3-9 (18)

Having been beaten in four of the last five JFC semi-finals, Ballinlough finally overcame their last-four hoodoo, denying St Vincent’s a third successive final appearance in the process on Saturday night in Cortown, writes Davy Rispin.

The month-long layoff for Andy McGovern’s side appeared to have no ill effects, quite the opposite in truth, as Ballinlough dominated the opening period, playing with far greater intensity than their Ardcath opponents.

Evan Connor did give St Vincent’s the perfect start by converting a two-point free inside the opening two minutes. Ballinlough responded well, however, notching the next three points, including a brace of frees from Daire Shine, before Darren O’Higgins gave them the lead for the first time.

Paddy McGill equalised with a free of his own in the eighth minute, but it would prove to be St Vincent’s last score for 22 minutes as the north Meath side gained a vice-like grip on proceedings, reeling off the next nine points in succession.

Another free from Daire Shine at the end of the opening quarter was immediately followed by a monster two-pointer from Mark McCullan. Quick thinking by the Shine twins then ended with Daire registering another fine point. From the resulting kickout, Adam Andrews was adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground and Tom Shine, from the most acute of angles, curled over a magnificent two-point free.

Dominating all over the field, ‘the Lough’ stretched their lead even further with a further trio of points, with McCullan and a quickfire brace from Harry Ryan opening up a 0-12 to 0-3 advantage after 23 minutes. McGill ended St Vincent’s wait for a score as the game approached first-half stoppage time, but Kit Óg Lynch showed terrific persistence to respond in kind and restore a nine-point half-time lead for the team in red.

A superbly orchestrated move involving Sean Geraghty and Tom Shine resulted in the latter curling over a two-pointer to further extend Ballinlough’s lead six minutes into the second half.

Michael McIvor converted a couple of frees, sandwiched either side of a Daire Shine point, but St Vincent’s hopes of a second-half comeback looked doomed when Harry Ryan capped off a sweeping Ballinlough move by finishing to the net after sumptuous interplay involving O’Higgins and Daire Shine.

Daire Shine added another free to establish a 1-17 to 0-7 buffer at the end of the penultimate quarter. Cue the trademark St Vincent’s comeback, kick-started by a point from substitute Shane Andrews with less than 15 minutes remaining. An excellent two-pointer followed from Matthew Tuite with Adam Tuite reducing the deficit to nine with nine minutes of normal time remaining.

Their cause was further strengthened when Matthew Tuite collected from McIvor and fired to the net. Daire Shine’s seventh point, and fifth from a placed ball, settled the growing Ballinlough nerves in the 55th minute, opening the gap back up to seven, but Dessie Lennon’s side refused to wilt.

A two-point free from McIvor, followed by white flags from Nigel Hand and Andrews, brought last year’s beaten finalists back within three, but time ran out on St Vincent’s valiant second-half comeback.

Ballinlough had done enough to finally banish their semi-final demons and, in the process, keep alive their hopes of a famous football and hurling double alongside Kilskyre/Moylagh.

Ballinlough: Senan McDermott; Conor Fleming, Fearghal Gibney, Conor Rennicks; Jack Connell, Oisin McDermott, Sean Geraghty; Mark McCullen (0-3 one two-pointer), Eoin Briody; Brandon Brunton, Daire Shine (0-7 five frees), Darren O'Higgins (0-1); Harry Ryan (1-2), Tom Shine (0-4 one two-pointer, one two-point free), Kit Óg Lynch (0-1). Subs – Luke Harte for Brunton 44m, Michael Geraghty for McCullan 52m, Benji Smith for Ryan 64m.

St Vincent’s: Evan Conor (0-2 two-point free); Adam Andrews, Davy Tallon, Mark Crawley; Bob Tallon, Shane Caffrey, Conor Harford; Micheal McIvor (0-5 two two-point frees, one free), Nigel Hand (0-1); Matthew Tuite (1-2 one two-pointer), Adam Tuite (0-1), Conor O’Brien; Richie O’Sullivan, Matt Griffin, Patrick McGill (0-2 one free). Subs – Gary Tuite for Griffin half time, Shane Andrews (0-2) for McGill 41m, Conor White for M Tuite 58m, Dylan Kavanagh for Caffrey 60m.

Referee: Ciarán Flynn (Dunsany).