Ballinlough 3-01-12 (23) St. Marys 1-04-03 (14)

Ballinlough who won the toss and elected to play with a stiff breeze at their backs for the opening thirty minutes of football.

Some early efforts were sent wide of the posts for the men in red before Daire Shine finally opened the scoring with a pointed free. 

St. Marys levelled the sides with a point from play in the fourth minute, but Ballinlough should have been ahead again when a well worked team move saw Tom Shine one on one with the keeper with the St. Marys net-minder pulling off a fine save to deny Shine the game's opening goal.

From the rebound Seanie Geraghty did well to gather possession and tip the ball over the bar.

He might have had a glorious opportunity a few minutes ago but Tom Shine can be glad of a fortunate mis-kick in the 11th minute as he failed to connect properly with his point effort, and despite the strong wind, the ball dropped short and into the back of the net, in truth the St. Mary's goalkeeper probably should have been able to keep it out, but the ball landed between his body and the post and into the net to give Ballinlough a three-point lead.

Unfortunately for Shine that score was to be his last involvement in the game as he was soon withdrawn from the field with an injury, with Kit Óg Lynch sprung from the bench in his place.

But the side called the “Home Team” on the scoreboard pushed on with Daire Shine fisting over in the 13th minute and further points from Darren O’Higgins, Kit Óg Lynch, Daire Shine, and a particularly lovely score from Harry Ryan after Ferghal Gibney gathered possession expertly in the middle of the field, left Ballinlough leading by nine points in the 17th minute.

St. Marys were struggling to get on any significant ball in this opening half, but they did add a second point in the 19th minute.

Ballinlough in contrast had no such issues and added more points from play for Kit Óg Lynch and frees for Harry Ryan and Daire Shine to extend their lead once more.

The final two minutes of the half belonged to Daire Shine as Darren O’Higgins caught a clean ball in midfield before going on one of his customary marauding runs before feeding Daire Shine and he made no mistake burying the ball in the net in the 28th minute.

That score was good but Shines next score was simply outstanding as he collected possession and sent over a monster two pointer from play in the 30th minute to roars of approval from the Ballinlough Faithful.

So when Referee Robert Lynch blew the half time whistle Ballinlough led by sixteen on a scoreline of 2-12 to St.Marys 0-02.

With the wind blowing the way it was we knew this could very much be a game of two halves and thus proved the case as St.Marys set about immediately reducing the deficit on the scoreboard, a goal right from the throw in was quickly followed up with a super two point free in the 33rd minute to make the gap a more manageable eleven points.

Daire Shine settled Ballinlough into the second half with a point in the 35th minute before Kit Óg Lynch had a goal chance denied but he was tenacious enough to keep battling and was rewarded with a punched point going over the bar in the 40th minute.

To their credit St.Marys were playing much better football in the second half and added a point in the 41st minute, before an excellent two-point free, a lack of discipline from Darren O’Higgins who got done for over-carrying but decided to argue his case with the Referee having none of it and bringing the ball up 50metres… he’ll zip the lip the next day will Darren !!

Despite there still being ten points between the sides entering the final fifteen minutes it felt a lot closer than that as St.Marys kept pushing and put Ballinlough under severe pressure when on the ball but some of that pressure was relieved when Brandon Brunton bore down on goal before been felled in the 46th minute and Referee Robert Lynch pointed to the spot and awarded the penalty.

Up stepped Daire Shine who had rarely put a foot wrong all evening and while his penalty was well struck, it rattled off the lower post but luckily for Daire it bounced back into his path and I’m not sure why he felt the need to collect the ball rather than just kick it, but it mattered not as he rifled it to the net for the second time of the afternoon to boost Ballinlough once more.

St. Marys had their corner forward Andy Brien to thank for the majority of their big scores as his two-point kicking skills were more than evident and he added two in quick succession between the 50th and 54th minute to reduce the deficit to nine points.

Despite St. Marys having more of the ball, Ballinlough defended resolutely and kept things at bay long enough to deny St. Marys any goal chances or further two-point efforts, and so when Referee Robert Lynch blew the full-time whistle Ballinlough took victory on a scoreline of 3-14 to St. Marys 1-11.

That result gets us up and running in Championship 2026 and we would like to give a special mention to Dan O’Brien and Luke Harte who made their adult Championship debuts this afternoon, while Mick Geraghty also got back on a Championship field after taking a few years break, well done boys.  

Ballinlough: Alan Gibney, Conor Fleming, Robbie Farrell, Conor Rennicks, Ferghal Gibney, Oisin McDermott, Sean Geraghty(0-01), Mark McCullen, Eoin Briody, Jack Connell, Daire Shine(2-07(one 2pt, 1f)), Darren O’Higgins(0-01), Harry Ryan(0-02(1f)), Tom Shine(1-00), Brandon Brunton

Subs: Kit Óg Lynch (0-03) for T.Shine 13’, Luke Harte for J.Connell 46’, Dan O’Brien for D.Shine 48’, Charlie Lynch for E.Briody 53’

Mick Geraghty for D.O’Higgins 62’

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