One giant leap for Curraha on road to redemption as JFC crown secured

Curraha.....................3-0-15 (24)

Ballinlough.................1-1-10 (15)

As nine-point wins go this was one of the hardest earned as Curraha saw off the battling 14 men of Ballinlough to stop the rot of successive relegations and secure the JFC crown at Simonstown on Friday night.

This time two years ago Curraha lost their senior status after a penalty shootout loss to Ballinbrackey. Last year they were edged out by O'Mahonys in the IFC relegation final, so it was no surprise they looked nervous at times against a Ballinlough side that were reduced to 14 men in the 28th minute following a straight red card for Darren O'Higgins.

However, despite a superb display from the massive underdogs Ballinlough, Curraha took their goal chances and that was essentially the difference as they prevailed.

Despite being down to 14 men Ballinlough trailed by just one point almost eight minutes into the second-half. However their exertions to stay in touch took their toll and they managed just three points for the remainder, including the last score of the contest in the fourth minute of injury-time, as Curraha strangled the life out of them.

The second-half goals from Diarmuid Moriarty and Andrew Coyle were the killer blows.

Diarmuid Moriarty's strike put daylight between the sides for the first time on 41 minutes and in the 60th minute Coyle put the issue beyond doubt when he punched Conor Moriarty's dropping pass to the net.

It was harsh on Ballinlough because they played their part in a cracking contest that moved a lightning pace up and down the field, but the north Meath men were always chasing the game after falling behind to Jack O'Connor's scintillating fourth minute goal.

It looked very bleak for Ballinlough at that stage, but they composed themselves and showed great character, as they had to do on a number of occasions throughout when several harsh refereeing calls went against them.

However, Curraha were the better side and deserved their win. Were they nine points better? The scoreboard says they were, but the contest on the field was evidence of a much closer affair.

The hot favourites tag looked comfortable on Curraha's shoulders as Podge O'Hanrahan opened the scoring inside 90 seconds and then O'Connor cut in from the right before firing low to the net to make it 1-1 to 0-0 inside three minutes.

Sean Geraghty replied for Ballinlough, but Curraha seemed to be getting their scores with greater ease as the outstanding Brian Joyce sandwiched a Tom Shine score before Diarmuid Moriarty clipped over a brace to make it 1-5 to 0-2 in the 14th minute.

Ballinlough looked a serious threat despite being six points in arrears and Daire Shine was denied a goal by a brave block which resulted in a '45 that was converted by the excellent centre-back Oisin McDermott.

A minute later McDermott landed a free from two metres further out for a two-point score which closed the deficit to 0-5 to 1-5, but again Curraha remained composed with Diarmuid Moriarty, O'Connor (free) and Ronan Flynn, after a patient move that included about 20 successive hand-passes, restored the six-point cushion.

Seven minutes before the break Ballinlough were boosted when O'Higgins' surging run powered him into the danger zone and he offloaded to Kit Og Lynch who shot to the net despite Luke McCarthy's best efforts.

O'Connor replied with a converted free, but then in the space of 90 seconds Brandon Brunton saw a goal chance fly narrowly wide before O'Higgins was sent off by referee Ian Dowdall on the advice of his umpires behind the goals at the scoreboard end. It was an incident that no-one else seemed to see.

Ballinlough had further cause for frustration when Conor Fleming appeared to be fouled when bearing down on goals, but as his shot went off target the referee gave a '45', which McDermott converted, but Ballinlough claimed a penalty and a black card.

The tension-filled closing stages of the opening half ended with Flynn and Daire Shine (free) trading scores to ensure a 1-10 to 1-7 interval lead for Curraha.

Ballinlough ate into that lead within a minute of the restart as Harry Ryan pointed and when Daire Shine made it a one-point game 70 seconds later there was a sense that a shock might be on the cards.

Curraha looked nervous in that spell and kicked a couple of poor wides, but Ballinlough didn't score again for almost 15 minutes and in that spell Curraha added 1-2 to seal the deal and could have had another goal, but Podge O'Hanrahan was brilliantly denied by Senan McDermott.

Podge O'Hanrahan fisted Curraha's first score of the second period in the 38th minute and after he was denied a goal, Diarmuid Moriarty did manage to find the net when he was picked out by Sean O'Hanrahan's clever pass.

O'Connor's free made it 2-12 to 1-9, but Ballinlough refused to lie down.

Tom Shine's brilliant free from a difficult angle ended their barren spell and in the 51st minute Ferghal Gibney stung McCarthy's palms before Micheal Geraghty punched the loose ball over the bar to make it 1-11 to 2-12.

Harry Ryan fired a great goal chance at McCarthy two minutes later and even though the ball ended up in the net the referee had already blown for a free out, much to Curraha's relief.

A harsh breach call against Ballinlough gifted O'Connor a tap over free in the 54th minute and that broke the spirit of Ballinlough as David Toner and O'Connor (free), after dissent from the sideline gifted them a free on the 13-metre line, pointed before Andrew Coyle applied the finishing touch on the third goal which gave Curraha the breathing room they could enjoy for the first time.

Ryan tagged on a late score for the Reds, but it was Curraha's night - the road to redemption starts with one small step, but this seemed like one giant leap for the Ha.

Curraha: Luke McCarthy; Sean Ronan, Conor O'Farrell, Seamus Hogan; Sean O'Hanrahan, Oisin Fay, Padraic O'Hanrahan (0-2); Ronan Flynn (0-2), Diarmuid Moriarty (1-3); Jack O'Connor (1-5 five frees), Neil Shortall, James McEntee; Niall McLarnon, Ciaran O'Hanrahan, Brian Joyce (0-2). Subs: Eoghan Burke for Ronan 42m, Andrew Coyle (1-0) for McLarnon 43m, David Toner (0-1) for Shortall, Ruairi O'Sullivan for S O'Hanrahan both 48m, Conor Moriarty for Flynn 55m,

Ballinlough: Senan McDermott; Conor Fleming, Ferghal Gibney, Conor Rennicks; Jack Connell, Oisin McDermott (0-4 two '45s', one two-point free), Sean Geraghty (0-1); Mark McCullen, Eoin Briody; Brandon Brunton, Daire Shine (0-2 one free), Darren O'Higgins; Harry Ryan (0-2), Tom Shine (0-2 one free), Kit Og Lynch (1-0). Subs: Luke Harte for Brunton half-time, Robbie Farrell for Rennicks 34m, Michesal Geraghty (0-1) for McCullen 48m,

Referee: Ian Dowdall (Bective).