Senior Football ACFL II

Ballyholland 2.8  -  3.5 D'patrick

11th May 2007

For the fourth game in succession, Ballyholland met with one of the Division’s bigger sides, and for the fourth game in succession, their fate was decided in injury time.

Except this time, the game wasn’t actually in the balance as we entered time added on. Ballyholland were four points to the good, and on the balance of play, deservedly so.

But following a well-worked score from Kevin Gracey, then a fisted goal from the edge of the small square by one of their big men (I’m still not sure exactly which one), the Hoops somehow managed to leave town with a point accompanying them. They even had a chance to steal both points after the goal, but it didn’t come off.

From a Ballyholland perspective, there are two very distinct ways of analysing what happened. One is a bit harsh, suggesting that the Harps lacked composure, choked badly and that it was a point very much lost. The other side of the story is the one I favour. The Harps entered this game with the bare bones of a squad, and almost half a team sheltering their injuries from the weather in the new covered stand. Then, just ten minutes in, full-forward Kieran Murphy hamstring problems saw him joining them.

Yet, they still managed to outplay a visiting side with most of their key players in position. At that stage, most Ballyholland supporters would have happily settled for a point.

Harps suffered a moment of madness at the start – Peter McKenna slipping in almost straight from the throw-in to score a goal, and another right at the end – the concession of that very sloppy goal, but for pretty much all the other 58 minutes or so, were visibly the better team on show, even though both Ballyholland’s goals both owed as much to fortune as anything else.

Downpatrick didn’t make it easy, and never once looked like lying down. Indeed, some of their movement up the middle was excellent, and the discipline and patience they showed to get back into the game, with time against them, was admirable.

They led for much of the game as well, courtesy of three timely goals.

The first was a bit of a bolt from the blue. There didn’t really appear to be any danger, but McKenna’s shot hit the back of the net and handed the visitors a dream start. It was even improved upon when young John Connolly tapped over a point.

But courtesy of some excellent work from James Patterson and Damien Campbell, Ballyholland spent most of the next 20 minutes firmly camped in Hoops territory.

A number of wides finally gave way to their first score of the night, an effort from Tony Havern, and was quickly followed by a nice score from Murphy, shortly before his departure. The lively duo of Robbie Quinn and Mark O’Hare added one apiece to tie things up.

As alluded to earlier, Downpatrick regularly exhibited a habit of breaking strongly and quickly up the middle, and just on the 20 minute mark they used this ability to its full force, and in doing so, left behind a forgettable quarter of an hour. After a Harps kickout, it was a case of bang, bang, bang, and the overlapping McKenna was in for his second goal of the night.

Harps were shocked, and although John Barry notched one back in reply to a well-taken effort from McKenna – a recent import from Saul, they played out the rest of the half as such. Kevin Gracey’s difficult free restored a four point advantage for the Hoops, which they took into the interval.

But the Harps left that shock behind them when they returned after the interval.

Given the horrible conditions, the skill levels shown by the likes of Campbell, Robbie Quinn, O’Hare and Tony Havern during the second half really were remarkable. Campbell, in particular, put on a brilliant show.

And the scores weren’t long in coming. Patterson got Ballyholland back to within touching distance, and then their first goal arrived. Gavin McAteer was the instigator, chasing down a seemingly lost cause and dragging the Downpatrick keeper along for the ride. He released the ball back to Mark O’Hare, whose effort for a point fell into the square, where John Barry met the ball and flicked it home.

John Fegan levelled quickly afterwards, but Ballyholland were buoyant. Their cause was only helped when the influential Fegan was forced to retire with an arm injury almost immediately after his score.

When McAteer popped up on the end of another dropping ball to punch over for the lead, and Patterson hit his second a short while later. Harps supporters were no doubt starting to think it was their night. A few minutes later, when John Barry’s 30-metre free sailed into the top corner, they must have been sure as it was their night.

But for some reason, that’s when Ballyholland took their shooting boots off, and a series of wides and attempts that fell short meant Downpatrick still had a glimmer of hope as we entered the last depths of time.

That’s when Gracey fired over the all-important point that settled them, quickly followed by that goal.

It was real get out of jail stuff, but in fairness, the likes of Danny Carvill, Shane Bell, Peter Turley and John Fegan didn’t deserve to end up on a losing side.

Player of the Match: Damien Campbell

Ballyholland Team: R Matthews; C Barry, A Haughey, C Murtagh, P McAnulty, D McCrink, J Murphy; J Patterson (0-2), D Campbell; T Havern (0-1), R Quinn (0-1), J Barry (2-1), M O’Hare (0-1), P McKernan; K Murphy (0-1). Subs used: G McAteer (0-1).

Opponents Team: P Robinson; S Bell, D Carvill; P McCartan;J Starkey, M Trainor, D McAuley; P Telford, P Turley (0-1); C Boyd, J Fegan (0-1), Ger Deegan; P McKenna (2-1), K Gracey (0-2, 1f), J Connolly (0-1). Subs used: P Oakes, T McShane.

Referee: Gavin Corrigan

Match Report by: Anthony

All Reports