Butlersbridge make history after enthralling final

IFC final

Butlersbridge 1-12

Ballyhaise 0-14

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Butlersbridge claimed the Intermediate Championship title for the first time in the club’s history with a one-point win over Ballyhaise in an excellent final this afternoon.

The champions did it the hard way, too, beating three of the best sides in the grade in Bailieborough, Cuchulainns and Ballyhaise and they got the job done here in an entertaining final which was in the balance right to the end.

Butlersbridge were four points up at the first water break. A year ago, they found themselves in a similar position when they held a 0-8 to 0-4 advantage over Ballinagh in this final but the experience clearly stood to them; while they were overhauled on this occasion, they kept in touch and never panicked in the face of sustained Ballyhaise pressure late on, crucially bagging the match-winning goal early in the second half.

Playing lovely football, moving the ball at pace with the foot, the 'Bridge poured forward in that opening quarter, which was played at a high tempo.

Ballyhaise got off to a great start when the throw-in broke to David Brady, who stormed through the middle and curled over a rousing opening score with 15 seconds on the stopwatch.

But within a minute and a half, the Bridge had levelled when Peter Conaty slotted over a sublime 40-metre free off the ground from the right wing.

In the fourth minute, Daragh McCarthy’s side hit the front when captain Caoimhín O’Reilly found a yard of space and hooked over with the left.

After a misplaced pass in the Ballyhaise defence, playmaker John Fitzpatrick pointed with the left and they added another when Andy McConnell created an opening and Killian Leddy split the posts on the run from a tight angle with seven minutes played.

The 'Bridge carved out the first goal chance of the contest when Fitzpatrick and Fionntán O’Reilly linked up to play Kevin McPhilips in but Ballyhaise goalkeeper Niall Costello did well to keep it out.

Within seconds, Ballyhaise had a chance at the other end but Kevin Tierney, who had an outstanding match, saw his shot fly inches wide of the top corner.

A 44-metre free from Caoimhín O’Reilly made it 0-5 to 0-1 on 14 minutes but Ballyhaise got going and would out-score their opponents by 0-6 to 0-2 in the run-in to half-time.

Sean McCormack kicked a quality score after David Brady did well in the half-back line and although Fionntán O’Reilly knocked over a free just before the water break, Ballyhaise dominated the second quarter.

After a good break from Michael Brady, Eoin Clarke sent over a fantastic strike from the wing and the gap was cut to two when Stephen Smith registered from a free following a foul on David Brady.

From the resulting kick-out, Conor Lyons fielded and Kevin Tierney split the posts with another spectacular effort. Tierney landed the next, too, holding off Colin Dugdale for another high-quality point which tied the game.

Man of the Match Fionntán O’Reilly booted over a terrific point after John Fitzpatrick fielded but Ballyhaise reeled off two more before the short whistle, a belter from Clarke and a well-taken score on the turn by Tierney to make it 0-8 to 0-7 at the interval.

Ballyhaise extended their lead on the restart with a long-range Stephen Smith free but the crucial score of the contest arrived with four second-half minutes played.

When a Peter Conaty effort dropped short, Killian Leddy did well to keep the ball in play and fed Cathal Leddy, who took it at full pelt and fired a textbook finish to the bottom corner of the net.

Ballyhaise levelled with a free from Smith but in Fionntán O’Reilly, the Bridge had their own reliable placekicker and he strokes over a difficult free to nudge his team back in front with nine second-half minutes played.

The 19-year-old added another after a mistake by Ballyhaise and when Feargal Flanagan arrived late to loop one over from the edge of the D, Butlersbridge were ahead by 1-10 to 0-10.

Ballyhaise responded well, Brían O’Rourke fielding and David Brady finding Tierney for another from play and O’Rourke then turned finisher after a nice move to make it a one-point game.

With 11 minutes remaining, it was stalemate again when David Brady fielded and Tierney knocked over another.

The final stages were tense, with six minutes of injury time announced. Flanagan ran at the Ballyhaise defence and won a free which Fionntán O’Reilly converted. The teenager repeated the trick as the match entered injury time with another exquisite strike but Ballyhaise kept coming and Tierney landed a 40-metre free to leave the minimum between them.

In the dying seconds, the Ballyhaise marksman could have had a free but ref Barry McMenamin thought otherwise and Butlersbridge held on to make history after an enthralling battle.

Ballyhaise: Niall Costello, Adam Heaslip, Darren Reilly, Marcus Duffy, Aodhagán Watters, Eoin Clarke (0-2), Aaron Watson, Conor Lyons, Michael Brady, Brían O’Rourke (0-1), Sean McCormack (0-1), Martin Conaty, Kevin Tierney (0-6, 5f), David Brady (0-1), Stephen Smith (0-3f)

Subs: Jamie Smith for S Smith, Jarlaith Brady for C Lyons (both 43 mins), Colin McKiernan for E Clarke (45), Shane McKiernan for M Brady (51), E Clarke for C McKiernan (inj., 55)

Butlersbridge: Michael Sheridan, Andrew McConnell, Colin Dugdale, Diarmuid McCorry, Feargal Flanagan (0-1), Patrick Flynn, Cathal Leddy (1-0), Peter Conaty (0-1f), Ciaran O’Reilly, Kevin McPhilips, Fionntán O’Reilly (0-6, 5f), Killian Leddy (0-1), John Fitzpatrick (0-1), Caoimhín O’Reilly (0-2, 1f), Patrick McPhilips

Subs: Shane O’Rourke for Fitzpatrick (temp, 23 mins, reversed 25), O’Rourke for P McPhilips (47), Shane Leddy for K Leddy (52), Ciaran Greenan for Dugdale (55), Finbar Conaty for P Conaty (58)

Ref: Barry McMenamin