Liam
Cunningham
IFC: BALLYHOLLAND TOO STRONG FOR GLASDRUMMAN
Glasdrumman 1-7 Ballyholland
2-13
Glasdrumman went into this Intermediate
Championship first round game
at An Riocht with a number of
key players out through injury
and illness but keen to put a
run together in the Championship.
They started well and with points
apiece from Pat Mallon and Connaire
Harrison were two ahead after
only three minutes. Ballyholland
gradually settled into the game
and by the tenth minute were level.
Sean McDowell struck a point for
Glasdrumman two minute slater
to put them back in front but
Ballyholland replied immediately
with a third point to level the
scores again. Ballyholland went
in front for the first time with
a point in the fourteenth minute
and only for a last ditch save
from Ronan McDowell the deficit
would have been more. Glasdrumman
replied within a minute with another
point from Connaire Harrison to
level the scores again. Ballyholland
now began to take control of the
game and between the eighteenth
and twenty eighth minutes scored
four points before Conor Clerkin
and Sean McDowell scored the final
points of the first half for Glasdrumman
to leave the half time score Glasdrumman
0-6 Ballyholland 0-8 and the game
very much still in the balance.
Ballyholland got off to the better
start in the second half and scored
a fortunate goal after a mix up
in the Glasdrumman defence within
two minutes of the restart. With
Glasdrumman now on the back foot
Ballyholland pushed forward and
scored another two points to put
them seven points ahead by the
thirty eighth minute. Despite
the poor start Glasdrumman came
back and on forty minutes Shaun
Brennan coolly set up Connaire
Harrison who crashed the ball
into the Ballyholland net for
a goal to reduce the deficit to
four points. Glasdrumman continued
to put the Ballyholland defence
under pressure but didn't take
any chances that came their way,
and thus allowed Ballyholland
back into the game. Ballyholland
scored another point in the forty
ighth minute followed by a well
worked goal and two further points
to put the game firmly out of
Glasdrumman's reach. Connaire
Harrison completed the scoring
in the final minute to leave the
final score Glasdrumman 1-7 Ballyholland
2-13.
This was a good performance from
a depleted Glasdrumman team, and
but for some missed chances at
crucial times of the game could
have been a lot closer at the
end. The team should take some
heart from this game going into
the final two crucial league clashes
with Ballymartin and Downpatrick.
Good Luck to Ballyholland in the
next round.
Glasdrumman : Ronan McDowell,
Daniel McCartan, Martin O'Neill,
Colm Carr, Art McCartan, Pat Mallon
(0-1), Christopher McDowell, Declan
Grant, Sean McDowell (0-2), James
McDowell, Raymond Clarke, Christopher
Cassidy, Connaire Harrison (1-3),
Shaun Brennan, Conor Clerkin (0-1).
Subs used : Ryan Doran for Christopher
Cassidy, Gary McGreevy for Ryan
Doran
Subs Not Used : Gavin McCracken,
Sean Cunningham, John McAteer,
Sean McVeigh
