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Senior Football News
Reserve League Champions
Posted on 11th Dec 2008 by Anthony
 The 2008 Ballyholland football season ended on a high note with our reserves comfortably seeing off hosts Rostrevor in the South Down league final.
Having come through the more difficult section with something to spare, the Reds would have been pre-match favourites, but over the sixty minutes they rarely matched the Harps, and the 11 points to 4 scoreline was a fairly accurate reflection on proceedings. Ballyholland could even afford the luxury of missing a penalty.
Rostrevor actually opened the scoring with the first move of the match, but it was to be the only time they held the lead.
Inspired by a thoroughly dominant midfield pairing of Kieran Murphy and Paddy McAteer, who forced a constant supply of ball into their eager full-forward line, by halftime Ballyholland were ahead by 8 points to 3. Most of these scores came from the in-form, teenage corner-forward Patrick Quinn - the one forward on display who continually made light work of the heavy conditions underfoot, and the chanegeable weather.
Reds tried turning up the heat in the second half, emptying their bench and increasing their physicality. Danger-men Quinn and White were earmarked for receiving no more space, by whatever means necessary.
But despite having oodles of top-flight football experience in the shape of Gary Farrell, Martin Sherry and Damian Smyth, they simply could not find a way through a Ballyholland rearguard led by captain Denis Crilly, and inspired by the tenacity of Sean McManus and class of Anton Haughey.
Ballyholland emptied their bench too, and although the second half wasn't memorable for the quantity of scores, it did host the best score of the day, Paudie McKernan's fantastic effort from way out on the right.
Just a few minutes later, referee Barry Andrews called a halt to proceedings, and Ballyholland had their hands on this trophy for the first time since 2000.
A McNamee; S McManus, A Haughey, S Fitzpatrick; E Campbell, D Crilly, R Murphy; K Murphy (0-2), Paddy McAteer (0-1); A McAteer, C Hartigan (0-2), M Shields; R White, J Shields, P Quinn (0-5). Subs used: P McKernan (0-1), J Keenan, C Smith, C McAteer, K Dunne.
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Email news to anthony@ballyholland.org
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