JHC SEMI
FINAL – WARRENPOINT
V BALLELA
Ballela and Warrenpoint met
at an expectant Pairc Esler
on Tuesday Night to see who
would advance to the final
and meet Clonduff in the well
contested JHC.
Warrenpoint showed with a
massive squad of players and
management as Ballela continued
with the squad of 19 players,
which had served them well
so far in the championship.
This was a game between the
leading side in division 2
and a young Ballela side who
are holding their own in division
1 this season.
The match started at a frantic
pace with the emphasis on
ground hurling as Ballela
were finding their men. This
was evident as Danny Doran
stroked over the opening point
of the match as the sliotar
sailed over the bar. The half
forwards were Warrenpoint’s
main threat but the Ballela
backs were having none of
it as they coped admirably,
with the ‘point men
conceding a lot of free’s.
Ballela were having a lot
of the play as they had an
extra full back as Warrenpoint
deployed their usual tactic
of dropping a forward back
in between the half backs
and midfield. This was to
be seen as a frustrating tactic
as Ballela would find out
the longer the match went
on.
As the match entered the 5th
minute, Warrenpoint equalised
and this trend continued for
the rest of the first half
with Ballela scores coming
from Johnny Mc Cusker (0-5)
and Mal Magee (0-1) adding
a point before the half time
interval to leave Ballela
leading by a point. This was
despite the fact that Ballela
missed an incredible 6 frees
from score able positions,
a trend which will have to
stop if they are to lift the
Championship.
Ballela started the 2nd half
with a point from Johnny Mc
Cusker as they extended their
lead to 2 points but once
again Warrenpoint hit back
with a questionable point
from a free. Despite this
Ballela kept on bombing forward
with Johnny adding a few more
points before Eugene gained
a bit of space and volleyed
the sliotar over the bar.
Warrenpoint hit back again
with a goal from a long ball
which deceived Gary in goals
with the sun in his eyes.
The contest was now even as
Ballela had 0-11 and Warrenpoint
1-08. The lively wirehead
decided to get in on the act
as he gained a loose ball
and despatched it expertly
over the bar. Warrenpoint
would not be beaten despite
having a man sent off for
2 yellow cards they levelled
the game again.
After a period of domination
in which Ballela managed to
miss 4 consecutive frees,
Johnny Mc Cusker and Eugene
added a point apiece as Ballela
extended their lead to 2 points
with the match entering the
last minute.
A long hopeful ball
up field saw the Warrenpoint
forward wrestle free and somehow
the sliotar trickled over
the line as the Ballela heads
dropped. As a Warrenpoint
player received attention
for a few minutes this left
Ballela with a chance to get
themselves together and salvage
their season.
Ballela knew that they
had to score as the referee
signalled 3 minutes injury
time.
Paddy Mc Polin took
matters into his own hands
and called for a short puck
out, he then passed it into
the forward line were Joe
Cosgrave skilfully doubled
on the sliotar and sent it
between the sticks for a point.
This wakened the Ballela support
and the rest of the team;
they could sense that if they
could win the sliotar from
the puck out they could win
the match.
The puck out dropped
around midfield as Danny Doran
spread the play to the corner;
Mick Doyle gathered the ball
and hand passed to Johnny
who sent the sliotar over
the bar for what proved to
be the decisive and winning
point.
From the Warrenpoint
puck out, the referee blew
the whistle and Ballela were
through to another championship
final.
The Ballela team had
fought hard and fair throughout
the championship to get to
this stage and their determination
and fitness won them through
to the final.
Gary Mc Mullan has
performed heroics in goal
and uses his long puck out
well; Paddy Mc Polin, Noel
Burns and Stevie Mc Cusker
have been outstanding in full
back. The youthful half back
line has performed well with
many of the half forwards
going home scoreless throughout
the season as Niall Burns,
Donal Mc Cann and Mal Magee
have generally came out on
top in their battles this
season with Mal being a thorn
in the oppositions side with
his brilliant up field runs.
Joe Cosgrave (0-1) and Johnny
Mc Cusker (0-10) have everything
between them as Johnny takes
the scores as Joe helps the
defence out.
Noel Burns (jun) has
been a revelation this season
as he has took the brunt of
poor challenges week in week
out but has let his Hurley
do the talking with crucial
scores at crucial times throughout
the season. Danny Doran (0-1)
and Wirehead (0-1) were the
other half forwards and coped
admirably with the more physical
players so far with both players
getting on the score sheet
in Pairc Esler. Ryan Haughey
and Ronan Mc Conville won
a lot of possession but could
not turn it into scores with
Eugene Magee registering 0-2.
Mick Doyle, Dan Downey, Andy
Mc Givern and Niall Mc Aleenan
have all played and indeed
started games in the run up
to the championship final
and with 3 weeks intense training
left it is up to the players
to prove to the management
that they deserve to start
in the final. No one is guaranteed
of their starting place and
training will determine the
team that starts on the 14th
September against Clonduff.
Gary Mc Mullan: Noel Burns
(sen), Paddy Mc Polin, Stevie
Mc Cusker: Mal Magee (0-1),
Donal Mc Cann, Niall Burns:
Joe Cosgrave (0-1), Johnny
Mc Cusker (0-10): Noel Burns,
Danny Doran (0-1), M. Cosgrave
(0-1), Ryan Haughey, Eugene
Magee (0-2), Ronan Mc Conville.
This Ballela team, as many
will notice is youthful, and
if it can add a few more players
to the panel next season it
could be a successful period
for Ballela hurling.
