Conway keeps his cool to earn Ballycroy a share of spoils
The scene in Ballycroy for last Saturday's game against Northern Gaels in AbbVie Mayo SFL Division 5. Picture courtesy of Ballycroy GAA.
Northern Gaels travelled to picturesque Ballycroy for Saturday’s Division 5 encounter and departed with one point, after the home side’s Ruairi Conway held his nerve to convert a late equalising free.
Conway was excellent throughout and accounted for 1-11 of his side’s tally, including four early points, two frees included, which along with a single by Michael McManamon saw Ballycroy lead by 0-5 to no score after 12 minutes.
Northern Gaels grew into the game and some good fielding from Tommy Clarke led to Marc Munnelly opening the visitors’ account with a fine score from 30 metres out. Clarke again was central when he won the Ballycroy kickout and botted over the game’s first two pointer from just inside the halfway line.
Gaels’ full-back line of Conor McHale, Shane Loughney and Fergal McHale were also beginning to come to the fore, with all three combining in a play down the field which led to a free that was excellently converted by half-forward Marc Munnelly.
Ruairi Conway hit two more points from play to keep Ballycroy’s side of the scoreboard ticking over, however, good defending by Northern Gaels centre-back Mark McDonnell that saw him then deliver a great ball inside ball to Marc Munnelly, resulted in the latter slotting away the game’s first goal to level matters, 0-7 to 1-4.
Ballycroy were denied a goal of their own not long after when Darragh Devine produced a point blank save so they were even more frustrated when Liam Ruddy collected the ball from the Northern Gaels kickout and made a super run down the right hand side which led to Ruairi McDonnell kicking his opening point and sending his side in front for the first time.
That lead was shortlived however, as Conway replied with a superb score from outside the arc and he added a points from a free a minute later. By half-time the sides were level again, 0-11 to 1-8, with Northern Gaels full-forward Michael Lynott and half-back James Forde adding a point apiece and Marc Munnelly converting another free.
It looked like Northern Gaels had stamped their authority on this match when racing into a four points lead early in the second-half through scores by corner-forwards Ruairi McDonnell, two, and John Mcloughlin, and a free by Marc Munnelly. But all through this game there was a great work ethic about Ballycroy, particularly their midfielder Kevin Conway, centre-forward Luke McManamon and wing-back Michael McManamon, and they played their part in the home side scoring a goal through Ruairi Conway which brought their team right back into contention.
James Forde, at the end of a great move, put over a two-pointer from a difficult angle, to push Gaels back into a three points lead. However, a fine fetch by Stephen Grealis and clever play from corner-forward Kevin Ginty led to another free scored by Ballycroy’s Ruairi Conway.
The to and fro nature of the match continued but when Ciaran Loughney won a Ballycroy kickout and supplied a good pass to Daniel Walsh who scored a point from a tight angle, it looked like Northern Gaels lead of three points with only four minutes left to play might be enough. But the hosts weren’t giving up without a fight.
Points by centre-forward Luke McManamon and wing-back Michael McManamon brought Ballycroy back to within a point and when their substitute Shane Ginty intercepted a Northern Gaels ball, it was from this next play that a free was manufactured for Ruairi Conway to restore parity and force both sides to settle for a share of the spoils.
Scorers – Ballycroy: Ruairi Conway 1-2-7 (6f), Luke McManamon and Michael McManamon 0-0-2 each.
Northern Gaels: Marc Munnelly 1-0-4 (3f), James Forde 0-1-1, Ruairi McDonnell 0-0-3, Tommy Clarke 0-1-0, Michael Lynott, John McLoughlin and Daniel Walsh 0-0-1 each.
Ballycroy: Jack Deane; Ronan Grealis, Dermot Ginty, Jason Calvey; Cillian Conway, James Deane, Michael McManamon; Kevin Conway, Stephen Grealis; Colm Grealis, Luke McManamon, Ruairi Conway; Dylan McManamon, James Grealis, Kevin Ginty. Subs: Shane Ginty (for D McManamon), Matthew Lynch (for C Grealis), John Conway (for J Grealis).
Northern Gaels: Darragh Devine; Shane Loughney, Conor McHale, Fergal McHale; Liam Ruddy, Mark McDonnell, Ciaran Loughney; Craig McCormick, James Forde; Marc Munnelly, Tommy Clarke, Daniel Walsh; John McLoughlin, Micheal Lynott, Ruairi McDonnell. Sub: Paddy Murphy (for Lynott).
REF: Kevin Corcoran (Islandeady)
