Barrett point maintains Ballymore’s unbeaten run
Ballymore Eustace's match-winner, Shane Barrett goes past Athgarvan's Alan Sourke. Photo: Sean Brilly.
A point from Shane Barrett ensured that Ballymore Eustace would maintain their 100% record in Group C of the Tom Cross Transport Junior Football Championship with a hard earned one point victory over Athgarvan in Round 3 at a miserably wet Manguard Park on Thursday night.
The sides were level for the fifth time at 0-13 apiece with six minutes left of normal time when a free from the impressive Jordan Deegan, who had earlier scored three 45’s, fell short but Barrett, reacted quickest to claim possession and fire over the winning point.
Although conditions were dreadful on an otherwise perfect pitch, both sides served up some good football with some fine scoring from play and from frees. Apart from Deegan’s prowess with the 45’s we had excellent two pointers from play from David Butler of Athgarvan and Niall Murphy of Ballymore and an impressive second half introduction of Jordan Nolan Mullally, who, despite a heavily strapped right leg, popped over three nice points from play and placed balls.
Ballymore claimed an early lead through wing back, Tadhg Barrett but thanks to a Butler two pointer and a single from Cian Doyle from a free, Athgarvan went in front for the only time in the half by the seventh minute. That lead was quickly cancelled out by the first of Deegan’s three first half 45’s and Niall Murphy’s two pointer from play.
Butler waltzed through for an Athgarvan point in the 13th minute but Deegan’s second ’45 for the winners and the first of Eoghan Dunne’s three points for Athgarvan brought us level at 0-5 apiece at the end of the first quarter.
Ballymore outscored Athgarvan 0-4 to 0-1 in the second quarter with Simon Murphy, another Deegan ’45 and a point each from Sean Broderick and Shane Barrett the providers and the only Athgarvan response coming from corner forward, Cian Scanlon.
Nolan Mullally’s half time introduction and a fine performance by Dunne gave Athgarvan new energy and they rattled off six points to Ballymore’s one during the third quarter leading them to not only draw level for the fourth time but then to take a two point lead for the second time in the game.
Jordan Nolan scored three points and Dunne two more in that period as it looked as if Ballymore’s unbeaten run was about to end.
The game was level again at 0-12 apiece and 0-13 apiece in the final ten minutes and it looked as if the spoils would be shared; that was until Shane Barrett fired over the winner to ensure an unbeaten run and top spot in Group C for Ballymore, plus a third place finish for Athgarvan.
Sean McNally; Mark Barrett, Callum Ashmore, Jack Sammon; Tadhg Barrett 0-2, Michael Stewart Byrne, Caolan Halpin; Shane Barrett 0-3 (1f), Patrick Murphy; Eoin Sheehy 0-1, Sean Gallagher, Sean Broderick 0-1; Jordan Deegan 0-3 (3’45), Niall Murphy 0-3 (1tp, 1f), Simon Murphy 0-1.
Liam Crowe for P Murphy (42), Charlie Litton for Broderick (48), Enda Stewart-Byrne for S Murphy (52), Danny McGarvey for S Barrett (55), Michael Fisher for T Barrett (61).
Daragh Dempsey; Daniel Connolly, Calum Sourke, Jamie Harrington; Dani Vali, Mark Connolly, Kevin Curran; Cameron Hughes, Niall Murphy; Euan Brown 0-1 (f), David Butler 0-4, Alan Sourke; Cian Doyle 0-1 (f), Eoghan Dunne 0-3, Cian Scanlon 0-1.
Jordan Nolan Mullally 0-3 (1f, 1’45) for A Sourke (H/T), Derek Craddock for Scanlon (58).
Kevin Murphy.
