Easy win for Ballinascreen against a depleted Swatragh side

Ballinascreen 1-24 ... Swatragh 1-5

Ballinascreen eased a ninth win of the campaign against a depleted Swatragh side on Sunday at Dean McGlinchey Park.

The visitors, who conceded the reserve game, fielded the bones of a reserve side and were playing second fiddle with the result beyond doubt well before half-time.

Liam Donnelly’s side were without goalkeeper Ryan Scullion who is playing for the summer with Kerry in New York.

Derry defender Martin Bradley was listed on the bench but faces a race against time to feature in the upcoming championship opener with Magherafelt.

It was an underwhelming game with limited value for either side. Ballinascreen put together some neat passages of play but it was a false reading for what’s coming down the line.

For Swatragh, they won’t know where they stand either as they approach their clash with Loup on Saturday week.

Ballinascreen’s warmup had the urgency of a group just two weeks from championship and it carried into the opening moments of the game.

Within 18 seconds, Niall Higgins had the ball over the bar on the end of a direct move that set the early tempo.

Swatragh did go long on their first two kick-outs with success but eventually Ballinascreen closed it into a 50-50 battle.

It was their use of the ball that was telling and Higgins added a second score with a sliced effort despite a tricky crossfield breeze coming into his face.

When ‘Screen carried the ball into traffic, Swatragh turned them over on the way to their first score. Peadar Coyle was fouled and when Brendan Bradley worked the free short, Coyle curled his shot to perfection inside the far post.

Goalkeeper McSorley was confident on his short restarts and he was helped by Antain Donnelly and James Cullinan peeling into space looking for the ball.

It was his poke to Cullinan that led to a first score for John Boyle and Ballinascreen were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after just five minutes played.

Ciaran McKenna was pulling out to be a kick-out target but Ballinascreen were able to cope with his size in a spell that stamped the home side’s authority on the game.

After pulling a shot wide, Niall Higgins when his third of the day.

When Antain Donnelly showed for a kick-out, Ballinascreen may well have found the net at the other end but when Cullinan failed to control the ball first time, play was recycled and Noel Rafferty kicked a fifth ‘Screen point.

Donnelly’s run and finish was followed by a neat series of passes before he kept the ball in to make a point for Ronan McKenna, as Ballinascreen continued with a wide range of scorers.

The home side were getting it all their own way against a Swatragh team lacking senior experience across the field.

Benny Heron, Rafferty and Carlus McWilliams added points and Ballinascreen were 0-10 to 0-1 ahead midway through the half. And it didn’t flatter them.

If anything, they failed to get the crisp spell of play to open Swatragh’s defence for a goal chance but they just kept chipping over points.

Donnelly, Rafferty and Heron tagged on further points before Swatragh’s second score, another for Coyle.

With six minutes to the interval a deft Benny Heron flick put Rafferty in for goal but goalkeeper Ben McErlean made an excellent full-length diving save to deny him.

When Swatragh were punished for not having three players in a half, ‘Screen moved the ball into the scoring zone and Rafferty was again on target to give them a 0-15 to 0-2 lead.

Rafferty and Boyle added points before Heron fired over with a goal there for the taking.

At the other end, Brendan Bradley’s shot came down off the crossbar but wasn’t deemed to have crossed the line and a Ballinascreen counterattack ended with a second McWilliams point for a 0-19 to 0-2 interval lead.

With the game over as a contest, the urgency evaporated with an Anton Scullion point all there was to show for the next 10 minutes.

Three minutes later, Ballinascreen had the ball in the net. It began with Ryan Doyle using the tap and go to get through midfield. Ot was a slick move with Antain Donnelly twice involved and finished to the net.

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Cahal Murray slammed over a two-pointer before Ballinascreen made a raft of changes, having already replaced Niall Higgins at half-time.

With 10 minutes remaining, Peadar Coyle dispatched a Swatragh penalty with Shea Walsh adding a free but ‘Screen finished with a flourish.

Rafferty, Donnelly and McKenna notched the last three scores of a game that is best forgotten.

Scorers:- Ballinascreen: Noel Rafferty 0-6, Antain Donnelly 1-3, Benny Heron 0-4, John Boyle (1f), Niall Higgins, 0-3 each, Carlus McWilliams, Ronan McKenna 0-2 each and Anton Scullion 0-1. Swatragh: Peadar Coyle 1-2 (1-0pen), Cahal Murray 0-2tp and Shea Walsh 0-1f.

Ballinascreen: Reece McSorley; Aaron Bradley, Anton Scullion, Finbarr Murray; Ryan Doyle, Carlus McWilliams, James Cullinan; Ciaran Doyle, Michael Walls; Antain Donnelly, Benny Heron, Noel Rafferty; Ronan McKenna, John Boyle, Niall Higgins

Subs: Jack Conway for Higgins (HT), James Toal for Heron (43), Conor Cullen for Heron (43), Niall Doyle for Heron (43), Eoin McCallion for R Doyle (45) John Boyle for Rafferty (56)

Swatragh: Ben McErlean; Karl Turner, Adam McLaughlin, Ben Kearney; Mark Tohill, Michael McCormack, Brendan Bradley; Sean Martin Quinn, Aaron McGuckin; Charlie McCartney, Cahal Murray, Shea Walsh; Peadar Coyle, Ciaran McKenna, Kevin McAllister

Subs: Patrick Kearney for B Kearney (HT), Joe McCullagh for McCartney (HT), Sean Francis Quinn for Murray (55)

Referee: Kevin McNally (Greenlough)