Arravale Rovers secure their place in the knockout stages of the Tipperary Senior Footbal Championship
Arravale Rovers —-------------------------------3-13
Ballyporeen —------------------------------- 2-10
Another lightning-fast start was enough to see Arravale Rovers over the line in an entertaining clash in Bansha on Sunday afternoon against Ballyporeen as both teams fought for the right to advance to the quarter final stages of the FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship.
Arravale Rovers took the honours to book second place in the group behind JK Brackens in Division 4 and they were well worth their victory.
A blistering start saw them dominate the first half. Arravale Rovers were far too powerful for their opponents in that first half during which Ballyporeen found it very difficult to get out of their own half and when they did an excellent defensive display from Rovers restricted their chances.
Arravale Rovers held a ten point advantage at half time, a significant cushion that their first half superiority merited.
The Tipperary Town team overwhelmed Ballyporeen with their direct style of play as they built up a commanding lead in the first half.
Two superbly well taken goals calmly slotted home by Donough Leahy, one arriving three minutes into the game and the other a minute from the half time whistle, ensured Arravale Rovers had the ten point cushion they deserved at the break.
Rovers held a 2-9 to 0-5 lead at the break and Ballyporeen were finding it hard to get Conor Sweeney into the game. Sweeney did take one stylish point from play in the first half, winning a well delivered ball from Riain O’ Callaghan from midfield, and the Tipp marksman also scored two frees but they created very few chances.
Ballyporeen did improve considerably in the second half and if they had shown more sharpness in front of goal they could have heaped far more pressure on Arravale Rovers in the closing stages.
Ballyporeen cut the deficit to eight points with just two minutes gone in the second half before a bizarre goal gave them a huge lift.
A shot from Conor Sweeney was going well wide but the ball took a freak bounce off a divot and instead of going harmlessly wide the ball bounced back in front of goal and Darragh Brennan was on hand to divert to the net and Ballyporeen had cut the margin down to just five points after only eight minutes into the second half.
Arravale Rovers scored their first point of the second half after eighteen minutes with Donough Leahy slotting one over between the posts.
Ballyporeen responded in some style when the quick thinking Ballyporeen midfielder Riain O’Callaghan caught out the Arravale Rovers defence with a quickly taken free that he placed low into the net.
That goal brought Ballyporeen to within three points of Arravale but two minutes later substitute Caleb Hickey scored an excellent goal to settle Arravale Rovers after some wonderful work from Donagh Hickey to win crucial possession in midfield.
That goal killed off the Ballyporeen comeback and Arravale saw out the game earning the right to advance to the quarter final with a six point winning margin.