Ballyroan withstand second half Sarsfields surge to reach semi-finals
Ballyroan's Roisin Fitzgerald Photo: Denis Byrne
BALLYROAN are through to the last four of the LOETB LGFA SFC after they withstood a second half comeback from Sarsfields to seal their place in the semi-finals.
The winners started superbly and led 2-4 to a single point after 18 minutes. Sarsfields refused to go down without a fight and managed to draw level heading into injury-time, but two frees from the ever-reliable Kate Whelan saw Ballyroan over the line.
It was a horrendous night for football, with rain consistently pouring down from the first minute and never letting up, getting worse on occasion too. It made for a sloppy game with plenty of rucks and misplaced passes, while once the ball hit the ground it often ran away, but Ballyroan won’t mind too much and can now look forward to a semi-final meeting with St Joseph’s.
Ballyroan came flying out of the traps and went five points ahead with just six minutes played. Kate Whelan scored from a free, and Laoise Dunne got a point before Sarsfields gifted Ballyroan their first goal from the kick-out after Dunne’s score. Aileen O’Loughlin’s kick-out went awry and it gave Whelan the easy task of kicking the ball into an empty net.
They almost had a second goal shortly afterwards, but Ciara Hughes managed to get back and claw the ball off the line from a Rachel Fitzgerald effort. Ballyroan went six points ahead after 11 minutes thanks to a fine score from Faye McEvoy.
Sarsfields finally opened their account after 14 minutes through Aoibhe Foyle. Ballyroan weren’t letting up, though, and got their second goal courtesy of Aideen Gee. Kaylah O’Mara pointed immediately afterwards and Ballyroan were in dreamland as they led 2-4 to 0-1 with 18 minutes on the clock.
Sarsfields responded with two points in succession through Amy Ring frees. The half then ended with the sides trading scores, a free from Whelan matched by a score from Meaghan Dunne. Ballyroan led 2-5 to 0-4 at half-time.
Ciara O’Neill was introduced at half-time for Sarsfields and made an immediate impact by raising a green flag to cut Ballyroan’s lead to four points. Whelan kicked a free to get Ballyroan up and running after a Sarsfields breach.
Ballyroan thought they had a third goal shortly afterwards, but referee Eoghan O’Neill disallowed the effort after adjudging that Faye McEvoy had taken too many steps.
A third Ring free was followed by a goal from the same player and suddenly the gap was down to a single point with 15 minutes to play. Whelan scored her first point from play before Grace Fox produced a brilliant save to deny Ring a go-ahead goal.
Ballyroan were then guilty of a breach, allowing Ring to kick over the resulting free and make it a one-point game with 10 minutes left. Whelan pointed another free to push Ballyroan two ahead, but Laura Marie Maher had an answer down the other end.
Whelan’s sixth point of the contest was matched again, this time by Ring. Ballyroan then breached again and Ring tapped it over to level the sides heading into injury time.
However, Whelan was the coolest person on the field as she showed nerves of steel to kick over two late frees and put Ballyroan into the semi-finals.
Sarsfields had one last chance to snatch victory late on as Ciara O’Neill took a free from the 21, but standing in her way were 12 Ballyroan players. O’Neill’s effort was saved before the full-time whistle was blown to send Ballyroan over the line.
Ballyroan: Kate Whelan 1-8 (0-7fs), Aideen Gee 1-0, Faye McEvoy, Laoise Dunne and Kaylah O’Mara 0-1 each.
Sarsfields: Amy Ring 1-6 (0-5fs), Ciara O’Neill 1-0, Laura Marie Maher, Meaghan Dunne and Aoibhe Foyle 0-1 each.
Grace Fox; Emily Mulhall, Clodagh Dunne, Claire Daly; Sarah Delaney, Alannah Brennan, Aine Carter; Andrea Moran, Faye McEvoy; Kaylah O’Mara, Roisin Fitzgerald, Laoise Dunne; Rachel Fitzgerald, Kate Whelan, Aideen Gee.
Subs: Isabelle McWey for Roisin Fitzgerald (50m).
Aileen O’Loughlin; Julie Ann Bennett, Ciara Hughes, Ava Lawlor; Emer Conroy, Sarah Hibbitts, Grainne Lalor; Ellen Conroy, Laura Marie Maher; Rebecca Williams, Amy Ring, Amy McCane; Aoibhe Foyle, Meaghan Dunne, Aerin Ryle.
Subs: Ciara O’Neill for Ryle (ht), Lucy Conroy for Maher (blood, 38-40m), Orlaith McEvoy for Dunne (45m), Lucy Conroy for Ellen Conroy (54m), Maeve McDonald for McCane (59m).
Eoghan O’Neill (St Conleth’s)
