Beresford’s goal is the crucial score as Ballinacourty overcome rivals
Abbeysides Dean Beresford gets his shot away as the Fourmilewater defense closes in during the J.J Kavanagh & Sons Senior Football Championship clash at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field. Photos: Eddie Dee
These two sides have played out some very entertaining games over the past two decades, some of which have helped decide the destination of the Conway Cup, but this game will not rank amongst those memorable games in the years to come.
The strong wind that blew towards the road goal was a factor in this, but maybe to was also the fact that both sides were short a number of players that have won county senior football championship medals in recent years, and we were told that some of those missing for this game may not be seen in this year’s championship which is disappointing to hear.
Ballinacourty had first use of the strong wind, and they turned around with a 1-5 to 0-2 advantage, but they could well have been further in front as inter-county hurler Michael Kiely created a good chance on 22 minutes, but he saw his effort from a tight angle come back off the crossbar.
And while Ballinacourty could argue they were unlucky not to turn around further in front, The Nire could well have been closer to Ballinacourty at the break, as moments after Kiely hitting the crossbar when Michael O’Sullivan played the ball in while attacking from the bank side of the field Kyle Cuddihy got a touch on the ball with his fingers, but it was possibly that little too high for him to get a stronger touch and direct the ball towards the goal rather than flicking it just wide on the stand side of the field.
Diarmuid Mackle opened the scoring for Ballinacourty in this game in the first minute, but The Nire were soon in front when Sean Walsh put over a brace of scores in a two-minute spell after eight minutes.
Diarmuid Mackle drew the sides level with his second of the game on 12 minutes and nine minutes later Ballinacourty took the lead, one they never lost when Michael Kiely pointed from play.
The game's only goal came two minutes out from the break. From a free kick just inside their own half of the field, Conor McCarthy played a one-two with Sean Whelan Barrett, who found Conor Prunty who broke the challenge of a couple of Nire defenders, and he picked out Dean Beresford in space who shot past Stephen Ryan to put his side four in front.
And they would turn around in an even better place when Patrick Hurney put over a huge score from the play on the 45-metre line with the game just gone into added time at the end of the first half.
With the wind at their back in the second half, The Nire started brightly as Aaron Ryan put over a brace of scores to half Ballinacourty lead.
Patrick Hurney and Michael Kiely cancelled out Ryan’s early brace to put Ballinacourty back in front by six, but points from Aaron Ryan and Ciaran Walsh had the gap down to four once more with five minutes to play.
Aaron Ryan and Patrick Hurney swapped scores with three minutes remaining, but the game as you would expect when these two sides meet, and in the final minute of normal time, Michael O’Sullivan put over a two-point free to leave one between the sides.
The Nire did manage to get gametime into the legs of some of the players who usually start for them in recent years in the second half, but maybe they left it too late in the game as time ran out for them.
Patrick Hurney 0-4 (1 2p), Dean Beresford 1-0, Diarmuid Mackle, Michael Kiely 0-2 each.
Aaron Beresford 0-4, Sean Walsh, Michael O’Sullivan (2pf) 0-2 each, Ciaran Walsh 0-1.
Stephen Enright; David Collins, David Montgomery, Conor McCarthyl Colin Foley, Brian Looby, Dean Beresford; Conor Prunty, Michael Kiely; Aaron Beresford, Billy O’Connell, Diarmuid Mackle; Sean Whelan Barrett, Patrick Hurney, Rian Walsh.
Mark Twomey for Dean Beresford (53), Aidan Higgins for David Collins (55), Eoin Kiely for Diarmuid Mackle (59).
Stephen Ryan; James McGrath, Tadhg Walsh, Michael McMaugh; Jake Mulcahy, Tholom Guiry, Fionn Hallinan; Ger Long, Ciaran Walsh; Aaron Ryan, Michael O’Sullivan, Evan Spellman; Kyle Cuddy, Sean Walsh, Michael Morrissey.
Dylan Guiry for Fionn Hallinan (45), Conor Gleeson for Ger Long (45), Conal Mulcahy for Kyle Cuddy (59).
Paddy Smyth (Shamrocks).
