Ballygarvan 0-13 Tracton 1-04
Playing with greater intensity and speed than in the drawn game, Ballygarvan had six points to spare over Tracton in this South East Junior Football Final Replay, played under lights in Riverstown last night.
Having been very disappointed with their display in last Sunday’s drawn encounter, when they were fortunate to hold out for a draw, they made no mistake this time, and claimed their fourth title in eight years.
On the wide open spaces of Riverstown, the winners overcame the concession of an early goal, to battle their way to lead by a point at the interval. After the interval Ballygarvan controlled the game, and when Gary White kicked six unanswered points in a row, there was no way back for Tracton.
Tracton, who had dominated for long periods of the original game last Sunday, were a major disappointment. They had the perfect start, when Kieran Lynch goaled after six minutes for the games opening score. But they were to add only four more points to that total for the rest of the game, with two of those coming in the final three minutes.
To compound their misery, they finished with 13 players, as both Kieran Lynch and Sean O’Sullivan received red cards, in the dying moments for off the ball incidents.
On a perfect night, Referee Colm Harrington was very busy. In total 23 frees were awarded in the first half, but this was not a dirty game. Rather, the heavy dew made the pitch very slippery, and players were sliding into each other.
Ballygarvan took the game to Tracton from the first whistle, but kicked three wides in as many minutes. They were caught napping however in the sixth minute. When a Ballygarvan defender was penalised for a foul, he handed the ball to Joe Kingston, who quickly spotted Kieran Lynch in acres of space, from where he made no mistake in finding the net.
Ballygarvan responded immediately when Ken Ashman pointed after a pass from Joe Spillane. But it was already noticeable that Ger Spillane and Stephen White were much more in the game at midfield than they were last Sunday.
Tom Maher pointed for Tracton in the 15th minute after a good pass from David O’Callaghan, but Ballygarvan really upped the pace for the remainder of the half. Aidan MacGearailt and Joe Spillane were proving difficult to handle in the full forward line, while Damien O’Sullivan at wing forward was playing a lot of ball.
Three points in as many minutes from MacGearailt, Joe Spillane, and Damien O’Sullivan had the sides level at 1-1 to 0-4 by the 18th minute. Tracton were very much in the game at this period, but were finding it difficult to penetrate the Ballygarvan defence. Alan Murphy was giving Joe Kingston very little room, while Alan Butler, John Spillane and Shane O’Leary were much more dominant this time.
Frank Lynch pointed for Tracton in the 27th minute to put them back in front, but a point apiece from Joe Spillane and MacGearailt, with a real beauty from the left wing, left Ballygarvan 0-6 to 1-2 ahead at the break.
After a hard fought first half, everybody expected this game to be tight to the finish, but it didn’t turn out that way. Tracton had two early wides in the second half, while a Joe Kingston effort landed in the keeper’s hands.
This was the que for Gary White to show his skills. Between the 34th and 51st minute, he kicked six points in a row. One free, one 45, one from his right, and three from his left as he left a major mark on this final.
Tracton kept plugging away, but could not find the target. Frank Lynch, who was their best forward, and Kieran Corrigan both had wides, while at the other end Ken Ashman pointed after Mark Kennefick’s effort at goal was saved. Michael Barry and a Joe Kingston pointed free closed out the scoring for Tracton, but the game ended in a sour note with the two red cards.
However, Ballygarvan won’t mind as they celebrate back to back titles, but they’ll be aware that they have another battle against Kanturk in the County Quarter Final on Saturday .
Scorers for Ballygarvan: G White 0-6(1 f, 1 45), A MacGearailt 0-2, K Ashman 0-2, Joe Spillane 0-2, D O’Sullivan 0-1.
Tracton: K Lynch 1-0, T Maher 0-1, F Lynch 0-1, M Barry 0-1, J Kingston 0-1(1 f).
BALLYGARVAN: J Murphy; John Spillane, A Butler, A Murphy; J Barron, O’Leary, C O’Sullivan; G Spillane, S White; G White, K Ashman, D O’Sullivan; A MacGearailt, Joe Spillane, M Kennefick. Subs: D Bouse for J Barron(60).
TRACTON: E O’Callaghan; D O’Mahony, S O’Sullivan, B Lynch; G Kingston, M Barry, T Maher; K Corrigan, D O’Callaghan; R Walsh, K Lynch, P Kelleher; M O’Sullivan, F Lynch, J Kingston. Subs: J Nunan for R Walsh(38), R Cronin for P Kelleher(48), F Walsh for M O’Sullivan(54).
Referee: Colm Harrington (Carrigaline ).
