Ballinagh storm to Intermediate crown

McDermott lands 0-12 as young 'Bridge side overwhelmed in second half

Ballinagh 0-23

Butlersbridge 0-11

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Ballinagh delivered an exhibition of attacking play as they ran out 12-point winners in this evening's Intermediate Championship final.

Niall McDermott, who finished with 0-12 to his name, was immense for the winners as was centre-back Cormac Timoney, who kicked 0-3, but in truth, Ballinagh were best all over the field.

The winners suffered a blow early on when they lost full-back Patrick Carroll to injury just three minutes in and they had to deal with a Butlersbridge side who were tactically tuned in and played very well for the first half an hour, racing into a 0-8 to 0-4 lead.

But the eventual runners-up would go almost 20 minutes either side of half-time without a score as Ballinagh turned the screw. Around the middle, Padraic O’Reilly and Timoney were dominant and there was a constant supply of possession to the inside line, where McDermott and Kevin Smith won a huge amount of ball.

Over the course of the hour, Adrian Maguire’s side only registered five wides, with sub Killian McBride also excelling in a sweeper role after his early introduction.

Ballinagh: Enda Brady, Aaron Brady, Patrick Carroll, Evan Finnegan, Niall O’Reilly (0-1), Cormac Timoney (0-3), Philip Bogue, Padraic O’Reilly, Thomas Moore, Thomas Smith (0-1), David Finnegan, Paddy O’Brien (0-1), Kevin Smith (0-2), Niall McDermott (0-12, 5f, 3m), Shane Finnegan (0-3, 2f)

Subs: Killian McBride for Carroll (3, inj.), Kyle Tyler for D Finnegan (53), Damien Reilly for K Smith (57), Barry Connolly for T Smith (60), Daryl Gaynor for McDermott (60)

Butlersbridge: Noel McPhilips, Cathal Leddy, Paddy Flynn, Diarmuid McCorry, Shane Leddy, Feargal Flanagan (0-1), Andy McConnell, Colin Dugdale, John Fitzpatrick, Martin Fitzpatrick, Kevin McPhilips, Shane O’Rourke, Jonathan Leddy (0-2), Caoimhin O’Reilly (0-4, 3f), Fionntán O’Reilly (0-3, 1f, 1m)

Subs: Killian Leddy for K McPhilips (ht), Peter Conaty for M Fitzpatrick (37), Declan Callaghan for Dugdale (60), Jack Graham for J Leddy (60)

Ref: Martin Sexton

See this week’s print issue for full match report, photography and reaction.

Above: Winning captain Thomas Moore and manager Adrian Maguire.