This article is from page 69 of the 2011-04-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 69 JPG
Ballyea 0-14 – St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-8 at The Éire Óg Grounds, Ennis
ST JOSEPH’S Doora-Barefield saw red on the double during the game when the sendings off of both Niall Hassett and Shane O’Connor and saw it the same colour again after the ball game was over when a flurry of people vented their spleen at referee Kevin Walsh
But it was Ballyea who saw the promised land of a county final for the second time in three years as they withstood a late surge by the men from The Parish to book a final berth against O’Callaghan’s Mills.
Ballyea were the better team, but St Joseph’s weren’t slow in letting it be known that they had their grievances with Kevin Walsh after they received six yellow cards and two red ones over the course of the hour.
Niall Hassett was marched in the 41st minute after a challenge on Ca- thal Doohan, but by that stage the game was already slipping from St Josephs’ grasp as Ballyea cranked up their performance considerably in the early exchanges of the second half.
In the first 20 minutes of the half they restricted St Joseph’s to just two points, while adding seven of their own to move into a commanding 013 to 0-7 by the 50th minute as they closed in on a final berth.
The first half had been an even affair, with points from Niall Deloughery, Ian Lyons and Cathal Duggan helping St Joseph’s into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead inside ten minutes.
However, as in previous games in the campaign Tony Kelly prodigious scoring talents helped Ballyea play their way into the game.
The Clare minor captain landed two frees by the 15th minute and then hit one from play after good work from Paudge McMahon.
Further points from Paul Flanagan and Niall Deasy in response to a booming point from distance by Alan O’Neill helped Ballyea into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead before an injury time effort from Ian Lyons left only the minimum between the sides.
Jarlath Colleran’s equalising point a minute into the second half hinted at a battle to the death, but it was as good as it got for St Joseph’s for much of the half.
Seven points in a row from Ballyea decided this contest – Martin O’Leary, Niall Deasy (2) and Tony Kelly (4) were all on the mark.
A 58th minute goal scrambled to the net by Cathal Duggan after a long free from Alan O’Neill briefly put the game back in the melting pot, but when St Joseph’s had their claims for a 21-yard free ignored a few minutes later, their cause was lost.
Ballyea
Shane Harkin, Cormac Ryan, Jack Browne, Eanna McInerney, James Murphy, Gearóíd O’Connell, David Sheehan, Paul Flanagan (0-1),Tony Kelly (0-9, 6f), Niall Deasy (0-3), James Murphy, Cathal Doohan, Martin O’Leary (0-1), Paudge McMahon, Declan Keane.
Subs
Niall Griffin for Doohan, Eoghan Donnellan for McMahon.
St Joseph’s Doora- Barefield
Michael Rosengrave, Darragh Murphy, Stephen Collins, Killian Griffey, Niall Hassett,Alan O’Neill (01), Eamon Clohessy, Leo Duggan, Jarlath Colleran (0-1), Ian Lyons (0-1), Niall Deloughery (0-1), Aaron Landy, Barry Mullane, Shane O’Connor (0-2, 2f), Cathal Duggan (1-2).
Subs
Stephen Barron for Griffey, Donal O’Halloran for Mullane.
Man of the Match
Tony Kelly (Ballyea)