Cumann Pheadair Naofa 2-15 Ballyholland Harps 0-04
The Blues defeated Ballyholland in some style in Páirc Esler on Friday night to qualify for their first county senior county final in 41 years. For Blues supporters it was a glorious evening where they dominated the game from start to finish and played attractive attacking football using men and space well throughout. Free taker Ross Mc Garry was in sublime form, indeed every man played his part in what was a magnificent team performance. For the neutral it was refreshing football but too one sided to retain interest and with 10 minutes to go most of them left to avoid the post-match traffic. For the Ballyholland supporter it was painful to watch particularly as both they and the team know, they are much better than the performance on the night suggested. Their night was summed up by a cameo in the second half when on one of their rare attacks they hit the same upright on two occasions and when the ball went to a Ballyholland player for a third attempt he put it wide.
The Point missed two good chances before Ruiarí Mc Cormack in the 3rd minute was fouled about 30 yards from goal and Ross had no bother with the resulting free. Donagh Mc Aleenan added to the total with a great shot from the left wing a few minutes later. Ryan Mallon picked out the advancing Ross Mc Garry with an inch perfect pass and Mc Garry turned made some space for himself and by the 6th minute Warrenpoint were three ahead. Joe Magee was next to score when he picked up some loose ball and shot from the right hand side. Ballyholland got up for their first attack the Point defenders harried and left them with little space and Barry Mc Ateer’s shot went wide. After a free awarded to the Point for over-carrying the ball was despatched to Eoghan Byrne who fisted to Ryan Mallon who powered forward opening up the Ballyholland defence as he advanced he had two men to his right and gave a perfect pass to Ruairí Mc Cormack who made no mistake and crashed the ball to the net. Warrenpoint 1-04 to no score after ten minutes everyone knew it wasn’t going to be a good night for Ballyholland. In the remaining twenty minutes of the Ross Mc Garry scored six time one from play one from a 45m and the rest from frees. Ballyholland had to wait until the 23rd minute before they got their only score of the half. Leaving the half time score 1-10 to 0-01 for Warrenpoint.
Not even the most ardent Ballyholland supported believed that the second half would change their fortunes and indeed it didn’t. We got more of the same, perhaps Warrenpoint were a little less direct and a little less vital in their approach but they still controlled the game and Ballyholland still failed to make any impression. John Boyle opened the scoring for Warrenpoint in the 4th minute of the half when he shot from about 30 yards out. Mc Garry followed with two more frees before Tiernan Rushe send over Ballyholland’s second point of the game James Kearns scored for Ballyholland and Donagh Mc Aleenen replied shortly afterwards for Warrenpoint Ciran Tinnelly landed Harp’s final score of the evening bringing theirtotal to 4 points. By this time the neutrals in the crowd were on the move and Warrenpoint began to give their subs a taste of semi-final fare. One of them Jamie Grant along with Ryan Magee put Niall Mc Govern, another sub, through on a magnificent run he was just about to shoot when he was hauled down in the box. Ross Mc Garry dispatched the resulting penalty with aplomb bringing his total for the night to 1-11, two fro play the rest from frees a 45 and a penalty.
And so there it is Warrenpoint are in their first final since 1978, when they lost to Downpatrick following a disallowed goal, still a bitter memory for many. The following evening decided that Kilkoo will be their opponents, giving us a repeat of last year’s semi-final. Warrenpoint have had two relatively straightforward matches in the quarter and semi-final to take them there while Kilcoo have come through the hard way facing Burren twice and Clonduff. Kilcoo the most successful club in Down Championship history, with their most recent win in 2017, against the Blues who haven’t won the Championship since 1953. Kilcoo go into this contest as firm favourites but the favourite doesn’t always win.
