Ballyteague progress to quarter-finals with Monasterevan win
The Larks came out 1-11 to 0-10 winners on the day
Ballyteague 1-11
Monasterevan 0-10
It was Ballyteague who booked their spot in the last eight of the IFC over the weekend.
They emerged victorious from their clash with Monasterevan as four-point winners and despite not putting on a dazzling display, The Larks had enough firepower to get them over the line.
Two points inside the opening couple of minutes would not prove to be indicative of what was to follow in the first half.
Padraic Murphy’s opening score for Ballyteague was matched at the other end by Conor Lonergan.
The sides remained connected as two points from Monasterevan’s Charlie Doyle were cancelled out by Glen Thorpe and Jimmy Hyland.
The game’s only goal came after 10 minutes when Stephen Ennis punched a hole in the Monasterevan defence before the corner-forward was blatantly dragged to the floor. Referee Conor Daly, tasked with a relatively easy decision, made the correct one.
Brian McGrath stepped up and drilled his penalty straight down the middle before letting the ‘keeper know exactly what he thought of his pre-kick dialogue.
Monastervan responded well with three points in the next five minutes to restore parity. In exactly the same order as they had for their side’s opening score, a Charlie Doyle free followed a Conor Lonergan point. Adam Kavanagh then levelled things with a fine score.
All square at 1-3 to 0-6 in the 16th minute, there was then a lull in proceedings with both side’s failing to get to grips with the ball.
Padraic Murphy broke the seven-minute scoreless spell with a brilliant point after some superb footwork earned him space to shoot.
Charlie Doyle levelled two minutes later with a free.
A close-range free, this time from Conor Lonergan, sent Monasterevan in at half-time with a narrow advantage at 0-8 to 1-4.
Ballyteague were yet to get going and it certainly appeared that they were informed of that fact at half-time. The Larks got level 23 seconds after the restart when a sharp move finished off the boot of Jimmy Hyland.
Fionn Murphy was next on the scoresheet, the Ballyteague full-forward cut inside brilliantly and curled over from out wide to give them the lead.
Two minutes later and it was more good news for the leading side when Monasterevan’s top-scorer to that point Charlie Doyle earned himself a black card. Doyle had scored four of his side’s eight points at that stage and was sent to the line for a not so subtle foul off the ball.
Ballyteague went three points clear with a Jimmy Hyland free and a lovely curling score from wing-back Glen Thorpe.
Monasterevan’s real problems were at the other end of the field with the trailing side scoring their first second-half point four minutes from the end.
Despite that, Ballyteague still weren’t out of sight and Tristan Kennedy’s point in the 56th minute made this a three-point game.
It was all Hyland from here with the sharpshooting corner-forward finishing off a brisk counter-attack brilliantly. Hyland was well away from the stand side in Hawkfield when he shot, but celebrations erupted as soon as the ball left his boot, such is the confidence the supporters have in their star.
Hyland added another from a free before a point from Adam Kavanagh at the other end closed things out. Ballyteague took home a deserved 1-11 to 0-10 win.
Scorers: Ballyteague, Jimmy Hyland 0-6 (0-3 frees), Brian McGrath 1-0 (1-0 penalty), Padraic Murphy 0-2, Glen Thorpe 0-2, Fionn Murphy 0-1.
Monasterevan, Charlie Doyle 0-4 (0-3 frees), Conor Lonergan 0-3 (0-1 frees), Adam Kavanagh 0-2, Tristan Kennedy 0-1.
BALLYTEAGUE: Jason Casey; Paraic Hanley, Luke Jacob, Ryan Webb; Cian Loughlin, Gerry Melia, Glen Thorpe; Seamus Hanafin, Tommy Callan; Conor Hanley, Brian McGrath, Padraic Murphy; Stephen Ennis, Fionn Murphy, Jimmy Hyland. Subs: Cathal Hanafin for Seamus Hanafin (48 minutes), Jamie Lambe for Conor Hanley (48 minutes), Darragh Kearns got Padraic Murphy (54 minutes), Barry Dempsey for Stephen Ennis (58 minutes).
MONASTEREVAN: Darragh Foley; Keelan Meredith, Eoin Stapleton, Gavin Worrell; Gary Morrissey, Cormac Stapleton, Adam Kavanagh; Mark Kelly, DJ Earley; Daryll Dunne, Conor Lonergan, Ryan Moran; Evan Nash, Charlie Doyle, Tristan Kennedy. Subs: Eric Morrissey for Mark Kelly (44 minutes), Conor Hennessy for Tristan Kennedy (56 minutes).
Referee: Conor Daly