Blues prove too strong for game Ballymac.
In the end, we proved too strong for a plucky Ballymac side who eventually succumbed to our greater fitness and recent match practice, to gain a second successive town championship final win over the same rivals.
Fielding 12 of the side who started the county semi final vs South Kerry, this was always going to be a tough ask of the recently promoted side and it proved that way from the outset when Padraig Griffin goaled to open the scoring inside the first minute following a good pass from midfielder Tom Hoare. Ballymac were on the score sheet immediately but though we found scores hard to come by, we enjoyed the lions share of possession and two quick points from Gearoid & Jack Savage had us 1-03 to 0-01 in front after 14 minutes. Barry John then added a goal and a point and when Gearoid Savage got on the end of a high ball from Jack to fist over the bar it was 2-04 to 0-01 with 10 minutes to the short whistle. Cian Sayers then got in on the act when coming up from half back to raise a white flag and further points from Cormac Coffey ( 2) and Gearoid Savage again had us out in front at half time, 2-08 to 0-04. Gearoid in particular was too sharp for his opponent and he was involved in all that was good in our first half display.
The second half resumed more or less in the same fashion as the first half ended with successive scores from sub Rory Molloy and a “50” from Ryan Carroll with these scores followed shortly by a Barry John goal,now 3-10 to 0-04. The management then ran the bench and there followed some fine scores the pick of them being a goal and a point from the fleet footed Gearoid Dillane, who certainly impressed on his introduction. Ballymac never gave up however, despite the yawning gap on the score board and their efforts were rewarded with a fine goal towards the finish. The game ended shortly there after on a final score line of 5-18 to 1-07. Danny O’Sullivan gratefully accepted the trophy and thanked the Austin Stacks club for the use of their pitch, Lee Strand for their sponsorship and his own management and players for their efforts during the year. Gearoid Savage was a deserving winner of the Man of the Match award.
Team: Gary Kissane, Danny O’Sullivan , Ross O’Callaghan ( 1-00), Cormac Coffey ( 0-02), Karl Mullins, Shane Brosnan, Cian Sayers (0-01), Tom Hoare, Con Barrett, Ryan Carroll ( 0-03), Jack Savage ( 0-04), Gavin O’Brien, Gearoid Savage ( 0-03), Barry John Keane ( 2-01), Padraig Griffin ( 1-00).
Subs: Rory Molloy ( 0-02), Gearoid Dillane ( 1-01), John Keane ( 0-01), Shane Foley, Kieran Mangan, Gearoid Hartnett.
