Late two-pointers proves pivotal for Abbeyside/Ballinacourty

JJ Kavanagh & Sons’ Waterford Senior Football Championship Group B Round 3:

Abbeyside Ballinacourty 0-15 (0-2-11)

Roanmore 1-07 (1-0-7)

Late orange flags via Diarmuid Mackle and Michael O’Halloran proved decisive for Abbeyside Ballinacourty as they secured second place in Group B of the Waterford Senior Football Championship at the expense of Roanmore.

While ‘Courty were always in control, they didn’t work the scoreboard enough and let Roanmore back into the game - before some crucial accuracy from distance eventually worked the oracle to secure a hard-fought five-point win for Benji Whelan’s side.

Roanmore hit the front after four minutes as Brian Nolan played in his brother Eddie and he made no mistake to get the Sky Blues up and running - but the lead was short-lived as Seanie Callaghan played in Sean Whelan Barrett to open Ballinacourty’s account moment later, before Michael O’Halloran quickly doubled their tally on the turn.

Callaghan then burst through to get in on the act on 14 minutes, and a golden goal opportunity dissipated moments later as Daithí Brunnock opted to square when he would’ve been better placed to go it alone. Dean Reidy cut the gap to one at the opposite end, before Willie Beresford swivelled to make it double scores once more on 20 minutes.

It was far from enthralling stuff, as Eddie Nolan received a black card on 24 minutes for a late challenge off the ball. An Aaron Beresford free made it 0-5 to 0-2 before Lee Hearne finished well for Roanmore, but Ballinacourty were guilty of so much overplay in the final third and looked reluctant to shoot when opportunities presented themselves.

Brunnock did the contrary in first half added time to slalom through and split the posts, and it was 0-6 to 0-3 in his side’s favour at the break, though it should have been a bigger advantage.

Callaghan should well have had a goal early in the second half as Conor Prunty fisted a superb ball over the top to send him running into acres, but his effort off the ground was over the crossbar as opposed to finding the net. Callaghan then turned provider to Brunnock for another goal opportunity, but he fired left and wide as a green flag remained elusive.

A goal looked like it was going to go a long way toward securing the points, and when it arrived - it happened to be at the opposite end. Punishing Ballinacourty for their own profligacy, Darragh Power got upfield and played in Eanna McHugh, and while Stephen Enright got a hand to his effort - he couldn’t keep it out and the scoreboard suddenly read 0-7 to 1-3.

It was level on 40 minutes as McHugh assisted Eddie Nolan, before the same man traded scores with Michael O’Halloran as the game was firmly in the melting pot. A well-taken score from the left flank by O’Halloran was welcomed by Ballinacourty, but they had more problems to deal with moments later as Conor McCarthy was shown a 48th-minute black card for a pull back on Ethan Flynn.

Nolan was on hand to level for a fourth occasion with the requisite free and the Sky Blues now had a man advantage going down the home straight, but credit to Abbeyside Ballinacourty - their response was excellent. Aaron Beresford edged them ahead again on 51 minutes, before Ethan Flynn was sent racing away having profited from a mistake by David Montgomery - but Enright was equal to his effort and they survived the scare.

Moments later, they worked the ball upfield and a patient move was capped off with a great strike outside the arc from substitute Diarmuid Mackle, giving them three points to breathe with. Nolan again wriggled free to cut the gap, but a beauty from the scoreboard corner by O’Halloran yielded orange flag number two on 15 minutes, before Willie Beresford made sure of the win with the final score of the afternoon.

Abbeyside Ballinacourty are through to the quarter-finals, while Roanmore must overcome An Rinn next weekend should they bid to join them there.

Scorers for Abbeyside Ballinacourty: Michael O’Halloran (0-5; 1tp); Seanie Callaghan and Willie Beresford (0-2 each); Diarmuid Mackle (0-2; 1 tp); Aaron Beresford (0-2; 0-1f); Sean Whelan Barrett and Daithí Brunnock (0-1 each)

Scorers for Roanmore: Eddie Nolan (0-5; 0-3f); Eanna McHugh (1-0); Dean Reidy and Lee Hearne (0-1 each)

Abbeyside Ballinacourty: Stephen Enright; Conor Kent, Conor McCarthy, Colin Foley; Willie Beresford, Brian Looby, Charlie Treen; Conor Prunty, Seanie Callaghan; David Montgomery, Sean Whelan Barrett, Daire Slevin; Michael O’Halloran, Aaron Beresford, Daithí Brunnock.

Subs: Diarmuid Mackle for Seanie Callaghan (43); Darragh Walsh for Daire Slevin (57)

Roanmore: Josh Sheridan; Darragh Power, Dean Walsh, Seamus Byrnes; Chris Dempsey, Ethan Hayes, Eanna McHugh; Rory Furlong, Frank McGrath; Dean Reidy, Billy Nolan, Brian Nolan; Lee Hearne, Eddie Nolan, Ethan Flynn.

Subs: Harry White for Lee Hearne (46); Ian Chester for Seamus Byrnes (51); Conor Fanning for Seamus Byrnes (57); Paul Hayes for Darragh Power (60)

Referee: Patrick Smith (Shamrocks)