Ballinascarthy 2-7
Barryroe 1-7
TOM LYONS REPORTS
BALLINASCARTHY came, saw and conquered in Barryroe on Sunday afternoon and the scalp they took home was none other than the South West champions in their own den.
It might only have been the first round of the Carbery/Beara Dubliner Cheese football league Division 1, in the first week in March, a long way from the championship in the late summer, but it was a morale-boosting victory for the Bal men, who had to stand idly by to watch their neighbours capturing their first-ever South West junior A title last October.
The decisive moment came in the 54th minute when Barryroe had closed a six-point half-time deficit back to three points but then conceded a penalty that was expertly converted by man-of-the match Connall Cullinane. Barryroe did strike for an injury-time goal from Ryan O’Donovan but it came too late to save the game.
‘That’s a good start to the league for us and it was a good, competitive game,” said a pleased Bal manager Kevin Ryan. ‘We got the goals that made the difference and fought hard. We have a lot of injuries and it was nice to beat the champions in their own backyard. We did look lively but it’s early days yet and we have a lot of work to do, including getting all our players fit. It’s only March but we’ll enjoy the win, a good start.’
With the breeze, it was Bal in control from the start, the two opening scores coming from Brian O’Donovan and Padraic Cullinane (free). With Seán Ryan and Cathal Nyhan working hard at midfield, Bal applied a lot of pressure but it was Barryroe who got the next two scores, with the dangerous Olan O’Donovan kicking two good points to level as the first quarter drew to a close.
With Connall Cullinane, Brian O’Donovan, Padraic Cullinane and Dean Harte busy up front, Bal found their range in the second quarter, outscoring the opposition by 1-4 to 0-1. The goal in the 21st minute was a real classic: Culain Cullinane sending in a superb high cross from the wing and Brian O’Donovan out-fielding his man before finishing beautifully to the corner of the net. The points came from Connall Cullinane (2), Padraic Cullinane (free) and Dean Harte. Barryroe’s only response came from Ryan O’Donovan, a well-struck 45 into the breeze. It was 1-6 to 0-3 at half time.
A more focused Barryroe, with the dying breeze, set about cutting the lead in the third quarter. Points from Olan O’Donovan and Ryan O’Donovan (2) cut the lead in half by the start of the last quarter, 1-6 to 0-6. As Barryroe went in search of more scores they left the front door open behind them. In a breakaway in the 54th minute, Bal centre back Ciarán O’Neill was hauled down in the Barryroe square and up stepped Connall Cullinane to drive the penalty to the net, Bal’s first score of the half.
When Cullinane quickly followed with a point, the gap was up to seven and all Barryroe’s good work had been undone. Even though Barryroe did strike in injury time for a Ryan O’Donovan goal and an Olan O’Donovan free there was no catching the winners.
Scorers - Ballinascarthy: Connall Cullinane 1-3 (1 pen); Brian O’Donovan 1-1; Padraic Cullinane 0-2f; Dean Harte 0-1. Barryroe: Ryan O’Donovan 1-3 (1 45); Olan O’Donovan 0-4 (1f).
Ballinascarthy: Cian Ryan; James O’Brien, Ciarán Nyhan, Ruairí O’Brien; Daniel O’Brien, Ciarán O’Neill, Steven Shanahan; Cathal Nyhan, Seán Ryan; David Walsh, Connall Cullinane, Luke Murray; Brian O’Donovan, Padraic Cullinane, Dean Harte. Subs: James Lynham for D Harte (45), Séamus McCarthy for P Cullinane (52), Cathal Cullinane for S Shanahan.
Barryroe: Geoff Wycherley; Pa Moloney, James Moloney, Jerome O’Brien; Dave O’Sullivan, Seán O’Riordan, Stephen Madden; Seán Ryan, Cathal Sheehy; Dave Murphy, Dónal Ó Buachalla, Brian O’Donovan; Olan O’Donovan, Ryan O’Donovan, Adam McSweeney. Subs: Michael Walsh for S O’Brien (ht), Tomás Ó Buachalla for B O’Donovan (40), Cormac McCarthy for G Wycherley (50), Mike Ryan for DMurphy (52), Ciarán O’Regan for D O’Sullivan (54).
Referee: Patrick O’Mahony (Kilbrittain).
