Daingean snatch great come from behind win as Ballinagar endure brutally tough loss

BALLINAGAR are certainly learning tough lessons in their first year in the Senior “B” Football Championship and they got their hardest, most sickening one as Daingean came back to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a terrifically entertaining game in Daingean on Sunday.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship Round 5

Daingean 2-13

Ballinagar 3-8

It may be stretching it to say it was daylight robbery as Ballinagar didn't do what they needed to but Daingean certainly knew they got out of jail as they looked to be heading for defeat almost the whole way, scoring 2-2 in a frantic closing three minutes plus injury time.

Daingean showed fantastic character to get to win and put themselves on course for the semi-finals but both of their goals were very soft and Ballinagar will be wondering how they didn't win.

Last year's intermediate champions may still make the semi-finals but it is on a knife edge now and they have only themselves to blame. They drew with Cappincur and Tubber in games that they could and perhaps should have won, particularly the Tubber one and now spurned another golden chance of a win. They should be at least three points better off and in the semi-finals but are learning that there is a big difference between intermediate and senior B football.

They remain a team on the move with the potential to go senior but their displays so far suggest that next year will be their chance, not this year. Their game management in good positions has not been good this year and this was the case once again here as too many errors were made when they intensity increased and pressure came on.

Daingean's experience of playing at this level for a couple of years showed and was the reason that they won here. It was a great win for them and the legitimate claim that Ballinagar did not deserve to lose this won't cause them a moment's thought.

Ballinagar led by 3-6 to 0-5 after playing with a very strong wind and they should have been much further ahead. They made a dream start with a Robbie Gallagher goal after 40 seconds and should have added two more in the next few minutes – Gallagher couldn't convert from five metres on his weaker left foot and Morgan Tynan's dipper hit the cross bar,

They were 1-4 to no score ahead when Conor Bracken got their second goal in the 15^th minute with Conor McGuinness doing very well in the build up. Adam Strong made it 2-5 to no score and Daingean were in serious trouble but Ballinagar gifted them an opening point in the 18^th minute for a very careless three man breach, Shane Tierney, who got very little headway from the tigerish Diarmuid Finneran all day, tapping over the 14 metre free.

That proved to be a huge momentum changer and Daingean managed to get five points before the interval. That was a huge return against that wind and Ballinagar would have been in trouble only for a superb Morgan Tynan goal on the stroke of half time, after he fielded a Robbie Gallagher ball.

That gave Ballinagar a ten point lead. It was a 10 point wind and the game was still in the melting pot but it looked like Ballinagar would win until the last few minutes.

They controlled the first ten minutes of the second half, only conceding two points and that should have been enough to win the day. They were unlucky when their midfielder Alex Cuddy went down injured in the 43^rd minute, going into full forward and having to be replaced. Cuddy had been brilliant up to that, controlling the midfield zone and heading for man of the match – a nephew of former Kilcormac-Killoughey and current Tullamore senior hurling manager, Shane Hand, Cuddy has only returned to football this year after concentrating on soccer for most of his teenage and early adult years.

Red raw in the early games, he has improved with every game and his departure deflated Ballinagar. With him still fully fit, you would imagine Ballinagar would have won but his departure changed the game – not only did the losers struggle to win primary possession and breaks afterwards but they got tired and their error count crept way too high all over the field.

Daingean brought it down to 0-11 to 3-6 after 47 minutes following a relentless spell of pressure but a Morgan Tynan free settled Ballinagar. Daingean kicked a couple of very poor wides and a super Conor Bracken point made it 3-8 to 0-11 with five minutes left.

A six point lead should have been more than ample as Daingean hadn't provided a sniff of a goal threat up to then but Ballinagar folded after Aran Byrne scrambled home a scrappy 57^th minute goal. Shane Tierney pointed to bring it back to two points and Ballinagar conceded a calamitous second goal on the 60^th minute when Jamie Hayes' two point free attempt dropped short and ended up in the net somehow.

Ballinagar were gone and Odhran Connolly's 62^nd minute point left them needing a two pointer to salvage a draw and that was never going to happen into that wind – while Daingean repelled the one desperate attack they mounted as Ballinagar centre back Brian Malone was sent off for a second yellow card just before the end.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ciaran McEvoy (Daingean): Ciaran McEvoy had an excellent game for Daingean. His two first half points from defence were pivotal to keeping Daingeran alive in the first half. He was very solid defensively, moved the ball well and his composure helped Daingean get going in the second half when some heads were going. Jamie Hayes also got crucial scores for Daingean, showing leadership when needed but it was very much seat of your pants stuff by the winners and it is a sign of the way that this game went that most of the other man of the match contenders wore the blue of Ballinagar.

Diarmuid Finneran and Declan Crombie were two standout contenders on the full back line as they defended so tenaciously and competently – Brian Malone also put in a great hard working shift at centre half back. Alex Cuddy was the best player on the field for 40 minutes, Adam Strong battled with typical fortitude and Robbie Gallagher showed leadership and quality when Ballinagar went into the red in the closing quarter – Conor Bracken also had great moments in a Ballinagar attack that just didn't score enough in either half and had too many players who didn't provide a scoring threat.

THE SCORERS

Daingean: Jamie Hayes 1-4 (1f), Aran Byrne 1-0, Odhran Connolly and Shane Tierney (1f) 0-3 each, Ciaran McEvoy 0-2, Cian Reilly 0-1.

Ballinagar: Morgan Tynan 1-4 (2f), Robbie Gallagher 1-2 (1 x 2p), Conor Bracken 1-1, Adam Strong 0-1.

THE TEAMS

DAINGEAN: Conan Curley; Finn McGuinness, Adam Bolger, Cathal McKnight; Cathal Ryam, Ciaran McEvoy, Steven Joyce; Sam Wright, David Walsh; Cian Reilly, Casey Evans, Jamie Hayes; Odhran Connolly, Shane Tierney, Jack Connolly. Subs – Aran Byrne for Wright (36m), Ryan Conway for McKnight (40m), Charlie Hayes for Jack Connolly (45m).

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Declan Crombie, Diarmuid Finneran, Eoin McGuinness; Jack Gorry, Brian Malone, Aaron Gorman; Adam Strong (Capt.), Alex Cuddy; Conor McGuinness,Adam Joyce, Geordi O'Meara; Conor Bracken, Morgan Tynan, Robbie Gallagher. Subs – Adam Mangan for Cuddy, inj. (42m), Jack Sheil for O'Meara (46m), Ryan Dunne for Joyce (58m).

Referee – Brian Gavin, Clara.

REFEREE WATCH

It wasn't a simple game to referee in difficult conditions but Brian Gavin handled it well. He was consistent and got most calls right – he did throw up one ball in the first half after stopping play for an injury to Daingean goalkeeper Conan Curley. Morgan Tynan had the ball in hand and was about to shoot when Gavin stopped play and you would imagine that should have been an indirect free to Ballinagar.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Daingean's all important second goal won them the game but Alex Cuddy's injury also had a huge influence on the result and Ballinagar's demise.

VENUE WATCH

Daingean knew this local derby would attract a crowd and had plenty of stewards on hand. They managed it all well and were very welcoming to their visitors.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinagar play Gracefield and Daingean have Ballycumber in round 6.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinagar – 6 (3 in first half); Daingean – 5 (0 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ballinagar – 2 (Brian Malone, 2); Daingean – 2 (Shane Tierney and Casey Evans).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: Ballinagar – 2 (Brian Malone, 2 yellows); Daingean – 0.