Kerry Petroleum Junior Premier Club Championship:
Semi Final
@ Austin Stack Park, Tralee
Ardfert 1-10 Ballymacelligott 2-12
Ballymacelligott senior team secured a place in the Junior Premier Club Championship on Saturday night in Austin Stack Park. The sun shone on a balmy evening. Perfect conditions for football and it was an added bonus for the Ballymac team to hear the fantastic vocal support from their loyal supporters.
Ballymac were cruising with a 1-04 to 0-1 lead after fifteen minutes. Aidan Breen opened the scoring with a pointed free, followed by a point from Ardfert. A point from Daire Keane and a goal from Donal Daly and Ballymac looked comfortable.
However, this comfort did not last long when Ardfert scored a goal from Colin Walsh. Two points followed for Ballymac from Niall Collins and Aidan Breen. Ardfert were not relenting and kept the pressure up.
Christy Leen in the Ballymac goal put a goal-bound ball over the bar and three more points followed from Ardfert. The score now was 1-5 to Ardfert and 1-06 to Ballymac. Four minutes of additional time allowed Ballymac to score a point from Niall Collins just before the whistle blew.
Half Time score: Ardfert 1-05 to Ballymac 1-07.
The second half saw both teams fighting for every ball. Donal Daly and Niall Collins scored a point each from play and Ardfert score two points one from a free and one for play. In the 10th minute, Daire Keane scored a point and within a minute, once again he was right in front of the goal. He was fouled. Aidan Breen made no mistake when he goaled from the penalty spot. It was now Ardfert 1-07 to Ballymac 2-10.
Ardfert were down to 14. Much to the chagrin of the Ballymac supporters the team had five wides in the next ten minutes. Ardfert capitalised on this and scored three points, a free from Bobby O’Regan, and two from play for Jordan Brick and Eoghan McElligott.
With 56 minutes on the clock, Aidan Breen scored a point. That was followed by a point from Ballymac’s industrious, Adam Sheehy .
It was not over yet Ardfert had one last spark that Dan Shea intercepted and the whistle blew.
Final Score:
It is great to be in a Club Championship Final. The first time since 2002 for the club to get to a County Club Final and that twenty one years demonstrates what an achievement it is for the Club, the Squad, and the Management team.
Thanks to all our supporters & Sponsors for all your support today and for many years.
Team and Scorers: Christy Leen, Tomás O’Connor, Dan O’Shea, Josh O’Keeffe, Cian Counihan, Tadhg Brick, Darragh Sweeney,Aidan Breen (1 pen- 3f), Micheal Reidy (0-1) Niall Collins (0-4,) Daire Keane (0-2,) Adam Sheehy (0-1) Donal Daly (1-1) Vinny Horan, Brian Lonergan.
Subs used: Dara Broderick, Padráig McCarthy, Michael Sweeney and Dara Regan.
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