'Bridge withstand spirited Hughs comeback

Intermediate Football Championship round 2

Butlersbridge 4-10

Ballymachugh 3-10

Eddie Halligan at Killygarry

Butlersbridge withstood a late Ballymachugh fightback to make it two wins from two in the Kyte PowerTech Intermediate championship in this high-octane thriller in the Athletic Grounds, Killygarry on Thursday night last.

With eighteen minutes to go, it seemed to be one-way traffic as Butlersbridge were in the ascendancy at 4-7 to 0-9, but they will be very alarmed in how they conceded three goals in a seven-minute spell as Ballymachugh evidently grew hopeful of pulling off an unlikely upset in the closing stages. However, some excellent and resilient defending was enough for Butlersbridge to see the game out and put one foot in the quarter finals as they continued their quest to reclaim the intermediate crown after winning their maiden title in 2021.

At times, Butlersbridge looked like their brilliant and potent best, especially in attack with the fact of playing two games in four days seemingly doing little to deter them, but if Butlersbridge are to regain the Tommy Gilroy trophy, they will need to make changes in their defensive strategy as they have now conceded five goals in their opening two games.

After two tough opening games to this year’s championship, Ballymachugh find themselves in danger of missing out on the quarter finals, but there was enough evidence here that if the draw was kinder to them, they could pick up wins in their last two games which may spring hope of reaching the last eight for the second year in a row. Devine and Tynan were superb in the first half in particular as Butlersbridge struggled to contain them at times and despite being ten points down in the second half, the ‘Hughs showed tremendous spirit to haul the deficit back to two but ran out of road as Butlersbridge showed the necessary resilience to get them over the line.

Two minutes in from the throw in, Killian Leddy set the tone for what was to come when he latched onto the end of a well worked move involving Caoimhin O Reilly and Liam McEntee to palm home to an empty net to give the Bridge men the dream start. However, any thoughts that Butlersbridge would go on and dominate the game like many would have predicted at that stage, were quickly dispelled as Ballymachugh began to stamp their own authority on the game’s proceedings in the next 20 minutes.

Shane Tynan floated over an excellent score for the ‘Hughs which was then quickly followed up with a Peter Devine score after towering midfielder, Liam Buchanan overturned a mistake in the Bridge defence to leave the scores at 1-0 to 0-2 by the fourth minute. Caoimhin O Reilly briefly replied with a free, but Ballymachugh were showing no fear as points from Devine (2) and Tynan put the ‘Hughs in front by the minimum in the 11th minute.

Tynan and Devine were causing the Butlersbridge full-back line serious problems with their intricate movement and the Bridge men had Cian Sorohan to thank when he denied Tynan with a smart save as Ballymachugh cut open the Butlersbridge defence yet again, which would prove to be one of the key moments of the game.

Keelan Melaniff introduced Luke Allison into the full back line in the 15th minute, but Ballymachugh were now in the ascendancy as they dominated both kickouts with Tynan and Devine points sandwiching a Fionntan O Reilly free to leave the scores at 0-7 to 1-2. This now riveting first half experienced the next game changing moment in the 20th minute when Caoimhin O Reilly latched onto excellent team move involving brother Fionntan and Killian Leddy to smash a thunderbolt to the Ballymachugh net to nudge the Bridge men in front at 2-2 to 0-7. That moment sparked Butlersbridge from their slumber as they began to dominate the rest of the half with a brace of points from Ciaran O Reilly and Caoimhin O Reilly free put Butlersbridge in control at 2-5 to 0-7 at the interval.

From the restart, Peter Devine kicked over two quickfire frees to narrow the gap to two, but Butlersbridge soon stamped their authority on the contest in the 34th minute, when minutes after Patrick McPhillips raised the white flag, Luke Allison swept up the field at pace after a Ballymachugh attack broke down to colly slot home after exchanging a one-two with Fionntan O Reilly to put the Bridge six in front at 3-6 to 0-9. Butlersbridge were sensing blood at this stage and when Caoimhin O Reilly curled over an excellent score in the 40th minute, the same player got onto the end of another flowing move to slot the ball under the advancing Kevin Browne with his weaker foot to leave Bultersbridge in an unassailable position at 4-7 to 0-9.

At this stage, the thought process among the attendance would be along the lines of Butlersbridge managing the game to the finish such their dominance, but to their credit, it was the men in the green and gold who came roaring back to cause some uncomfortable moments for the men in the blue and yellow.

Firstly, Peter Devine rifled home a brilliant individual goal when he danced and weaved around the Butlersbridge defence to smash high to the net and when Fionntan O Reilly and substitute, Padraig Galligan cancelled each other out, Liam Buchanan then slammed home a penalty in the 48th minute after Mark Ferncombe awarded the spot kick after an apparent foot block.

Fionntan O Reilly curled over another score after being well picked out by Patrick McPhillips, but soon after Ballymachugh raised the green flag again when full back, Aaron Briody drove through the heart of the Butlersbridge defence to unleash an unstoppable shot off the underside of the crossbar to put only two points between them at 4-9 to 3-10 with eight minutes left.

After being in cruise control at one stage, Butlersbridge found themselves completely on the back foot as Ballymachugh were now believing that an unlikely comeback was possible. However, Patrick McPhillips came up with an important score in the 52nd minute to keep the Hugh’s at arm’s length to put three between them and despite Ballymachugh’s attempts to level the contest, Butlersbridge held firm, forcing excellent turnovers in the process to put themselves on the cusp of a quarter-final place.

Butlersbridge: Cian Sorohan, Cillian Murphy, Colin Dugdale, Caolan Smith, Davin Graham, Shane Leddy, Kevin McPhillips, Cathal Leddy, Ciaran O Reilly (0-2), Fionntan O Reilly (0-3, 2f), Killian Leddy (1-0), Patrick McPhillips (0-2), Feargal Flannagan, Caoimhin O Reilly (2-3, 2f), Liam McEntee.

Subs: Luke Allison (1-0) for Cillian Murphy; Patrick Flynn for Feargal Flannagan; Fionn Murtagh for Kevin McPhillips; Andrew McConnell for Caolan Smith; Martin Fitzpatrick for Liam McEntee.

Ballymachugh: Kevin Browne, Ben Tierney, Aaron Briody (1-0), Stephen Halton, Kieran Goldrick, Ryan Smith, Gary Murtagh, Liam Buchanan (1-0, 1 pen), Mark Kiernan, Conor Tynan, James Smith, Daniel Sweeney, Partick Goldrick, Peter Devine (1-6, 2f), Shane Tynan (0-3).

Subs: Thomas Kiernan for Daniel Sweeney; Padraig Galligan (0-1) for Patrick Goldrick; Conor Coyle for Conor Tynan.