Strong start helps Ballyhaise ease through to IFC decider

IFC semi-final

Ballyhaise 0-17

Killeshandra 1-7

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Ballyhaise qualified for their third Intermediate Championship final in seven seasons as they eased past Killeshandra in this semi-final which failed to ignite on Sunday evening.

The Annalee Park men survived a bit of a scare when the Leaguers struck for 1-3 unanswered midway through the second half but they had done the hard work in building a nine-point cushion and they weathered the storm, tacking on a couple of late points to get home with seven to spare.

At the halfway point, Ballyhaise, without ever really over-extending themselves, had chiselled out a handy 0-9 to 0-2 lead and when they added the first two points of the second half, the match was over as a contest.

Ballyhaise came into this match as favourites, having answered every question posed of them in the competition thus far while racking up some impressive tallies but the Leaguers were very much here on merit after bouncing back from an opening round loss to Arva to string together four consecutive victories.

However, Mark Monaghan’s men failed to raise a gallop until it was too late and will look back on this one with regret as they looked capable of at least troubling Ballyhaise when they did find their groove belatedly, although it is questionable whether they would have the fitness or the manpower on the bench to actually win it.

Veteran attacker Stephen Smith had a fine game for the winners, with David Brady also impressive along with corner-back Marcus Duffy in what was a solid all-round performance.

Smith got Ballyhaise off the mark with two early frees before Eoin Brady responded with a mark but Ballyhaise would go on to dominate the 40 minutes or so that followed, controlling the middle third and superior on kick-outs in particular.

A lovely pass from Shane McKiernan was finished by Kevin Tierney and a converted mark from Smith made it 0-4 to 0-1 at the water break, with the crowd unusually quiet as the game failed to spark into life.

Ballyhaise won the second quarter by 0-5 to 0-1. Tierney intercepted a Killeshandra kick-out and bore down on goal, finishing with a point after his shot clipped the crossbar on the way over. A great strike from Sean McCormack and two frees from Smith, one an excellent effort off the left, made it 0-8 to 0-1 on 23 minutes and when Michael Brady raised another white flag after a dash out of defence by Aaron Watson, the game seemed dead and buried.

A huge free from Shane O’Reilly from the left corner just before half-time gave the Leaguers a glimmer of hope at the interval but this seemed to be extinguished on the resumption when Niall Costello saved superbly from Conor O’Reilly and, at the other end, Smith pointed twice, one a free and the other a great strike from play.

The performance, to this point, was most unlike this Killeshandra side who are renowned for their battling quality and they came to the fore in the middle part of the second half, with Paddy King and Darragh Tighe having come on at the break.

Cillian O’Reilly drove out of defence and won a free which Shane O’Reilly despatched and the goal they had been seeking arrived when, after Tomás O’Reilly’s soccer-style effort hit the post, Shane O’Reilly slid in to bundle home from close range.

The Leaguers now had momentum and when defender Ryan Brady curled over a left-footed 45, it was a four-point game at the second water break.

After a trademark run from Tomás O’Reilly, namesake Shane converted a tricky free to leave three between the teams but Ballyhaise found their stride again. A classy Martin Conaty point off the outside of the boot settled their nerves and when Tierney intercepted the resulting kick-out and found Smith, it was 0-13 to 1-5.

After another foul on Cillian O’Reilly, Shane O’Reilly again did the honours but Ballyhaise had Killeshandra’s measure again at this stage and good work by David Brady saw Conaty knock over another.

Brady then fisted over a point after a one-two with Tierney as Ballyhaise looked to finish strongly. O’Reilly nailed another free but after a great move, sub Jamie Smith poached one for Ballyhaise and the scoring was completed with the best strike of the weekend as David Brady split the posts with the outside of the boot from the end-line to leave seven between the sides at the final whistle.

Ballyhaise: Niall Costello, Darren Reilly, Marcus Duffy, Aodhagán Watters, Eoin Clarke, Aaron Watson, Conor Lyons, Michael Brady (0-1), Shane McKiernan, Sean McCormack (0-1), Martin Conaty (0-2), Kevin Tierney (0-2), David Brady (0-2), Stephen Smith (0-8, 5f, 1m)

Subs: Brían O’Rourke for M Duffy (42), Jarlaith Brady for Watson (temp, 42, reversed 46), Jarlaith Brady for Lyons (49), Jamie Smith (0-1) for S McKiernan (53), Patrick Teevan for Clarke (60)

Killeshandra: Joe Masterson, Ryan Brady (0-1, 45), Finbar Rudden, James Dinneny, Aaron Brady, Cillian O’Reilly, Sean McKiernan, Conor O’Reilly, Tomás O’Reilly, Darren O’Hanlon, Damien Higgins, Shane O’Reilly (1-5, 5f), Eoin Brady (0-1m), Daniel Luby, Darragh O’Reilly

Subs: Darragh Tighe for Dinneny, Patrick King for D O’Reilly (both 30 mins), Conor McGearty for O’Hanlon (39), Cein Sweeney for F Rudden (48), Ryan Bennett for Cillian O’Reilly (60)

Ref: Stephen McKiernan