Ballyheigue take down 1A leaders
DENNY DIVISION 1A
Ballyheigue Athletic 3 Ballyhar Dynamos 2
BALLYHEIGUE Athletic took a major scalp at Mounthawk Park on Sunday when they defeated league leaders Ballyhar Dynamos in impressive style.
Playing conditions were very testing for the game with a strong wind blowing down the pitch but both sides rose to the challenge admirably serving up a good competitive game that provided decent entertainment value.
Ballyhar enjoyed the assistance of the wind in the first half and they began the game brightly getting a number of penetrating attacks together which kept the Ballyheigue defence busy.
They had a good early chance from a free kick on the edge of the box but Paul O’Connor put his effort on goal over the top.
Then Patrick O’Connor had an effort from distance which the Ballyheigue goalkeeper saved without too much difficulty.
Nice link up play between Ed Kerrisk, Paul O’Connor and Patrick O’Connor produced a corner kick which was sent into the goalmouth by Paul O’Connor and Diarmuid Brosnan rose high at the back post but could not direct his header on target.
They went ahead in the 11th minute when a delightful one two between Ed Kerrisk and Rafa Syn spread open the Ballyheigue defence and when Kerrisk ran on to the return ball he buried it in the bottom corner of the net.
Their lead only lasted two minutes with Ballyheigue forcing a corner kick. It was delivered into the goalmouth by Diarmuid Walsh and the towering Pa Mc Elligott rose unchallenged in the 6 yard box and headed powerfully to the net.
The Ballyheigue goalkeeper Felim Jacob was then called into action twice making a great double save to deny Diarmuid Brosnan and Patrick O’Connor while a third attempt on goal was taken off the line.
Ballyheigue had to make a change in the 24th minute with John Enright replacing the injured Bryan Sheehan.
Ballyhar were only a whisker away from taking the lead when Paul O’Connor ran on to a pass from Ed Kerrisk and his curling shot from outside the box was just inches outside the post.
However Ballyhar were undone again with a set piece in the 37th minute. A period of pressure produced a corner kick which was despatched into the goalmouth by Fionn Kavanagh and Jason Casey rose high to power his header to the roof of the net.
Although they were 2-1 down at the break Ballyhar looked comfortable enough as they would have the assistance of the wind in the second half.
However they found it hard to get their game together in the second half and a more physically strong Ballyheigue side were giving them very little room to manourvre in.
Ballyheigue took control of the game in the 61st minute when Kieran O’Connor set up sub John Enright and he found the net from 10 yards to put clear daylight between the sides.
Ballyhar began to use their subs to try and engineer a goal but that final pass in the final third of the pitch was repeatedly letting them down.
They then forced three corner kicks but in the process failed to test the Ballyheigue keeper.
They were only a lick of paint away from getting a goal back in the 85th minute with a shot hitting the underside of the crossbar but the ball did not cross the goal line.
They got a faint glimmer of hope right on the stroke of full time when they were awarded a penalty kick and Paul O’Connor put it away.
In the five minutes of added time that followed Ballyheigue slowed down the game to wear down the clock and ran out deserving winners at the end.
BALLYHEIGUE ATHLETIC: Feilim Jacob, Bryan Sheehan (John Enright 24), Sean Porter, Philip Martin, Pa McElligott, Diarmuid Walsh (Philip Lucid 77), Michael Hudson, Jason Casey, Fionn Kavanagh (Martin Leen 80), Kieran O’Connor, Paudie Carroll.
BALLYHAR DYNAMOS: Sean O’Sullivan, Dan O’Shea, Ed Kerrisk, Kevin O’Sullivan, Diarmuid O’Mahoney, Ger Fitzgerald, Patrick O’Connor, Diarmuid Brosnan, John Daly, Rafa Syn, Paul O’Connor,
REFEREE: Denis O’Rourke
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