Maher on song in shock victory for Ballynacargy

Ballynacargy 2-9 Milltownpass 1-8

Ballynacargy got their Westmeath intermediate football campaign for 2023 off to the best possible start in pleasant conditions at TEG Cusack Park last Sunday evening with a surprise – but fully deserved – four-point win against Milltownpass in a game which never reached any great heights.

This defeat is an undoubted blow to Milltownpass, perennial challengers for the Peter Geraghty Cup in recent years, albeit they were understrength on the day. Their opponents were worthy winners, and they will be hoping to maintain a level of consistency in their upcoming matches.

Noel O’Reilly was off target with two early frees taken from the ground for the men in white and black, but they belatedly took the lead in the seventh minute when Liam Gorman’s high shot reached its intended destination. Conor Byrne quickly equalised from a 45-metre mark.

Michael McCormack then nudged Milltownpass ahead again at the end of a great move. Ballynacargy spurned a great goal chance due to unnecessary over-elaboration, and it was left to the impressive Troy Maher to fist over an equaliser on the quarter-hour mark.

David Martin’s troops dominated most of the second quarter, and three unanswered points by the 27th minute seemed to have put them in control. The white flags were raised by Gavin Glennon, Shane Corcoran (shortly after the teams had traded poor wides), and Gorman’s second of the contest.

The primrose and blue-clad side got a lifeline in the 28th minute when they were awarded a penalty, moments after an Owen Burke shot had come back off the butt of the post. Jack Doran blasted the ensuing spot-kick past Wayne Boyce to tie up the scoring. With the last kick of the first moiety, Maher converted a mark to leave Ballynacargy ahead by 1-3 to 0-5 at the interval.

Within a minute of the resumption of play, Liam O’Reilly’s goal attempt was deflected out for an unconverted ‘45’. The same player soon made amends with a well-taken point to level the contest. Shortly afterwards, Tony Loftus was denied what looked a certain goal by great goalkeeping from Boyce.

The game turned in the 42nd minute when a turnover by the Bal’ men saw clever play by Maher rewarded with a very well-taken goal, thereby opening up a three-point lead (2-3 to 0-6). Buoyed by this, the winners tagged on five points without reply by the 53rd minute, courtesy of Byrne (a brace of fine scores), Burke (also two, the first at the end of a laboured move), and Maher (after a fine piece of fielding). Conversely, Milltownpass’ shooting was poor at the other end.

A routine free conversion by sub Andy Devine and a great point from Gorman (to complete his hat-trick) gave the losers hope, but Devine will be disappointed not to have done better with a half-chance of a goal. With exactly an hour elapsed, Byrne brought his tally to four with a terrific point.

Milltownpass pounced for a goal in the second minute of added-time, sub Evan Gorman flicking the ball past Tommy Nally from close range at the end of a Corcoran delivery. Two late ‘45’s came to nothing for the favourites, and it was Ballynacargy who deservedly emerged victorious.

Scorers –

Ballynacargy: T Maher 1-3 (0-1m), C Byrne 0-4 (1m), J Doran 1-0 (pen), O Burke 0-2.

Milltownpass: L Gorman 0-3, E Gorman 1-0, M McCormack, L O’Reilly, S Corcoran, G Glennon, A Devine (f) 0-1 each.

Ballynacargy: Tommy Nally; Callum Maher, Timmy Mescall, John Keena; Jack Doran, Mark Murphy, Conor Keena; Jack Penrose, Conor Byrne; Philip Price, Owen Burke, Troy Maher; Jamie Loran, Tony Doran, Luke Price. Subs used: Jason McKeon for L Price (51), Darragh Keena for Loran (60+2).

Milltownpass: Wayne Boyce; Michael McCormack, Liam O’Reilly, Niall Manning; David Manning, Noel O’Reilly, Liam Brennan; Liam Gorman, Shane Corcoran; Oisín Coogan, Fintan O’Reilly, Paul O’Reilly; Gavin Glennon, Tony Loftus, Eoghan Gallagher. Subs used: Evan Gorman for Gallagher (29), Andy Devine for Coogan (38), Dara O’Connor for D Manning (53), David Devine for Glennon (53), Shane Flanagan for F O’Reilly (53).

Ref: Sean Carroll