Great win for Ballinagh over Fanad
BALLINAGH 0-11
FANAD (DONEGAL) 0-5
By Eamonn Gaffney
BALLINAGH produced a spirited display to qualify for the final of the Ulster club intermediate football championship when they proved too strong for Donegal side Fanad Gaels at Casement Park, Belfast on Sunday last. The next challenge for the Cavan champions is a meeting with Antrim side Dunloy in Healy Park, Omagh on Sunday next at 2 o.c.
It's a rare occasion that any Cavan side has reached such a stage in a provincial championship competition in recent years and it is to the credit of Ballinagh that they raised their game to deny their opponents any kind of foothold in the game and it they would not have been flattered had they won by an even bigger margin.
Ballinagh have always had a strong group of supporters and they made the journey confident in the knowledge that they had the necessary ability and experience in vital areas to see off the challenge of the Donegal side. The manner in which the Cavan champions controlled the game can be gauged by the fact that the forwards shot ten wides over the hour, an indication of the trend of the exchanges throughout.
Great progress
Ballinagh won the senior football league title last year and their progress continued this year with the eclipse of the intermediate championship. Clubs find it difficult to raise their game at the level of the provincial competition but no so Ballinagh who saw off the challenge of Monaghan side Tyholland and were in no way overawed by meeting their Antrim opponents in their own back yard.
With players of the calibre of Anthony Gaynor, Padraig Reilly, goalkeeper Daragh McCarthy, Colin Gumley and Paul Galligan among a number of players with plenty of experience, Ballinagh faced the game with confidence, and rightly so.
Fanad were something of an unknown quantity and were taken to a replay against Tyrone side Killyman but made no mistake in the replay running out convincing winners by 1-12 to 0-7.
Ballinagh needed to settle down early and give nothing easily away. Both sides made changes from the programme with Ballinagh making two changes in the half-forward line, Declan Beard coming into the 40 and Kevin Smith at left-half forward.
The Cavan side got into the scoring mode immediately from the throw-in and within twenty seconds Declan Beard had a point on the board.
It was 0-2 to 0-0 by the fourth minute and things were looking up for Ballinagh. Seimi Friel got Fanad Gaels off the mark in the eighth minute but Ballinagh always looked likely to score whenever they mounted an attack and they added two more points through Declan Beard and Cian McDermott to lead by 0-4 to 0-2 with seventeen minutes gone.
Seimi Friel and left-half back Damien McInerney exchanged points and in the 20th minute Kevin Smith pointed a free to leave Ballinagh three points in front, 0-6 to 0-3. Fanad Gaels rarely threatened in this half and depended far too much on the free-taking of Seimil Friel to achieve the bulk of the scoring.
Ballinagh finished the half as they began with a point from Kevin Smith to maintain a three point lead, 0-7 to 0-4.
Ballinagh always looked comfortable in that first period but should have had more score on the board. From Fanad's perspective they took a big risk by introducing Paddy McConigley three minutes from half-time to try and shore up the defence. He had sustained a freak eye injury in a paint-balling accident while on a team bonding session with the Donegal squad during the summer and was out of action until two weeks ago when he came on in the Ulster club quarter-final against Killyman.
Despite being told by specialists that they can do no more in their bid to save the sight in his right eye he hasn't given up hope of making a return at county team level in 2008.
Took charge
Ballinagh had the opening score of the second-half with a point from a Colin Gumley free although Seimi Friel replied with a good point for their only score of the second-half, Ballinagh took charge and when further points were added by Anthony Gaynor and Paul Galligan for a 0-10 to 0-5 lead seven minutes into the half, the Cavan champions looked secure.
The Fanad backroom team tried to half the slide by making a double substitution with Cathal Martin and Michael McGroarty coming into defence and attack respectively. It made little difference as Ballinagh continued to dominate most areas of the field and another free by Kevin Smith made the score 0-11 to 0-5 with eleven minutes gone.
Smith's point proved to be the final score of the game with nearly twenty minutes still to play. Ballinagh always looked comfortable but wayward shooting on both sides resulted in scrappy exchanges and an increase in the wides tally. However this didn't unduly worry the Cavan champions who had the game wrapped up and were looking forward to the final on Sunday next.
Pleased
Team manager Bernard Morris will be pleased with the overall performance of his players. However the opposition on this occasion will be a little stronger and if Ballinagh are in the position where they are dominating for a particular period they will need to convert more of their scoring opportunities
Ballinagh – Daragh McCarthy; Killian McBride, Conor Brady, Patrick Carroll; Niall O'Reilly, Pauric O'Reilly, Damien McInerney (0-1); Adrian Maguire, Cian McDermott (0-1); Colin Gumley (0-2, frees), Declan Beard (0-2), Kevin Smith (0-3, frees); Niall McDermott, Anthony Gaynor (0-1), Paul Galligan (0-1). Subs. Enda Brady for Declan Beard (49), Alan Durkin for Paul Galligan (58).
Fanad Gaels – Oisin Blaney; Shaun McElwaine, Francis Sweeney, Colm McElwaine; Patrick Shiels, Martin Robinson, Aidan McAteer; William McAteer, Brendan Callaghan; Mark Friel, Ciaran McElwaine, Patrick McGrenaghan (0-1); Michael Sweeney, Seimi Friel (0-4, two frees), Christy Sweeney. Subs. Patrick McConigley for Shaun McElwaine (24), Cathal Martin for Martin Robinson & Michael McGroarty for Christy Sweeney (39), Shane McAteer for Patrick McGrenaghan (43), Hughie Friel for Brendan Callaghan (53).
Referee, J. J. Cleary, Derry.