Valley Rovers 4-10
Ballymartle 2-4
JJ HURLEY REPORTS
VALLEY Rovers advanced to the South East U21A Football Championship final following a clinical performance against a spirited Ballymartle outfit at Riverstick last Saturday.
Despite the one-sided final scoreline, this contest had all the credentials of a championship encounter.
Full credit to referee Alan O'Connor, who demonstrated Solomon's wisdom early in the second half after tempers had flared between the sides, delivering only two yellow cards. Another réiteoir may not be so lenient later in the season.
From the outset, it was apparent Valley Rovers meant business, as Sean McEntee and Adam Casey had early points. Paudi Deasy almost scored a sublime individual goal early in the game, but the Riverstick lads had to wait for ten minutes before opening their account with Eoin Deasy.
The following three points belonged to Ciarán McCarthy, who stood out on the forty for the hour as Fionn Desmond put a goal between the teams, claiming a point.
The following two scores proved crucial as McCarthy and Dave Carthew scored a goal each in quick succession to put the Rovers in the box seat.
However, Ballymartle's Adam Harte threw his side a lifeline on the stroke of half-time with a well-taken goal, 2-5 to 1-2.
The exchange of points early in the second half between Carthew and Desmond demonstrated that both sides were determined to stick to their task despite the poor underfoot conditions, not helped by a heavy shower.
Valleys looked like they had stolen a march on their rivals when ace goal poacher Casey struck for the first of two second-half goals, but Cillian Lordan hadn't read the script as he finished to the Rovers' net.
The rally was short-lived as the classy McCarthy netted again shortly after.
McCarthy and Ryan Deasy each added a point to their individual team's tally, but with Ballymartle legs visibly tiring, Casey struck for another goal, and the hard-working No. 14 added the final score to the Valley's tally.
While many of this Valleys side, including Johnathan Kenneally, will grace the senior levels of the county championships, Ballymartle have the weaponry in their arsenal, including Jack Deasy, Paudi Deasy, Eoin Deasy and Ryan Deasy, to repeat the heroics of 2018 and claim a South East junior A football championship.
Scorers - Valley Rovers: Ciarán McCarthy 1-5 (1f); Adam Casey 2-1; Dave Carthew 1-3 (1m); Sean McEntee 0-1. Ballymartle: Killian Lordan, Adam Harte 1-0 each; Fionn Desmond 0-2; Ryan Deasy, Eoin Deasy 0-1 each.
Valley Rovers: J Wood; N Daly, C O'Sullivan, B Lordan; C Johnson, J Keneally, M Woods; O McCarthy, J O'Leary; J Murphy, C McCarthy, E Guinane; A Casey, D Carthew, S McEntee.
Ballymartle: C Barry; E Cummins, R Stuart, P Cronin; J Deasy, P Dorney, D Murphy; F Desmond, C Lordan, A McDonald, R Deasy, E Deasy, A Harte, M Higgins, R Sheehan. Subs: C Kelleher for A Harte (47), J O'Sullivan for R Sheehan (50).
Referee: Alan O'Connor (Ballygarvan).
