Ballinhassig 2-6, Shamrocks 0-4.
This was a good game of football played in Ballygarvans pitch last Saturday evening with Ballinhassig wining through to the B championship final. While the scorline suggests that Ballinhassig were the much better outfit, they only pushed on in the middle section of second half as the Shamrocks lads legs began to tire.
Ballinhassig led 1-4 to 0-2 at halftime but Shamrocks can count themselves very unlucky to be behind by that margin at the break. They were the better team in the first half and had more possession than Ballinhassig; but some sloppy wides and a lack of a goalscoring threat and some dropped balls when bursting through the middle caught them. Meanwhile Ballinhassig were way more clinical with their possession at the other end and scored nearly every time they attacked. Jamie Sweeney and Cian Ronayne were the first half Shamrocks scorers while the likes of Ronan Murphy, Stephen Hurley, Darren Roche, Stephen Jordan, Jason Browne and Tony O’Mahony turned in fine half hours of ball.
Shamrocks scored the first point of the second half to bring the game back to 4 points. However, the big Ballinhassig men started to get on top around the middle from the kickouts and they enjoyed more possession. The killer blow arrived 10 minutes into the second half when Ballinhassig scored the decisive goal to open up a 7 point gap, 2-4 to 0-3. Shamrocks badly needed a goal but never threathened it and try as they might for teh rest of teh game, Ballinhassig had that 7/8 point cushion to play with and run out the clock.
The appointed referee for the game pulled out at the last minute and John Twomey (Shanbally) refereed the game and did it in a fair manner and the scoreline was certainly not affected by his competent performance.
Overall the Junior B team had a reasonably successful and enjoyable year, considering we had no team last year. Our thanks to teh 3 mentors Peter Prout, Stephen Jordan and Patrick Andrews for keeping the show on the road and providing 10 much needed games for the players. The later teh B championship is played in the year, the worse it is for Shamrocks with our limited numbers compared to other clubs. Also, well done and thanks to all the players who contributed throughout the year – without them there would be no team. We hope to see them all back playing (and training!!!) next year with the club.
Team: J. Wilson, D. Roche, P. Prout, K. O’Mahony, J. Browne, S. Hurley, R. Murphy, P. Lordan, S. Jordan, C. Ronayne, T. O’Mahony, R. Twomey, S. Downey, J. Brady, J. Sweeney. Subs used – A. Hickey, P. Andrews
Back Row, l to r: Jack Wilson, Ronan Murphy, Peter Prout, Stephen Jordan, Steven Downey, Joey Brady, Jamie Sweeney, Darren Roche, Paul Lordan, Kevin O’Mahony.
Front, l to r: Pa Andrews, Cian Ronayne, Jason Browne, Stephen Hurley, Tony O’Mahony, Roy Twomey.
