Johnstownbridge step it up to defeat Ballyteague in the second half

Joe Mallon Motors SFC Group D

Johnstownbridge 2-16

Ballyteague 2-7

The opening half of this Joe Mallon SFC clash between Johnstownbridge and Ballyteague was as poor a half of football we have witnessed for many a day and while The Bridge had the most possession throughout they also had the biggest wide count with a half a dozen attempts failing to find the posts.

Jimmy Hyland opened the scoring with a point on five and we had to wait another five minutes before the next score arrived after Sam Doran, bearing down on goal, was tripped by 'keeper Derrick Mooney. Referee, Kieran Harris, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot but how he did not take out the black card was certainly a mystery.

Doran dusted himself down and duly converted from the spot.

Jimmy Hyland looked in trouble when requiring treatment for what looked like his hamstring but continued on, somewhat tenderly it has to be said, and on 14 minutes when Conor Hanley cut in along the end line, got it to Hyland and while his initial shot was partially blocked he nevertheless toe-poked it over the line to give The Larks the lead – 1-1 to 1-0.

A soft Sam Doran free saw Sean O'Haire converted the resultant free but two minutes later Jimmy Hyland responded with a point from play and that is how it stood at the break Ballyteague 1-2 Johnstownbridge 1-1.

On the resumption Jimmy Hyland put Fionn Murphy in and he split the posts.

That however, was as good as it got for The Larks.

Points from the influential Sean O'Haire (45) and Sam Doran had the sides level on 34 minutes but then, not unexpectedly

Jimmy Hyland was forced with that injury and whatever chance last season's intermediate champions had at that stage went with the influential Hyland.

Almost immediately The Bridge stepped it up hitting six points between the 36 and 42 minute.

Ballyteague replied with whites from Seamus Hanafin and Brian McGrath. The Bridge replied with three points before Daniel Flynn set up Same Doran for their second goal.

At that stage it was just a matter of how much the final margin would be and while Brian McGrath did find the JTB net, with a quick free, it was Johnstownbridge who won comfortably on a final score line of Johnstown-

bridge 2-16 Ballyteague 2-7.

Scorers: Johnstown-

bridge, Sam Doran 2-1 (one penalty), Sean O'Haire 0-6 (four frees, 45), Paul Cribbin 0-2, Josh O'Donoghue 0-2, Keith Cribbin 0-1, Shane Flynn 0-1, Dean Kelly 0-1, Darragh Sloane 0-1, Daniel Flynn 0-1.

Ballyteague, Jimmy Hyland 1-2, Brian McGrath 1-1 (two frees), Seamus Hanafin 0-2 (1 free), Fionn Murphy 0-1, Seamus Ennis 0-1.

JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE: Eoin Sheehan; Shane Flanagan, Tomas Van Englebrechten, Joey Higgins; Keith Cribbin, Shane Flynn, Sean McKeon; Paul Cribbin, Seamus McNally; Dean Kelly, Cathal McNally, Sam Doran; Darragh Sloane, Daniel Flynn, Sean O'Haire. Subs: Josh O'Donoghue for Cathal McNally (51 minutes); Ronan Scanlon for Keith Cribbin (53 minutes); Kevin Lynch for Paul Cribbin (54 minutes).

BALLYTEAGUE: Derrick Mooney; Ryan Webb, David Randles, Luke Jacob; Gary Nugent, Conor Mullaney, Glen Thorpe; Gerry Melia, Tommy Callan; Conor Hanley, Seamus Hanafin, Jimmy Hyland; Stephen Connolly, Brian McGrath, Fionn Murphy. Subs: Cathal Hanafin for Jimmy Hyland (35 minutes); Stephen Ennis for Glen Thorpe (43 minutes); Barry Dempsey for Stephen Connolly (51 minutes).

REFEREE: Kieran Harris.