Ballyroan Abbey come from behind for first win in this year’s league

ACFL Division 1 Rd 4 

Keely Burke 

Ballyroan Abbey 1-19 

Portlaoise 0-19 

BALLYROAN Abbey have their first points in this year’s Laois Shopping Centre ACFL Division 1 after they came from six points down to get the better of Portlaoise in Ballyroan on Saturday evening.

Portlaoise wasted no time in getting the game’s first score as DJ White curled a point over the bar within 20 seconds of referee Colin Bailey throwing-in the ball in Ballyroan. White made it two points for him and Portlaoise when he pointed off with his weaker right foot after three minutes.

Marty Scully got Ballyroan Abbey up and running before Portlaoise hit three more points to take control early on with the wind behind them. Chris Finn, White (free) and Finn Dawson got the points for The Town. Ballyroan Abbey got back within two points of Portlaoise by the 15th minute when Enda McWey and Diarmuid Whelan (two) raised white flags with a point from Mick O’Connell sandwiched in between those Ballyroan Abbey points.

Diarmuid Whelan pointed a free and from play before Ricky Maher split the posts from outside the arc to give Portlaoise a 0-8 to 0-4 lead with 17 minutes played. Davin McEvoy and a third point from Whelan got scores back for Ballyroan Abbey.

Portlaoise kicked on before half-time and scored six points in seven minutes. Mark O’Connor got the first of those with his effort from outside the 40-metre arc warranting an orange flag to be raised. Ricky Maher fisted the ball between the posts, while Ben Brennan opened his account. White was almost in goal shortly after but saw his shot saved by Robert Eyres. A minute later, he scored his second point of the evening off his right boot.

Trailing 0-14 to 0-6 with 29 minutes on the clock, Ballyroan Abbey got the last three points of the half. Conor McWey raised a white flag before Diarmuid Whelan kicked a two-point free and Portlaoise’s lead was down to five at half-time.

Ballyroan Abbey’s Enda McWey got the second half’s scoring up and running, but Portlaoise’s Ricky Maher put their lead back to six points with his second two-pointer of the evening . Whelan replied with the same to keep Ballyroan Abbey in touch. The next 10 minutes didn’t see many scores, but there were a few goal chances for both teams. Enda McWey had the first of those, but saw his effort saved by Conor Brown. Portlaoise had a good chance for a green flag, but O’Connor’s shot was straight at Eyres. Scully looked destined to get a goal for Ballyroan Abbey, but Brown came out to deny Scully. Maher pushed Portlaoise five points clear when he scored a point in the middle of the goal chances. Conor McWey replied for the home side with 15 minutes to play, but Maher fired back with his seventh point of the evening.

Scully, having been denied by Brown no more than five minutes earlier, got in for goal when he popped up at the back post to palm the ball into an empty net after the ball was put across the square. Whelan made it a one point game and suddenly the momentum was in Ballyroan Abbey’s favour.

White got his sixth point for Portlaoise with 10 minutes to play. However, that would be The Town’s final point of the game as Ballyroan Abbey took complete control for the remainder of the contest with five points unanswered.

Ben McDonald got the first of those before Ricky Maher was done for over-carrying and then didn’t hand back the ball, which saw Colin Bailey bring the ball forward 50 metres. Goalkeeper Eyres came up and slotted the free over the black spot for a two-pointer. Whelan kicked two frees late on to give Ballyroan Abbey a much needed win in the division and hand Portlaoise their second defeat in four games.

Portlaoise will play table-toppers Stradbally in two weeks, while Ballyroan Abbey will take on winless St Manman’s.

SCORERS:

Ballyroan Abbey: Diarmuid Whelan 0-10 (1 tpf, 1 tp, 0-3fs), Marty Scully 1-1, Enda McWey, Robert Eyres (1 tpf) and Conor McWey 0-2 each, Davin McEvoy and Ben McDonald 0-1 each.

Portlaoise: Ricky Maher 0-7 (2 tp, 0-1f), DJ White 0-6 (0-3fs), Mark O’Connor (1 tp) 0-2, Mick O’Connell, Chris Finn, Finn Dawson and Ben Brennan 0-1 each.

BALLYROAN ABBEY: Robert Eyres; Colm Walsh, Patrick Whelan, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Conor McWey, Conor Brennan, Conaire Gee; Cathal Doyle, Shaun Murphy; James McWey, Diarmuid Whelan, Davin McEvoy; Mark McDonald, Martin Scully, Enda McWey.

Subs: Brian Whelan for McDonald (ht), Ben McDonald for Murphy (44m), Odhran Delaney for J McWey (55m), Alan McWey for E McWey (58m).

PORTLAOISE: Conor Brown; Gary Whelan, Chris Finn, Conor Raggett; Oisin Fitzpatrick, David Seale, Mick O’Connell; Damon Larkin, Colin McEvoy; Finn Dawson, John Mark Foley, Ben Brennan; DJ White, Mark O’Connor, Ricky Maher.

Subs: Gary Saunders for Seale (38m, inj), Conor O’Callaghan for O’Connor (43m), Ryan Morrin for Dawson (46m), Trevor Swayne for O’Connell (48m), Cathal Duggan for Brennan (51m).

Referee: Colin Bailey (Mountrath)