BALLYLANDERS
Kilfinane was the venue for Sunday’s Limerick senior football relegation final between ourselves and Galbally and the large crowd in attendance were treated with plenty of drama. Despite Jimmy Barry Murphy opening the scoring Galbally had settled the better and had their shooting boots on as they went four points to one ahead,another Barry free reduced the margin but Galbally had it out to three again soon after. Then in the 22nd minute Steve Fox was fouled in the square and referee Mike Sexton pointed to the spot, Steve dusted himself down and coolly slotted the ball past the keeper. But there was hardly a minute gone when at the other end a high ball into our goal caused problems and Galbally pounced on the loose ball to fire home a goal of their own. Danny Frewen kicked the next three points of the half to tie the game and just before the break Galbally retook the lead to leave the score at the break 1-05 to 1-06. Just as in the first half Galbally came out of the blocks the fastest hitting three points inside two minutes to stretch the lead out to five before a Ciaran Kelly effort stopped the momentum which was quickly added to by another Barry free. Steve Walsh was introduced to shore up things in the backline and a black card for Galbally gave us more space to pin them back and Jimmy Barry had the game level by the 17th minute at 1-09 a piece. Donal Kelly was giving a man of the match performance at full back and made several brilliant blocks to keep Galbally out which resulted in both teams only adding one more point a piece in the final ten minutes to send us into two 10 minute periods of extra time. This time however it was Ballylanders who looked the more energetic and played the game in the Galbally half of the field, Barry opened the scoring with a free which was followed by a great Eoin O’Mahony effort. Then came the crucial score as Danny Frewen broke free to tare down on goal and finish to the back of the net. Barry kicked his seventh point of the game before Eoin Walsh finished the scoring to leave the score 2-14 to 1-10 at halftime of extra time. Two well taking scores from the hard working Liam Dehenny finished our scoring and it was all hands on deck to stop Galbally from getting in near our goal to see out the game and secure our place at the senior table for what will be our 25th successive season. Huge credit goes to each and everyone of the players who after a turbulent start to the year kept coming to the field in big numbers to train and were unlucky in one or two games this year to only loose by a point. Behind every good team is a good management and in Pat Meade, Tom Fox, Connie McSweeny, Johnny Murphy and Tom Sheehan we certainly couldn’t ask for more committed men for the job. The massive crowd that was in attendance proves what football means to the people of this corner of the county and it was such a pity that it was a team from our division that were our opposition and we hope Galbally can bounce back again next year. Team and scorers; Declan O’Connor, Pa Holian, Pa Shanahan, Donal Kelly, Killian Meade, Shaun Moloney, Tom O’Dywer, Mark O’Connell, Eoin O’Mahony (0-1), Liam Dehenny (0-2), Ciaran Kelly (0-2), Steve Fox (1-0), Jimmy Barry Murphy (0-7), Danny Frewen (1-3), Eoin Walsh (0-1). Subs used, Steve Walsh, Cillien O’Brien, Shane O’Donoghue and Jason Leigh. Thanks also to everyone who supported us throughout the year both on and off the field.