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18 September 2009
Ballyea 1.21 Clooney/Quin 4.9
It is of absolutely no consolation whatsoever to Keith, Pa and the team, but, we are all immensely proud of the performance of the lads in this game. All that is ever asked of a team is that they do their best. To a man, they all gave every last ounce of energy, but, ultimately, came up short...... writes Mike Hogan.
It is of absolutely no consolation whatsoever to Keith, Pa and the team, but, we are all immensely proud of the performance of the lads in this game. All that is ever asked of a team is that they do their best. To a man, they all gave every last ounce of energy, but, ultimately, came up short...... writes Mike Hogan.
Ballyea sprinted out of the blocks in this one with 4 points in the 1st four minutes of the game. Two pointed frees from Peter Duggan and one from play by Niall Hehir had the deficit back to the minimum by the 10th minute. Ballyea then hit a purple patch, scoring 5 points from play and one from a free to take a commanding 7-point lead by the 21st minute. Then up stepped Peter Duggan to 'cut' his 1st sideline of the evening over the bar.
This score seemed to lift the entire Clooney/Quin team, and 2 minutes later, they were back in the game when Peter buried a 20m free in the roof of the Ballyea net. The Clooney/Quin boys were now up to the pace of the game - and boy was it fast! The large Clooney/Quin following were jumping up and down on the hill again 3 minutes later. Shane Smyth, now operating at full-forward, grabbed a long delivery, turned right, then left and unleashed a rocket to the exact same spot in the net that Peter had earlier found. Sides Level!
Clooney/Quin applied relentless pressure for the remaining minutes of the half and the 'home' side were relieved to reach the sanctuary of the changing rooms still on level terms.
Ballyea regained the lead with a point from play 2 minutes into the 2nd half, and doubled the lead with one from a free in the 9th minute. Both teams were now playing at the top of their game.
Peter fired over a fine point from play in the 10th and a minute later the crowd were jumping on the hill again. This time it was Daire Kelly who found the net – different end of the field but the same spot if you know what I mean. Daire, though, scored his goal from 40m out. Was he going for a point?? Of course not!
Ballyea replied with a point from play in the 14th but the boys in Green and Red confirmed their superiority at this stage of the game with goal No.4 after 15 minutes.
Yes, the hard work was being done all over the field and when our forwards refused to let Ballyea clear the ball, Johnny Reynolds popped up to squeeze the ball inside the right post. The Clooney/Quin crowd on the hill were now reaching great heights!
One minute later, Peter again sent the ball sailing between the posts from a line cut. Two pointed frees from Ballyea had the score at 4-6 to 0-15 as we entered the final 10 minutes.
Peter increased the lead with 2 points from placed balls by the 22nd minute. Ballyea hit their 16th point a minute later and with just 6 minutes remaining, the Ballyea forwards breached our defence for the one and only time and got the goal they badly needed.
Peter replied with another pointed free to restore the 2-point lead. Two points from Ballyea in the 28th minute had the sides level and a draw looked on the cards.
The Clooney/Quin boys were 'out on their feet' at this stage and Balyea hit the front again with a point from play in the 29th minute. They added 2 more points from frees in the 4 minutes of stoppage time to put an end to Clooney/Quin's involvement in this year's championship.
Again, it's no consolation.....but it was a superb display.
This score seemed to lift the entire Clooney/Quin team, and 2 minutes later, they were back in the game when Peter buried a 20m free in the roof of the Ballyea net. The Clooney/Quin boys were now up to the pace of the game - and boy was it fast! The large Clooney/Quin following were jumping up and down on the hill again 3 minutes later. Shane Smyth, now operating at full-forward, grabbed a long delivery, turned right, then left and unleashed a rocket to the exact same spot in the net that Peter had earlier found. Sides Level!
Clooney/Quin applied relentless pressure for the remaining minutes of the half and the 'home' side were relieved to reach the sanctuary of the changing rooms still on level terms.
Ballyea regained the lead with a point from play 2 minutes into the 2nd half, and doubled the lead with one from a free in the 9th minute. Both teams were now playing at the top of their game.
Peter fired over a fine point from play in the 10th and a minute later the crowd were jumping on the hill again. This time it was Daire Kelly who found the net – different end of the field but the same spot if you know what I mean. Daire, though, scored his goal from 40m out. Was he going for a point?? Of course not!
Ballyea replied with a point from play in the 14th but the boys in Green and Red confirmed their superiority at this stage of the game with goal No.4 after 15 minutes.
Yes, the hard work was being done all over the field and when our forwards refused to let Ballyea clear the ball, Johnny Reynolds popped up to squeeze the ball inside the right post. The Clooney/Quin crowd on the hill were now reaching great heights!
One minute later, Peter again sent the ball sailing between the posts from a line cut. Two pointed frees from Ballyea had the score at 4-6 to 0-15 as we entered the final 10 minutes.
Peter increased the lead with 2 points from placed balls by the 22nd minute. Ballyea hit their 16th point a minute later and with just 6 minutes remaining, the Ballyea forwards breached our defence for the one and only time and got the goal they badly needed.
Peter replied with another pointed free to restore the 2-point lead. Two points from Ballyea in the 28th minute had the sides level and a draw looked on the cards.
The Clooney/Quin boys were 'out on their feet' at this stage and Balyea hit the front again with a point from play in the 29th minute. They added 2 more points from frees in the 4 minutes of stoppage time to put an end to Clooney/Quin's involvement in this year's championship.
Again, it's no consolation.....but it was a superb display.
