House send Ballymore down
Two Mile House's Peter Kelly and Ballymore Eustace's Tadhg Barrett Photo: Sean Brilly
Two Mile House sent neighbours Ballymore Eustace tumbling down to Junior ranks after a hard-fought Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate Championship Relegation Final played in difficult conditions this afternoon in Manguard Park.
A 23rd minute goal from Adam Conneely proving crucial in switching the momentum their way after a difficult start.
For Ballymore Eustace it brought a disappointing season to an end which has seen them drop to Division 4 of the Senior League and relegated after a five-year stay at Intermediate level.
Two Mile House opened with the advantage of the strong wind, but they suffered the blow of losing Declan Kirwan to injury after five minutes and Ballymore went two points to the good from early scores from the two Murphys, Niall and Simon.
Conneely pulled one back before Peter Kelly equalised with a fisted point after thirteen minutes, but Ballymore pushed on again with three in a row from Simon Murphy and two from Niall Murphy.
Two Mile House needed a spark in the run up to half-time and Conneely provided it. Taking a pass from Brian Collins outside the ‘D’, he soloed through and unleashed left footed to the top right hand corner of Stephen Foley’s goal. Whether he meant it or not, it counted.
With that boost Two Mile House added points from a Didier Cordonnier ’45 and a second point from Kelly, the former All Star soloing down the left and cutting inside to roll back the clock.
Five minutes of injury time gave Niall Murphy an opportunity to narrow the gap to a single point with Ballymore’s first point, a close-range free, in thirteen minutes.
Half-Time: Two Mile House 1-4 Ballymore Eustace 0-6.
Despite now playing into the teeth of the wind, Two Mile House took control of possession after the interval, although they were very wasteful at times. Cordonnier made amends for a poor wide with their opening score before Conneely had another goal chance saved by Foley.
Cordonnier pointed once more and when the influential Mark Sherry was brought down just outside the box, Brian Collins pointed the free to stretch the lead to four points.
It was nine minutes from full time when Michael Stewart Byrne pointed Ballymore’s first of the second half, but Two Mile House remained dominant and they should really have been out of sight.
They botched a goal chance when Adam Byrne’s fist across goal was too high for Collins and Cordonnier swung a leg at it to no benefit.
Their nerves must have jangled when substitute Seán Gallagher narrowed the gap to a two points with two minutes remaining but Kelly set up Cordonnier for another point.
That should have settled them but another goal chance went abegging when substitute Tony O’Connor put full-back Andy Cregg through but he signposted his low effort and Foley pushed it out for a ’45.
Cordonnier nailed that one though and despite the late sending off of Glen Burke for a second yellow card, Two Mile House deservedly prevailed with four points to spare.
David Craddock; Will Purcell, Andy Cregg, Tom Hennebry; Andy May, PJ Cashman, Adam Conneely 1-1; Marcus Kiely, Peter Kelly 0-2; Brian Collins 0-1 (f), Didier Cordonnier 0-5 (2’45s), Tom Coleman; Declan Kirwan, Mark Sherry, Michael McLoughlin. SUBS: Adam Byrne for Kirwan 5, Liam Coleman for Collins (temp) 23-28 and for McLoughlin HT, Glen Burke for T Coleman 47, Tony O’Connor for Collins 58.
Stephen Foley; Tadhg Barrett, Mark Barrett, Seán O’Sullivan; Eoin Clarke, Darragh Kelleher, Kevin Kelliher; Michael Stewart Byrne 0-1, Brian Crowe; Ben Noone, Seán Broderick, Josh Burke Hayes; Simon Murphy 0-2, Niall Murphy 0-4 (2fs), Calum Barrett. SUB: Calum Ashmore for Noone 30+2, Stuart Byrne for T Barrett 35, Seán Gallagher 0-1 for Clarke 47, Enda Stewart Byrne for N Murphy 54.
Ken Doyle
