By Mary Dunne
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior B Football Championship Semi Final
Ballinagar: 2-22
Tubber: 0-14
Ballinagar eased their way into the second Senior B final in a row when they saw off the challenge of Tubber on Saturday evening last in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
This was an extremely polished performance and while there were a few shaky moments midway through the second half with Tubber finding the two pointer range in reality there was no doubting the outcome and it was Ballinagar who pushed on for a very good win.
Ballinagar had done a lot of the ground work for this win in an impressive opening half. They tore through Tubber time and time again in the opening half. They scored at willed and with Robbie Gallagher, Morgan Tynan and Jacob Beatty all impressing the scoreboard, Tubber had no answer for them.
Their movement both on and off the ball was right out of the top drawer and with some brilliant moves up front they left it very difficult indeed for Tubber to contend with them.
They built from the back and they tore through Tubber at will and they were more than worthy of their eleven point lead at the interval.
Adam Joyce had Ballinagar off the mark after only sixty seconds, but it was Tubber who responded well and with three scores on the bounce from Bernard Allen (two frees) and a nice score from play from Patrick Farrell, they took the lead 0-3 to 0-1 seven minutes in.
It was the only time that Tubber would lead the game and it was Ballinagar who scored at will. Morgan Tynan with a brace of frees drew the sides level on nine minute, but there was a flurry of scores to come from Ballinagar who were relentless.
Jacob Beatty showed extremely well inside for Ballinagar and he hit four of five of their next scores, with Robbie Gallagher getting the fifth to bring the scores to 0-8 to 0-3 fourteen minutes in.
Morgan Tynan this time from play added another before Robbie Gallagher punished Tubber for a 3 man breach and in the blink of an eye the gap was seven, 0-10 to 0-3.
Bernard Allen did pull one back, but Ballinagar had more still to come. Robbie Gallagher was the real play maker for them and he was part and part for a lot of the scores that they got and with two more from the number fourteen they led 0-12 to 0-4 with twenty five played.
Morgan Tynan was on the mark again, before Brian Malone struck over their only two pointer of the game. It was a cracking shot and he brought the first half to an end with Ballinagar well in the driving seat 0-15 to 0-4 at the interval.
Tubber turned around for the second half with the wind on their backs, but it was Ballinagar thanks to Oissinne Troy who had the opening score of the restart.
It was then however that Tubber found their groove and with three two pointers on the trot from Bernard Allen, and a brace from Conor Fox, one of which from play they suddenly whittled the gap down to six 0-16 to 0-10 with thirty eight minutes played.
Ballinagar certainly were rattled but once they found their feet they soon were back on the board. Morgan Tynan hit their second score of the half, before Robbie Gallagher brought their tally to twenty and they were back in front by double scores 0-20 to 0-10 with forty three played.
Ballinagar were on form once again and with an inch perfect pass Robbie Gallagher picked out Morgan Tynan who made no mistake in rattling the back of the Tubber net, 1-20 to 0-10.
Bernard Allen pointed a free, before Ciaran McGuiness hit over their third three pointer of the half, but Ballinagar were not letting them claw anything further back and it was only a matter of time before they attacked again.
Robbie Gallagher pointed and then with a brilliantly worked move involving none other than Robbie Gallagher he picked out Ryan Strong and with a fine pass to the flying Conor Bracken he planted the ball to the net to bring the scores to 2-19 to 0-13 with fifty two on the clock.
Bernard Allen did get another for Tubber, but it was Ballinagar who finished off on a high with further scores from Adam Joyce and Ryan Strong with two to bring the full time scores to 2-22 to 0-14 and a place secured against Tullamore in the final.
The Scorers
Ballinagar: Morgan Tynan 1-5 (0-2 Frees), Robbie Gallagher 0-6 (0-1 Free, 0-1 ’45), Jacob Beatty 0-4, Conor Bracken 1-0, Brian Malone 0-2 (TP), Adam Joyce 0-2, Ryan Strong 0-2, Oissinne Troy 0-1.
Tubber: Bernard Allen 0-7 (0-4 Frees), Conor Fox 0-4 (0-2 TP, 0-2 TPF), Ciaran McGuinness 0-2 (TP), Patrick Farrell 0-1.
The Teams
Ballinagar: Ryan Kinahan; Kevin Beirne, Declan Crombie, Oissinne Troy; Jack Gorry (Capt.), Brian Malone, Adam Joyce; Aaron Gorman, Alex Cuddy; Adam Mangan, Morgan Tynan, Jack Sheil; Jacob Beatty, Robbie Gallagher, Jamie Ballesty.
Subs: Adam Strong for Jamie Ballesty (41 mins), Conor Bracken for Jack Sheil (41 mins), Diarmuid Finneran for Kevin Beirne (44 mins), Ryan Strong for Alex Cuddy (50 mins), David McElduff for Adam Mangan (57 mins).
Tubber: James Langan (Capt.); Nigel Farrell, Ciaran Allen, Enda McLoughlin; Hugh Murphy, Seanie Farrell, Patrick Farrell; Lee Colgan, Adam Fox; Eoin Murphy, Conor Fox, Ciaran McGuinness; Bernard Allen, Eddie Kavanagh, Ronan Farrell.
Subs: Ciaran Kinahan for Patrick Farrell (37 mins), David Fallon for Nigel Farrell (37 mins), Ciaran McManus for Eddie Kavanagh (41 mins), Brian Kelly for Lee Colgan (53 mins), Ciaran Murphy for Adam Fox (inj. 58 mins).
Referee: Fergal Smyth (Kilclonfert).
By Offaly Secretary Sat 12th Sep
