Improving Ballinagar keep heads to march on in tense extra time shootout

IT may not exactly be a coming of age moment but it was certainly in that territory for Ballinagar as they held their heads to reach the semi-finals of the Leinster Club Junior Football Championship with an extra time win over Louth visitors Wolfe Tones in Tullamore on Saturday afternoon.

AIB Leinster Club Junior Football Championship quarter-final

Ballinagar 0-16

Wolfe Tones, Louth 1-11

It was a huge win for a fine, young, emerging Ballinagar side and over the 80 minutes plus, they fully deserved to advance. A five star attacking show from a player in a rich vein of form, Robbie Gallagher, coupled with their best known man Morgan Tynan coming good when their need was at its highest and some sterling defensive work by the back division, especially Diarmuid Finneran, were instrumental in their win.

It was a tense, tough battle where every ball was hard earned and fiercely fought for. The Offaly intermediate champions were pushed the whole way by the Drogheda outfit but had more to offer in an attacking sense and would have had only themselves to blame if they ended up the wrong side of the result. While they always looked capable of opening up a decisive gap, they never did so until getting four clear in the second period of extra time and even then, they were quickly pegged back to a goal.

Some outstanding defensive play meant that Wolfe Tones never threatened to get in for a match saving goal late on and Ballinagar managed to hold their heads and secure the win.

Every inch of their fibre was tested here as players cramped up and ran into the red in extra time. This included key players such as Adam Strong and Robbie Gallagher and Ballinagar's depth in strength was tested to the full here. They started without two established first teamers in Jack Sheil and Ray Daly and while Sheil made an impression as a second half sub, they were big losses. Eoin McGuinness also showed his worth when introduced but Ballinagar were certainly living on their wits to an extent late on and the team they finished with would struggle to win games but as a unit, every man gave it absolutely everything and there was something very impressive about the way they held their composure and continued trying to hold the ball and do the right thing, when players were cramping up and dropping like flies late on.

Fortunately for Ballinagar, Wolfe Tones were in the very same boat. They had made six changes from the team in the programme and while three of the players named to start came on as subs, they also ran into empty and their energy was clearly drained late on. One of those replacements, Rory Taaffe did ask new questions of the Ballinagar defence but the visitors just couldn't break them down when it really counted.

This competition may be bonus territory for Ballinagar, who exceeded their season's expectations when capturing intermediate honours but they are relishing it completely, relaxing and clearly enjoying playing new teams at a different level. It is great for them and two wins has opened up the possibility of further progress in the coming weeks.

Robbie Gallagher was sensational in the first half as Ballinagar settled quickly and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes. They coughed up a soft, if good, 10^th minute goal to Paddy Fanning which gave Wolfe Tones a 1-2 to 0-3 lead. Ballinagar's response was picture perfect with Adam Strong driving them relentlessly from midfield and Gallagher continuing to make hay up front. They got three in a row to lead by 0-6 to 1-2 after 22 minutes. Wolfe Tones centre back Alan Fanning got a black card for the foul on Gallagher that led to Steven Dwane's tap over free for their sixth point and Ballinagar should have got a 24^th minute goal when Morgan Tynan powered through the middle. Tynan drew a good save from Johnny Lynch, who also smothered the rebound from Steven Dwane who didn't catch it properly.

Garrett Cooney's free levelled it up at 1-3 to 0-6 at the break and Wolfe Tones were the happier at this stage, though Ballinagar were also content in the knowledge that they had the measure of their opponents and the game was there to be won.

Steven Dwane pointed a well won mark in the sixth minute of the second half, followed seconds later by Robbie Gallagher's fourth of the day. A two point lead was a decent advantage in such a tight game but Ballinagar were never comfortable in the remainder of normal time. Points from Mark Healy and Liam Gaffney got Wolfe Tones back on terms by the 38^th minute.

Gallagher got two more top quality points and Adam Strong got an excellent one to give Ballinagar a 0-11 to 1-5 lead with ten minutes left. They almost threw it away here as their defence began to concede some soft frees and their tackling became ragged throughout the field. A Rory Taaffe free and Garrett Cooney point brought it back to a point before Morgan Tynan restored a two point lead in the 56^th minute, an excellent kick off his left after great approach play by Geordi O'Meara.

Steven Dwane missed a great chance to leave Wolfe Tones needing a goal – Robbie Gallagher also spurned a late chance and Wolfe Tones forced extra time with points from Taaffe (free) and sub Darren Weldon, 1-9 to 0-12.

Ballinagar won the game in the first period of extra time, scoring three points while keeping Wolfe Tones scoreless. Jack Gorry got a questionable black card seven minutes into extra time and while this was a blow to Ballinagar, it was not as fatal as it could be with Wolfe Tones also beginning to make an increasing volume of errors and a 0-15 to 1-9 lead was much more significant than a three point one would normally be, at this stage of extra time..

Morgan Tynan could have wrapped it up in the second minute of the second period, opting to fist over instead of going for goal after the Louth defence was spread-eagled. Still, a four point gap was massive and it meant Wolfe Tones had to get a goal. Instead they only managed two points, a 74^th minute one from Liam Gaffney and a Rory Taaffe free two minutes into injury time. They had a couple of dreadful wides before Taaffe's score as Ballinagar held on for a memorable win.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Robbie Gallagher (Ballinagar): Robbie Gallagher has brought his football onto a different level this year, in particular in the last few weeks. He is certainly in line for a call up to the Offaly senior football panel and while that is a huge step up from this level and no one can make any predictions about him making it, Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte may be anxious to see what progress he can make with that training and work. He was a bundle of relentless energy here and his conversion rate was significantly higher than it was in some of the Offaly intermediate games. He kicked a remarkable seven points out of nine shots, just off target with a mark and from a difficult angle out on the right late on in normal time. He sent in a sensational ball in over the top for Jacob Beatty early on and unfortunately Beatty stumbled with the net looming a few metres in front of him. Gallagher matches his scoring with a great work ethic and an ability to win hard ball. He did tip over the edge in extra time but continued to fight for everything and he was the best player on the field

Diarmuid Finneran, Adam Joyce, who did give away a couple of sloppy balls and Brian Malone excelled in the Ballinagar defence. Finneran was brilliant throughout and his tackling and shadowing was exceptional – the weak side of his game is foot passes that have to go any further than twenty metres but he got better as the game wore on and the sight of him emerging from a forest of players with the ball inspired his colleagues when they required inspiration in extra time.

Adam Strong gave a great workmanlike display at midfield. A lot was asked of Gallagher up front, where Geordi O'Meara did have very good spells, though well away from the posts. Morgan Tynan had good spells at midfield but really showed his value to the team and ability when moved into the full forward line for extra time. At midfield, Tynan had good spells while giving the impression that he could do much more but he really stood up to be counted when required in the closing half an hour, including extra time, doing exactly what Ballinagar needed. He ended up with a crucial four point haul from play and it is significant that three of those came when Ballinagar were crying out for scores, one four minutes from the end of normal time and one in each period of extra time.

THE SCORERS

Ballinagar: Robbie Gallagher 0-7, Morgan Tynan 0-4, Geordi O'Meara (2f) and Steven Dwane (1f and 1 mark) 0-2 each, Adam Strong 0-1.

Wolfe Tones: Paddy Fanning 1-0, Garrett Cooney (2f) and Rory Taaffe (3f) 0-3 each, Liam Gaffney 0-2, Mark Healy, Darren Weldon and Tadgh Rock 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Declan Crombie, Diarmuid Finneran, Adam Joyce; Jack Gorry, Brian Malone, Aaron Gorman; Adam Strong, Morgan Tynan; Jacob Beatty, Geordi O'Meara, Jamie Ballesty; Conor Bracken, Robbie Gallagher, Steven Dwane. Subs – Jack Sheil for Beatty (44m), Eoin McGuinness for Ballesty (51m), Conor McGuinness for Bracken (60m), Conor Bracken for Dwane (70m +1), Dean Pierce for Gorry (75m), Shane Finneran for Strong (77m).

WOLFE TONES: Johnny Lynch; Kevin Brady, Rhys McGovern, David Bolger; Tadgh Rock, Alan Fanning, Danny Byrne; Mark Healy, Paddy Fanning; Sam Kelly, Dwayne Leavy, Liam Gaffney; Garrett Cooney, Cailean Floody, Sean McQuail. Subs – Rory Taaffe for Floody (37m), Dean Haggins for Fanning (47m), Darren Weldon for Byrne (51m), Sean Flanagan for McQuail (55m), Eoin Wynne for Cooney (69m), Jordan Duffy for Leavy (74m), Paddy Fanning for Flanagan (78m).

Referee – Kieran Olwell (Meath).

REFEREE WATCH

Kieran Olwell refereed it well for the most card but a black card given and not given in extra time were talking points. Jack Gorry got one in the 6^th minute after being late while chasing a ball. He did catch David Bolger but it looked to be more a yellow or red offence than a black as his eyes were only on the ball. A couple of minutes later Robbie Gallagher had his path blocked by Tadgh Rock after fisting the ball in over him and that looked to be a black card offence, with the referee letting him off without sanction. He also harshly penalised Morgan Tynan for over carrying deep in the second period of extra time. Conor Bracken was gone free inside the Wolfe Tones cover when Tynan was called back. He didn't look to have took too many steps and while Diarmuid Finneran may have been guilty when penalised for the same offence when coming out with the ball moments later, it was because he was being pulled back and he could have been given a free.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Morgan Tynan's fisted point in the second minute of the second period of extra time was a big moment. He could have went for a goal and truly killed it off but he knew that a four point lead would be very difficult to lose and it was difficult to fault him for taking the certain score. It also came at a stage when he was displaying real leadership qualities for Ballinagar.

VENUE WATCH

The very mild November weather meant that the O'Connor Park pitch was in summer like shape and as expected, Ballinagar had the bulk of the supporters present.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinagar go into the semi-finals against Ellistown of Kildare or Grattan Og of Longford.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinagar - 10 (4 in first half, 4 in 2^nd half, 1 in 1^st period extra time, 1 in 2^nd period); Wolfe Tones – 8 (1 in first half, 4 in 2^nd half, 1 in 1^st period extra time, 2 in 2^nd period).

Yellow cards: Ballinagar – 3 (Diarmuid Fineran, Morgan Tynan, Conor Bracken); Wolfe Tones – 1 (Garrett Cooney).

Black cards: Ballinagar – 1 (Jack Gorry); Wolfe Tones – 1 (Alan Fanning).

Red cards: 0.