Ballymacarbry 39 Not Out

 

Ballymacarbry Ladies Football Club must go down as one of the greatest sporting sides in any sport anywhere in the world.

On Sunday afternoon last at Fraher Field under the guidance of Michael Ryan, the West Waterford outfit won a thirty-ninth County Senior Ladies Football Club in a row when they proved too strong for Stradbally, who were appearing in their first final in 40 years.

Ballymacarbry’s first title came under the guidance of the afore mentioned Michael Ryan, who without doubt is one of the greatest coaches that this county has ever produced. He will have enjoyed many of Ballymacarbry’s successes down the years in his involvement on the sideline, but this one must certainly be sweet to him as he had his three daughters on the field of play, all playing a vital part in this win.

From the off Ballymacarbry were the better side but great credit must go to their opponents in this one. They caused a major shock in the semi finals when they beat Comeragh Rangers, Ballymacarbry’s greatest rivals in recent years, and in truth the final score does little justice to the effort they put in.

They played against the strong breeze in the opening half and they created a number of chances but time and time again they saw their chances fail to go between the uprights.

The Champions had their first goal on the scoreboard inside two minutes when Stradbally lost possession on their own 45 metre line, Aileen Wall played in Kelly-Anne Hogan who found Eilish Cooney in front of goal on the 14 metre line and she blasted high into the net.

Ballymacarbry looked as if there were going to add a second ten minutes later. A brilliant move out of their own full back line saw Maeve Ryan play an inch perfect pass to Aileen Wall down the stand side of the field as they attacked the country end she spotted Michelle Ryan whose powerful shot was saved by Megan Foran in the Stradbally goal but she could not stop the ball heading towards the goal line, but Roisin Dunphy was alert and she took the ball off the goal line and clear to safety.

On 14 minutes Ballymacarbry had another chance to rattle the net when Brid McMugh who was a thorn in the side of Stradbally all day had her shirt pulled for which referee Paddy Smith awarded a penalty but Michelle Ryan saw her effort saved by Megan Foran.

Leading 1-3 to no score at the water break, Ballymacarbry continued to prove to be the better of the two sides in the second quarter. Points from Sinead Kenefick and her sister gave their side a nine point cushion, and even with the sin binning of their sister Louise who is by no means a rough or dirty player on 22 minutes could not stop the side in blue and white.

On 29 minutes an excellent team move which saw Brid McMugh, Kelly-Anne Hogan, Michelle Ryan and Aileen Wall saw Michelle Ryan finish to the net to give her side a 12 point lead.

But Ballymacarbry were not finished yet in the opening half and in stoppage time another impressive team move saw their half forward line of Aileen Wall, Michelle Ryan and Kelly-Anne Hogan combine for the latter to score from close range to give their side a 3-6 to no score lead at the interval.

Stradbally hit their first score of the game six minutes after the restart when the impressive Hayley Phelan pointed. Aileen Wall, Kelly-Anne Hogan and Sinead Kendrick despite a tug on her shirt as she shoot at goal all landed points putting Ballymacarbry 3-9 to 0-1 in front on 42 minutes.

Haley Phelan pointed for Stradbally on 43 minutes and just before the water break midway through the second half Stradbally had a goal ruled out when an Aisling Mullaney fisted effort for a point dropped into the net instead.

Ballymacarbry’s fourth goal came eight minutes from the hour mark and again was a good team move in from centre field. When the ball came to Lauren Guiry she made no mistake in planting it low and hard into the corner of the net to give her side a 4-9 to 0-3 lead.

Maggie Boylan who won a county Junior Shield title with Portlaw 24 hours before this game and Kelly-Anne Hogan swapped scores before Linda Wall after taking a year out of the game last year to have a baby seconds after she came on added points for their respective sides.

Ballymacarbry won a second penalty on stoppage time. Michelle Ryan was the taker again this time but she saw her effort go wide of the posts. She won’t mind too much however as she was well on her way to collecting a TWENTY-SECOND County Senior Medal.

In the time that remained Eilish Cooney, Niamh Power and newcomer Eimear Quirke scored for their respective sides.

BALLYMACARBRY: Lauren Fitzpatrick; Treasa McGrath, Michelle McGrath, Maeve Ryan; Mairead Wall, Karen McGrath, Brid McMaugh; Michelle Ryan, Kelly-Anne Hogan; Aileen Wall, Louise Ryan, Lauren Mulcahy; Sinead Kenrick, Lauren Guiry, Eilish Cooney.

Subs: Becky Hogan for Louise Ryan (40), Muireann Boyce for Treasa McGrath (54), Aoife Barron for Sinead Kenrick (54), Eimear Quirke for Lauren Guiry (57), Linda Wall for Kelly Anne Hogan (59).

Scorers: Kelly-Anne Hogan 1-2, Sinead Kenrick 0-5 (2fs), Michelle Ryan, Eilish Cooney 1-1 each, Lauren Guiry 1-0, Mairead Wall, Brid McMaugh, Aileen Wall, Linda Wall, Eimear Quirke 0-1 each.

STRADBALLY: Megan Foran; Catriona O’Brien, Roisin Dunphy, Cara Mullaney; Tao Behan, Chloe Fennell, Laura Cusack; Mary Kate Curran, Rebecca Casey; Hayley Phelan, Nicola Fennell, Shiona Dunphy; Ellen Boylan, Niamh Power, Aisling Mullaney.

Subs: Maggie Boylan for Nicola Fennell (40), Aoife Brazil for Shiona Dunphy (40).

Scorers: Hayley Phelan (2fs), Maggie Boylan 0-2 each, Chloe Fennell, Niamh Power 0-1 each.

Referee: Paddy Smith (Shamrocks)