Near Neighbours Modeligo and Ballinameela Do Battle for Western Glory

Just as is the case in the east of the county on Friday evening two neighbouring club’s clash in the Western Intermediate Football Championship on Saturday evening at Fraher Field, except this time the two clubs are even closer in proximity as the two parishes are separated by the N72 as it runs in an east-west direction through West Waterford.

When Modeligo and Ballinameela clashed in the group stages of this year’s Intermediate Football Championship back in July Modeligo ran out convincing winners on a 1-15 to 0-9 score line at the Cappoquin venue, a result that no doubt made some sit up and take notice.

Modeligo are a club that have always produced some good footballing sides, but most of these good teams played in the Junior Championships, and when they run out onto Fraher Field on Saturday evening for this final, they will be doing so for the first time at this level.

The same cannot be said of their opponents in this one, for Ballinameela in the last decade have won this championship three times, in 2009, 2012 and again in 2015 when they beat Bunmahon after a replay, and before this they won the competition on three other occasions, 1979, 2003 and 2007 and have appeared in the final a number of other occasions.

They will head into this game as favourites, and head into this game on the back of winning the Junior County Hurling Final recently and therefore will come into this game very fit and with confidence high.

Last weekend Ballinameela they had  two point win over Ballinacourty’s second string side in their semi final and the Modeligo support present to see the game will have gone home believing that they can win a first ever Western Intermediate Football Championship in their maiden appearance in a final at this level.

In that game while Ballinameela were always on top in what was a very low scoring game turning around with a 0-3 to 0-1 lead showing on the scoreboard and looked they would pull away from their opponents in the second half when Mikey Phelan slotted past Kevin Dwane in the Ballinacourty goal.

But they allowed their opponents come back into the game when Aaron Beresford slotted home a penalty seven minutes short of the hour mark, which was followed with a brace of scores from substitute Eoin Kiely to leave just one point between the sides.

But Ballinameela were able to hold off the challenge of Ballinacourty and when Rob Shine kicked a score on the hour mark it sealed their sides passage to this Saturday evening’s final.

Modeligo are through to the final with a few weeks since they got the better of another neighbouring side Sliabh gCua in the first semi final.

That game in the first half proved to be a close encounter as the sides turned around at 1-3 each but in the final quarter Modeligo were able to pull away with Tom Devine’s goal on forty two minutes proving crucial. Since then it was football that Modeligo had all their concentration on while their opponents this weekend had to juggle their attention between the two codes.

This like the Eastern Final twenty four hours earlier could well go right to the wire, where little separates the sides at the end of the sixty allotted minutes.

Ballinameela in this game will be looking to the likes of the Phelan brothers, the Curran brothers, Paudie Prendergast, Liam O’Brien, Conor Buckley and Rob and Michael Shine to see then through in this game, while Modeligo will be looking to the different sets of brothers on their side, the likes of the Devine’s, the McCarthy’s, the Troy’s and the O’Donovan’s as well as goalkeeper Thomas Walsh to pull off big performances if they are to capture a first title at this level.

So who will win? If experience count’s then it has to be Ballinameela, but if hunger that count’s Modeligo looking for a first title will win.

But whether it is hunger or experience that comes to the boil, only one will win. I am sure that in the event that both sides will have agreed to play extra time on the night, especially with the Waterford champions due to play in the Munster Championship on November 11 against either Kilrush Shamrocks from Clare or Kilcummin from Kerry coming up and a county final date also has to be found between now.

Living just over a mile from the Modeligo border and seeing so many of their players come through playing with Naomh Brid, I would love to see them win on Saturday evening, even if Ballinameela would be the fancied teams. Maybe this is an occasion where you allow the heart to overrule the head.