Ballinacourty Knock Champions Out To Reach First Final in Three Seasons

            Ballinacourty’s involvement in this year’s County Senior Football Final after they knocked 2018 champions out of this year’s competition coupled with Rathgormack beating Stradbally in the first game of a double header semi final programme on Sunday evening at Fraher Field will mean that one or both from Stradbally or The Nire will not be involved in Sunday week’s County Final for the first time since 2007 when Ballinacourty beat Ardmore at the Shandon Road venue.

            This was a game that never reached the same levels of excitement as the opening game. Early on it looked as if the 2018 champions would back in the final and in with a chance of putting back to back titles together for only the second time in their history, the first time coming in 1993 and 1994 when they defeated Dungarvan and Gaultier respectfully at Cappoquin and Walsh Park, but in the end it was some crucial late scores from the eventual winners that secured that they would be returning to the same venue in two weeks time.

            Just as in the first game there was some fine performers for the winning side in particular, the Waterford management team could do a lot worse that to have a closer look with a number of players on the Ballinacourty team.

The performance of corner forward David Looby was particularly impressive. He has taken over free taking duties for his side in recent times and not for the first time this year has looked as having an eye for the posts. He took eight frees that you would give him a good chance of scoring from and took seven of them, an impressive return in any game, and more over when you take into account that some of the chances given to him would be considered from a difficult angle.

Others to have impressed in winning Ballinacourty a first county final appearance in three years over the course of the championship include players like Darragh McGrath, Conor Prunty, Michael Maher, Michael O’Halloran, Neil Montgomery, Sean Whelan Barrett and Mark Ferncombe to name but a few and if all of these were to click together on the one day then you would give not only Ballinacourty a great chance of winning a seventh title since winning their first in 1978 but to go on and have a major say in where the Munster Club Championship might find a home for the coming twelve months, who knows maybe they might even win that first title for a Waterford Club.

Sean Whelan Barrett opened the scoring in this game with a point for Ballinacourty on four minutes which was followed with an effort at the other end from Ciaran Walsh who showed a very unusual style while kicking frees, often starting his run with his back to goal, and a minute later the 2018 County Champions netted the game’s only goal as Dylan Guiry and Conor Gleeson played a one-two before Guiry planted the size five past Stephen Enright in the Ballinacourty goal.

Ballinacourty however wasted no time in getting back into their stride and two pointed frees from David Looby on 7 and 11 minutes meant that his side were only trailing by a single score.

The Nire were dealt a blow on 13 minutes when Craig Guiry was sent to the line after referee Tom Dee issued him with a black card, the first of a number of cards handed out by the John Mitchell’s club man in this game.

David Looby and Michael Maher split the uprights to put Ballinacourty back in front before the hugely impressive David Looby kicked another brace of scores, both from frees to give his side a 0-7 to 1-1 advantage on the score board with 21 minutes played.

Shane and Ciaran Walsh hit back with points for The Nire to leave just one between the sides with five minutes of the half remaining. David Looby and Shane O’Meara swapped scores to keep just one between the sides heading into the break, but points just before the whistle by Neil Montgomery and Mark Ferncombe ensured that Ballinacourty would turn around with an 0-10 to 1-4 advantage showing on the scoreboard over their heads as they headed to the dressing rooms.

David Looby kicked the first score of the second half three minutes after the restart, but they would not score again for another 15 minutes, in which time The Nire would kick four points to draw level.

Shane O’Meara got his first of the evening from a free on 36 minutes before inter county hurler Jamie Barron supporting a very tight hair cut followed up with a point with the games next attack. Shane O’Meara again from a free and Ciaran Walsh with another score from a placed ball had the sides level with ten minutes of the second half played, and the 2018 champions were starting to look like as if they would advance to meet neighbours Rathgormack rekindling some great battles they had in the past.

Neil Montgomery put Ballinacourty back in front on 48 minutes but two minutes later it looked as they might have blown their chances when Keith Guiry was fouled in the box resulting in a penalty but Shane O’Meara saw his effort come crashing off the blue paintwork at the end of the post.

            Neil Montgomery with a brilliant fist passed effort and Darren Guiry swapped scored within a minute of each other with five minutes remaining, but this was as good as it got for last year’s champions.

Late points from Mark Ferncombe, Michael Maher and John Elstead ensured that Ballinacourty would advance from this second semi final to meet Rathgormack in a first county final meeting of the two clubs.

Ballinacourty: Stephen Enright; David Collins, Brian Looby, Darragh McGrath; John Elstead, Richie Foley, Mark Twomey; James Beresford, Conor Prunty; Michael Maher, Mark Ferncombe, Michael O’Halloran; Neil Montgomery, Sean Whelan Barrett, David Looby

Subs: Tom Looby for James Beresford (45), John Hurney for Mark Twomey (45), James O’Mahony for David Looby (61), Shane Briggs for Michael O’Halloran (62)

Scorers: David Looby 0-7 (7f), Neil Montgomery 0-3, Mark Ferncombe, Michael Maher 0-2 each, Sean Whelan Barrett, John Elstead 0-1 each. 

The Nire: Stephen Ryan; Jake Mulcahy, Thomas O’Gorman, Dermot Ryan; Jamie Barron, Tom Barron, Darren Guiry; Craig Guiry, Michael O’Halloran; Ciaran Walsh, Shane Walsh, Shane O’Meara; Dylan Guiry, Conor Gleeson, Shane Ryan.

Subs: Larry Walsh for Michael O’Gorman (54), Conal Mulcahy for Jake Mulcahy (60),

Scorers: Shane O’Meara 0-4 (3f), Ciaran Walsh 0-3 (3f), Dylan Guiry 1-0, Jamie Barron, Darren Guiry 0-1 each. 

Referee: Tom Dee