SAHC: Bride Rovers snatch a late draw against battling Ballyhea
Cian O'Connor, Bride Rovers, wrestles with Adam Barrett, Ballyhea, in the SAHC at Kildorrery. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Bride Rovers 1-17 Ballyhea 2-14
BRDIE Rovers and Ballyhea played out an entertaining draw in this Co-Op Superstores SAHC contest in Kildorrery on Sunday afternoon.
This was a captivating contest that made for enthralling viewing from the outset. There were twists and turns aplenty. Bride Rovers commenced like a steam train, then Ballyhea rallied to go in front.
The final outcome was still on a knife edge heading into the second-half stoppage time until Bride struck for a late point from Adam Walsh to ensure the sides ultimately could not be separated.
What this result means is that things are still very much all to play for in the final round of group stage matches in three weeks.
Bride got off the mark through two lovely points by Adam Walsh before Cillian Tobin buried the ball to the back of the net after a wonderful catch.
Ballyhea were reduced to 14 men after a sending-off for an off-the-ball incident for Gavin Morrissey on eight minutes, but it actually fired the up in the opening half.
Pa O’Callaghan responded by scoring a well-taken free and then the former Cork underage star then found the back of the net when he applied a clinical finish from close range.
Things got even better for Ballyhea when they struck for a second goal in the 15th minute. It was that man O’Callaghan, who produced an outstanding individual performance, who buried the ball high to the corner of the net, to make it 2-5 to Bride Rovers' 1-3.
Bride knew they needed to muster a reaction before the interval. William Finnegan was proving a reliable scoring weapon through his well-taken frees.
While Cillian Tobin pointed on the half-hour mark for Bride after fine work from Brian Roche in the build-up. Ballyhea held the four-point lead at the halftime break, with late points coming through O’Callaghan and Jack Morrissey.
Bride Rovers responded in determined fashion early in the second half.
Paddy O’Flynn got a monster of a point from long range, with Kieran Kearney and Cian O’Connor also scoring from distance. Ballyhea were ensuring they maintained their advantage with further scores from O’Callaghan.
Maurice O’Sullivan got a lovely point for Ballyhea midway through the second half.
Heading into the closing stages, Bride were in trouble but a couple of late Walsh frees rescued a draw.
A Walsh 0-7 (0-4 f), C Tobin 1-2, W Finnegan 0-5 f, C O’Connor, K Kearney, P O’Flynn 0-1 each.
P O’Callaghan 2-10 (0-9 f), M O’Sullivan 0-2, D Curtin, J Morrissey 0-1 each.
C Hogan; T O’Sullivan, S Walsh, J Mannix; P O’Flynn, E Roche, S O’Connor; K Kearney, C O’Connor; W Finnegan, R O’Connell, A Walsh; C Tobin, J Ahern, B Roche.
M Collins for Mannix (42), C Ryan for Finnegan (53).
M Browne; A Barrett, M Morrissey, L Hanley; C Cox, Tom Hanley, Tiernan Hanley; J Copps, M O’Sullivan; John Morrissey, P O’Callaghan, G Morrissey; Jack Morrissey, E O’Leary, D Curtin.
A Buckley for O’Connor (60).
Nathan Wall(Carrigaline).
App?
