Disappointment for Buttevant against Ballymacelligott in Munster Junior Football final
Buttevant's Conor Hanlon is tackled by Ballymacelligott's Eoin Moriarty during the AIB Munster club JFC final at Mallow. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Disappointment for Buttevant with second-half goals key as Ballymacelligott were crowned AIB Munster Club Junior Football champions at Mallow on Saturday.
The Kerry side were deserving winners as once they took the lead against the wind, they never looked like losing, despite the best efforts of Buttevant.
The game was just 20 seconds old when Buttevant scored their first two-pointer, with Mark Lenahan raising the orange flag. The strong wind was at the backs of the Cork side, and they made it count again in the third minute when David Hanlon scored their second two-pointer, this time, from a free.
It took nine minutes for Ballymacelligott to get off the mark, with Aidan Breen scoring from a free to make it 0-4 to 0-1. They got their second two minutes later when Micheál Reidy split the posts as Ballymacelligott started to settle.
Buttevant’s lead was soon down to one with Breen pointing another free, to make it 0-4 to 0-3, with 15 minutes played. The sides were level when Darragh Broderick scored as the Kerry side were now dominating possession.
They took the lead for the first time after 23 minutes when Donal Daly goaled. A defensive mistake by Buttevant let him in and he gave Ronan Donovan no chance of saving it.
Despite their good start, Buttevant’s next score came after 28 minutes when Seamus Madigan got their fifth point to reduce the gap. Conor Hanlon got their sixth, before a Lenahan free dropped just short with the last kick of the first half to see them trail by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break.
Buttevant’s first chance to equalise came after 34 minutes but with the wind against him, Michael O’Neill’s effort dropped just short. Ballymacelligott worked the ball up the pitch to see Jack Joy increase their lead to two again.
It then took a great save from Ballymacelligott keeper, Christy Leen, to deny Buttevant a goal. David Hanlon and Conor Hanlon combined to put Kevin Crowley in, but Leen was quickly off his line to deny him.
Ballymacelligott got their only two-pointer after 37 minutes when Niall Collins scored, to make it 1-7 to 0-6. Conor Hanlon converted a free to put the goal between the sides as Buttevant were battling hard to get back in contention.
O’Neill increased Ballymacelligott's lead before Buttevant had another goal chance, with Leen coming to his side’s rescue again. David Hanlon’s long ball in was flicked down by Micheal O’Neill to Mark Lenahan but Leen smothered the danger, to see it remain 1-8 to 0-7.
Breen increased Ballymacelligott’s lead with Mairtin McKivergan adding another. With 50 minutes gone, an uphill task became virtually impossible as Ballymacelligott got their second goal.
Broderick played McKivergan in and he made no mistake to make it 2-10 to 0-7 to effectively end the game as a contest.
In the final minute, Ballymacelligott were awarded a penalty for a foul on Joy, which he duly dispatched himself to the net to see his side run out winners by 3-12 to 0-8.
J Joy (pen), D Daly (f), M McKivergan 1-1 each, A Breen 0-4 (2f), N Collins 0-2 (0-2 pointer), M Reilly, D Broderick, D Keane 0-1 each.
C Hanlon 0-3 (0-2 f), D Hanlon (2pt f), M Lenahan (2pt) 0-2 each, S Madigan 0-1.
C Leen; E Creedon, D O’Shea, E Moriarty; C Dunne, T Brick, M Reidh; A Breen, D Broderick; A Sheehy, M McKivergan, J Joy; N Collins, D Daly, D Regan.
D Keane for D Regan (43), B Cassidy for D Broderick (60), A Rogers for N Collins, D Galvin for C Dunne, S Rice for E Moriarty (all 61).
R Donovan; M Walsh, J Whelan, K Crowley; S Madigan, K Bowles, J O’Neill; A O’Neill, K Lenahan; A Trimm, C Hanlon, M Lenahan; D Hanlon, M O’Neill, D Ryan.
K Sheehan for D Ryan (38), B O’Riordan for J O’Neill (44), B O’Connor for S Madigan (54), S O’Callaghan for K Lenahan, J O’Brien for K Crowley (both 60).
Timmy McGrath, Limerick.
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