Credit Union Senior League 2023: Division 1
Ballymac 1-05 V Killarney Legion 1-14
A bright, crisp St Patrick’s day ensured a good crowd in Ballymac on Friday to watch the home side welcome Killarney Legion to the first County League game of the season. Killarney Legion’s forwards, led by James O’Donoghue were lethal in getting the scores and as the game progressed Ballymac defense settled and came in to game. The luck was not with Ballymac who had three goal chances including Vinnie Horan and Darragh Regan’s shots hitting the crossbar .
Prior to the match a minutes silence was observed for Mossie Crowe who passed away this week. Mossie played with the club and was a great supporter of our teams and our club down through the years.
Ballymac with two League starters in Niall Collins and and Diarmuid Galvin as well as Christy Leen making his start in goals after converting from an outfield player this year.
Favorites Killarney Legion had a blistering start to the game as they raced to a 0-5 to 0-0 lead by the first fifteen minutes. Ballymac worked hard to haul them back for the remainder of the game.
From the second quarter on our backs came well into the game and did well in suppressing the endless assaults from the Killarney forwards. With three minutes to Half time Legion scored a goal to add to their 11 points.
Half Time score: Ballymac 0-1 Killarney Legion 1-11
Our lads put the head down and worked hard Legion scored one point and then Ballymac got a point, from Michael Herlihy. Shortly afterwards Ballymac were awarded a penalty after a foot block in the square and Aidan Breen made no mistake and rattled the back of the net. Aidan Breen scored from a free on Donal Daly and the game was 1-03 to 1-12 going into the last quarter.
The Legion forwards despite James O’Donoghue going off at half time were once again on the attack going into the last fifteen minutes. Aidan Breen for Ballymac,the colossus that he is, lead by example and kept pushing forward and making inroads into the oppositions back line. Despite losing Donal Daly to a red card in the last 13 minutes Ballymac worked hard and never gave up. Aidan Breen set up a point taking well by Daire Keane. Darragh Regan had two shots hit the crossbar and bounce back out. Legion scored two more points before Michéal Reidy got our last point.
Final Score: Ballymac 1-05 to Killarney Legion 1-14.
We send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to our players who suffered injuries in our last challenge game: Daniel O’Shea and Cian Godley. We thank everyone for their support and for supporting our lotto sellers who gave St Patricks Day a very festive look. If there was one disappointment in the day – was that their was no Killarney Legion team on the team sheet. It would have been nice to have had it especially for all the kids who look upon their County panelists and former players as heroes.
Ballymac Team and Scorers: Christy Leen, David Long, Darragh Sweeney, Diarmuid Galvin, Cian Counihan, Michéal Reidy (0-1), Dylan Dunne Moriarty, Cathal Dunne, Michael Herlihy (0-01), Daire Keane (0-01) Vinny Horan (0-01) Niall Collins, Donal Daly, Aidan Breen (1-1) and Josh O’Keeffe.
Substitutes Used: Darragh Regan, Adam Sheehy, Sean Rice, and Barry Lyons.
