The penultimate round of the SFL Division 1 saw Ballymacelligott host Gneeveguilla fighting to avoid relation. And Gneeveguilla fought like tigers from the throw in to the final kick of the ball. This was the difference. It made a difference, They won the game.
From the get off this was a game that was hard to take ones eyes off as it was like two machine guns firing non stop on all cylinders. In the first minute John O’Leary opened the score for Gneeveguilla with a goal and Pa Brosnan added a point shortly after. Gneeveguilla were attacking again when Dan Shea stole the ball and this resulted in a Ballymac point from a free from Aidan Breen. A repeat performance from Dan Shea saw him run the length of the field with a ball passing to Aidan Breen who scored a point and withing two minutes he had scored another. Jack Cremin replied with a goal after a lightening run. The next score was a goal from Darragh Regan for Ballymac.
With fifteen minutes on the clock Ballymac 1-03 Gneeveguilla 2-01.
Another good cut off by Dan Shea lead to a point from Vinnie Horan, Gneeveguilla replied from the boot of Jack Cremin. Gneeveguilla hit the Ballymac crossbar before Padraig Doyle added another point for them. A goal from Donal Daly brought the sides level 2-04 apiece. Three more points from Gneeveguilla, two from Jack Cremin and a free taken by John O’Leary gave Gneeveguilla the lead with 29 minutes played. Dan Shea and Vinnie Horan scored for Ballymac and this left the half time score Ballymac 2-06 Gneeveguilla 2-07.
The second half was well matched and with fifteen minutes gone the game was 2-10 each. Donal Daly then got a point for the home side, Gneeveguilla got a goal disallowed for a square ball. With ten minutes left Gneeveguilla found energy and determination and had scored a goal and two points within five minutes . Just before the final whistle they added a point leaving the final score: Ballymac 2-12 to Gneeveguilla 3-12.
Up until the last ten minutes of this game our team played very well with some great individual displays from Dan Shea and Mike Sweeney in the backs and Darragh Regan, Vinnie Horan and Donal Daly in the forwards. With six of our regular players missing on the night the lads who came on did well and credit to them for the performance against a very determined Gneeveguiila side.
Team: Christy Leen, Michael Sweeney, Dan O’Shea (0-2), Diarmuid Galvin, Josh O’Keeffe, Darragh Sweeney, Adam Kelly, Aidan Breen (0-3), Michéal Reidy, Michael Herlihy, Donal Daly (1-3), Adam Sheehy, Darragh Regan (1-2), Vinnie Horan (0-2) (Captain) and Brian Lonergan.
Substitutes used on the night: Ciaran Brosnan, Conor Brick, Barry Lyons, Skye Lynch, Cian Godley and Andy Rogers.