One-point win means Ballyporeen will play senior football again next year

Ballyporeen 2-10 Grangemockler/Ballyneale 1-12

Ballyporeen secured their senior status when scoring 1-2 without reply in the last eight minutes to overcome a four- points deficit to Grangemockler/Ballyneale in the FBD Insurance County Senior Football Championship Relegation semi-final at Clonmel Sportsfield on Saturday afternoon.

Trailing by one point at the interval, 1-4 to 0-6, Grangemockler looked the stronger team in the second half, and boosted by a huge two-pointer from Mark O’Meara, they were looking comfortable when they went into 1-12 to 1-8 lead in the 52nd minute.

But Ballyporeen dug deep in the closing minutes. Team captain Conor Sweeney took a short free kick to Tomás Vaughan and then took the return to reduce the gap to three points. The traffic was all one-way at this stage and Tommy Sweeney was perfectly positioned to fist to the net from a crossfield ball to tie the scores.

Then in the very next move, Tomás Vaughan set up Tommy Sweeney for the winning point, a score that keeps them playing senior football again next year. Grangemockler have one more chance to join them when they play Aherlow in the relegation final.

If Tommy Sweeney’s late 1-1 was crucial to the win, then Darragh Brennan’s performance over the 60 minutes also played a huge part in Ballyporeen’s survival. Not only was the county player’s scoring significant – 1-4 from play and 0-3 from frees – but his link-up play with the Sweeney brothers, James Barry and Tomás Vaughan caused major problems for the Grangemockler defence.

His goal in the 15th minute, a scrambled effort after a high ball from Tommy Sweeney that caused panic in the Grangemockler defence, gave Ballyporeen the lead for the first time at 1-2 to 0-3. Grangemocker had gone two points clear in the first four minutes, from Ben Comerford and a Mark O’Meara free, but Bally’ had drawn level through two Brennan points.

A flowing move led to Conor Maguire giving Grangemockler the lead again, before Brennan’s goal. Brennan from a free stretched the lead to 1-3 to 0-3, but Grangemockler’s response was impressive, hitting the next three points in a row – Manus McFadden scored first; goalkeeper David Power pointed a free, and then came another from Maguire after a great run from defence from Paudie O’Shea created the chance.

Ballyporeen had been on the back foot for much of that period, but still managed to edge a lead at half-time when Conor Sweeney set up Brennan to score.

Ballyporeen stretched that lead to three again four minutes into the second half. Tommy Sweeney started and ended a move with a point, before Brennan pointed a free following a foul on Christy English.

With the stiff breeze at their backs, the game took a significant turn for Grangemockler when Mark O’Meara kicked an inspirational two-pointer. Within a minute they were awarded a penalty, following a good move involving Jack Bourke and Paudie O’Shea, but Mark O’Meara’s spot-kick was well saved by Ballyporeen goalkeeper Kieran Macken.

Grangemockler went on to kick the next three points for a 0-11 to 1-6 lead, two coming from Conor Maguire followed by a converted Mark O’Meara free.

Darragh Brennan had Ballyporeen’s first point in twelve minutes from a free, but Grangemockler looked as if they had secured their senior status two minutes later when a flowing move ended with Conor Maguire fisting to the net past Macken for a 1-11 to 1-7 lead.

Brennan brought it back to three points in the next move, but a super Mark O’Meara free stretched the lead to four again, 1-12 to 1-8, with ten minutes to go.

But Grangemockler were not to score again, as Ballyporeen finished with 1-2 from the Sweeneys – Tommy with 1-1 and Conor with 0-1 – as they avoided relegation at the first attempt.

It has been a difficult campaign for Ballyporeen but with players of the calibre of Darragh Brennan, Tommy Sweeney, Conor Sweeney, Charlie English and Tomás Vaughan, they will feel they deserve to remain in senior ranks.

Grangemockler showed enough to fancy their chances in the relegation final against Aherlow and will look to players such as Mark O’Meara, Ben Comerford, Manus McFadden, Conor Maguire, Sean Daly and Thomas Regan to retain senior status.

Ballyporeen: Kieran Macken; Seamus O’Callaghan, Noel Vaughan, Mikey Maher; Charlie English, Oisín Brennan, Jack Kearney; Riain O’Callaghan, Tommy Sweeney 1-2; Darragh Lyons, Conor Sweeney (0-1), Christy English; Darragh Brennan 1-7 (3f), James Barry, Tomás Vaughan. Subs: Fionnan O’Sullivan for Maher (52), John Ryan for Riain O’Callaghan (40).

Grangemockler/Ballyneale: David Power (0-1f); James Daly, Conor Hahessy, John Lyons; Sean O’Meara, Sean Daly, Thomas Regan; Ben Comerford (0-1), Brian Walsh (0-1); Manus McFadden (0-1), Leon Kennedy, Paudie O’Shea (0-1); Conor Maguire 1-2, Jack Bourke, Mark O’Meara 0-5 (1x2pt, 2f). Subs: Darragh Shelly for Daly (20), James O’Meara for Bourke (45), Callum McFadden for Kennedy (45).

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Moyle Rovers).