Sensational
start give's Ballyholland platform for win in local derby
Down
Intermediate Championship 1st Round: Ballyholland Harps 3-13 Newry Bosco 0-10
Taken from Newry Democrat Website
TWO goals
in just eighty seconds gave Ballyholland a sensational start and was the ideal
platform for Harps to go on and win this Intermediate Championship local derby
against Newry Bosco. Indeed after Ronan Murtagh and Mark O’Hare had fired home
those early goals, Francie Rooney’s lads were always facing an uphill battle.
True they never fired in the towel and indeed after 17 minutes the Chequer Hill
team narrowed the margin to just two points. But at the end of the day a Ronan
Murtagh inspired Ballyholland had just too much artillery for their Division Three
rivals.
In this somewhat tough, and at times bad-tempered,
affair at Rostrevor, Harps were the better team, played the better football and
took their scoring opportunities best. And in Down man Murtagh along with his
two-goal left corner forward Mark O’Hare, the fiery Eugene Campbell and the rugged
full back Sean O’Hare they had the best players on the park. Though in truth Bosco
had fine players too in centre-half back Mark Rooney, the giant Neil Conlon and
the hard-working Conor Larkin. Just 30 seconds had registered on the clock when
Harps roared in front. Aidan McAteer jumped to a high ball with Bosco keeper Andy
Coleman.
Neither claimed ownership, but after the ball
dropped to the ground, McAteer reacted quickest to set up in the in-rushing Murtagh
who had the simple task to left-foot home. And right from the kick-out Ballyholland
netted again. Ronan Murphy won the break ball and swiftly slipped a pass to the
eel-like Mark O’Hare who in turn flashed down the left flank before finishing
with a thunderous drive into the top corner. Coleman no chance. Game over with
less than a minute and a half on the clock? No.
The Bosco
hit back with a super Neil Conlon long range free. Though Eugene Campbell rubbed
that one out with a fine score at the other end. Still the Bosco kept pressing
and were rewarded with three brilliant scores, all from far out, Raymie Jackson
and Neil Conlon (2) doing the needful.
Though approaching
the break Ballyholland got back on top again with three scores of their own; from
Shane Mulholland, Brendan O’Hare and substitute John Barry. Also Andy Coleman
made two super saves from (firstly) Ronan Murtagh and then from Eugene Campbell.
In between, Marty Jennings had pulled one back for the Bosco. There wasn’t a lot
between the teams at the break but in the second half Ballyholland ran the show.
Mulholland pointed three times, twice from frees with the
irrepressible Murtagh also knocking over three times. Plus Mark O’Hare added a
goal and a point. The goal came on 43 minutes after some great play between John
Barry and Aidan McAteer with O’Hare taking the final pass from McAteer before
cutting in from the left to crash a left-footer low into the corner. Kieran O’Hare
also added a Ballyholland point while all Bosco’s four second-half scores came
from the right boot of Neil Mullen, and all from frees.
Ballyholland
Harps:
Kevin Loughran, Glen Elmore, Sean O’Hare, Paul Duffy, John Patterson,
Ronan Murphy, Colman Smith, James Patterson, Brendan O’Hare, Aidan McAteer, Shane
Mulholland, Eugene Campbell, Kieran Murphy, Ronan Murtagh, Mark O’Hare
Subs:
John Barry and Kieran Hartigan.
Newry Bosco:
Andy Coleman,
Cathal Carlon, Maurice Rooney, Mark Quinn, Mark Rooney, David McAnulty, Neil Tumilty,
Raymond Jackson, Neil Conlon, Neil Mullen, Marty Dougan, Danny Craven, Aidan Larkin,
Marty Jennings and Conor Larkin
Subs: Robbie McLoughlin, Kevin O’Hare, Brian
McElroy and Marty Cunningham
