Town take down Tubber to reach last eight
Charlestown eked out a slender victory on Sunday in what was a keenly contested battle.
Premier Junior ‘A’ Football Championship – Group 2 – Round 3
Charlestown 0-11
Ballintubber 1-6
Patrick Hennelly in Canon Gibbons Park, Claremorris
Charlestown eked out a slender victory on Sunday in what was a keenly contested battle, with Ballintubber left to wonder what might have been had they been more efficient in front of goal. The winners joined Knockmore ‘B’ in qualifying for the quarter-finals from their group.
Charlestown, sprinkled with seasoned players, raced into an early 0-3 to no score lead, as the trio of Niall Fleming, Colm Maye and Eoin Flannery all forced the umpire into action.
Against the run of play, Ballintubber very nearly pilfered a three-pointer when Dean Loftus’ probing delivery fell kindly to Jack Prendergast, but his effort was superbly diverted behind by Louis Hoban. However, the Clogher-based outfit notched a goal on seven minutes, where both Noel Geraghty and David McHale’s combination play culminated in a goal-scoring opportunity for Dean Loftus he crashed home a splendid effort.
Ballintubber had received the perfect tonic and five minutes later the White and Red nudged in front, when their raiding centre-back Gary Loftus bisected the posts.
Charlestown’s Eoin Flannery produced a tidy display at corner-back and his interceptions and promptings helped alleviate the pressure on his team throughout the tie.
A real nip and tuck clash seemed to be on the cards when Charlestown’s Ciaran Honeyman restored parity, and the Green and White faithful were also in awe of Alex Cullen’s sky-scraper point on 16 minutes.
Now it was the turn of Ballintubber to be the chasers once again, but they finished the half in stylish fashion as singles from Robbie Finnerty and Noel Geraghty, a free, helped muster a slender 1-3 to 0-5 interval lead for the West Mayo side.
The Sarsfields nearly made the perfect start to the new period when a goal chance was conjured up for Ciaran Honeyman, but Frank Walsh in the ‘Tubber goal produced a top-drawer save.
Ballintubber’s Finnerty then garnered a two point cushion for his teammates, but the tide seemed to be turning as a doughty Charlestown were beginning to shade the midfield battle and win some vital breaking ball.
A pointed free from Colm Maye was almost the prelude to a three pointer for the Green and White, but once again Frank Walsh produced the heroics for the Abbeysiders, this time brilliantly turning Ciaran Honeyman’s zipping strike around his post.
Ballintubber’s impressive substitute Luke Alder was seven minutes on the pitch when he restored his side’s two point cushion, but Charlestown hit a crucial purple patch between the 42nd and 46th minutes and scored a flurry of points through Rory Cullen, Maye, a free, Ciaran Honeyman and the busy Fleming, turning the game on its head. Charlestown were now leading 0-10 to 1-5.
With tensions rising, a member of the Ballintubber management team was dismissed from the sideline by referee Vincent Joyce but it appeared that the Charlestown game plan also suffered a set-back on 58 minutes, when their hardworking wing-back Tomas Goldrick picked up a second yellow card.
The outcome of this tie was still in the balance but a crucial point from Ciaran Honeyman gave his Charlestown team a bit of breathing space.
Ballintubber peppered the opposition’s goal during a frantic period of stoppage time but the best that the Abbeysiders could muster was a consolation point from David McHale.
Scorers – Charlestown: Ciaran Honeyman and Colm Maye (2f) 0-3 each, Niall Fleming 0-2, Alex Cullen, Eoin Flannery and Rory Cullen 0-1 each.
Ballintubber: Dean Loftus 1-0, Robbie Finnerty 0-2, Gary Loftus, David McHale, Noel Geraghty (f), Luke Alder 0-1 each.
Charlestown: Kenneth Brennan; Gavin Honeyman, Alex Cullen, Eoin Flannery; Tomas Goldrick, David Caffrey, Michael Morrin; Niall Towey, Damien Ward; Sean Kelly, Rory Cullen, Niall Fleming; Ciaran Honeyman, Mark Caffrey, Colm Maye. Sub: Dylan McGuinness (for M Caffrey 59).
Ballintubber: Frank Walsh; Rory Cunningham, Jack Walsh, Gavin Murphy; Myles Kelly, Gary Loftus, Gavin Roche; David McHale, Louis Hoban; Noel Geraghty, Jack Prendergast, Martin Fox; Robbie Finnerty, Alan McHale, Dean Loftus. Subs: Cathal Flannery (for Hoban 24), Ethan Lyons (for D Loftus ht), Luke Alder (for G Loftus 32), Nathan Gibbons (for Cunningham 48), Sean Hynes (for Geraghty 58).
REF: Vincent Joyce
