Ballyfin secure Premier Intermediate Hurling final place following victory over Ballinakill

Ballinakill met Ballyfin in the first of the Laois Shopping Centre Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-finals on Saturday evening. Ballyfin had topped their group to qualify for the last four while Ballinakill beat Clough-Ballacolla in their quarter-final to set this one up.

Goals proved the difference for Ballyfin on this occasion. Ciaran Culleton and Eanna Lyons scored a goal each while the impressive David Connolly cracked home another to book Ballyfin’s place in the Premier Intermediate hurling decider.

Ballyfin 3-12

Ballinakill 2-10

Ballyfin, despite playing against the breeze in the first half, settled into this semi-final clash quite nicely. Eamon Duff was on target to register their opening score from play before George Lanham doubled their lead.

Brian Duggan landed Ballinakill’s first score of proceedings from a placed ball. However, his side were showing their inaccuracy in front of the posts early on which would prove costly after thirty minutes of play.

Eamon Duff dropped over his second point, this time from a placed ball, before Ballyfin struck for the first of their two goals in the first half. Ciaran Culleton was dragged back inside the square and referee Patrick Phelan was left with no choice but to call for a penalty.

Eanna Lyons stepped up from the spot and drilled an unstoppable penalty past a helpless Michael Fleming in the Ballinakill net. Ballyfin now enjoyed a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after only seven minutes and were playing against a decent wind.

Ballinakill managed to somewhat find their range after that to cut the early deficit to a goal. Brian Duggan dropped over a score from play from long-range and then Paul Simms inched one over the crossbar.

However, after registering seven wides to this point, Ballinakill were punished ruthlessly once more for their inaccuracy by Ballyfin. Midfielder Shane Conroy did excellently to earn possession back around the middle of the park and work a goal chance.

Conroy found Kevin O’Rourke, who in turn picked out David Connolly, and he batted home from close-range. Ballyfin now enjoyed a two-goal lead after twenty minutes of play in MW Hire O’Moore Park.

Ballinakill, to their credit, finished the first half positively to keep them close enough at half-time. Brian Duggan landed two more frees to his name in between one from play for the experienced Eddie Dwyer.

Ballyfin’s David Connolly was everywhere in the first half despite being named in the corner-forward role. Connolly came out to the middle of the park to launch a sublime score under pressure.

Laois Senior inter-county player, Ballinakill’s Gearoid Lynch, was kept quiet by Ballyfin’s defence in the first half. Lynch did register the final score of the half though to leave Ballinakill trailing 0-7 to 2-4 at the interval.

Ballinakill had hit ten wides at this point though, and considering they had to play against the wind for the second-half, manager Killian Fitzpatrick must have been concerned at this point.

The start of the second-half saw two quick-fire goals go in at either end of the field. The Ballyfin goal came first, as Ciaran Culleton crashed in his second goal before Ballinakill’s Seamus Fitzpatrick fired back straight away.

Ballyfin hit a purpled patch after that though, as they looked to take advantage of the strong wind that was behind them now. Eanna Lyons, Jack Heffernan, Ciaran Culleton and Shane Conroy all raised white flags for the men wearing green and white.

Ballinakill ended the run thanks to a Cathal O’Shaughnessy score but they now trailed by two goals entering into the last twenty minutes against the wind. It was going to take something special to keep their Premier Intermediate hurling hopes alive for the year.

The scores weren’t coming for Ballinakill. Brian Duggan managed a free but that was it for the next ten minutes, as time ticked by. Ballyfin grabbed the next score as well, with Eamon Duff restoring their two-goal cushion.

Ballyfin continued to put the squeeze on their opponents and substitute Darragh Lyons drove over another delightful score to give themselves even more breathing room.

Ballinakill did give themselves a glimmer of hope when Duggan drilled a free from close-range into the back of the net. However, Ballyfin quashed any hope they may have had with points from Eamon Duff (free) and substitute Dermot McGill sealing their spot in the decider.