Sallins comeback falls just short as Ballyteague hold on for win after almost imploding

Ballyteague 1-11

The Courtyard Hotel Leixlip IFC round one

Ballyteague did everything they could to lose this one, but they pretty much collapsed over the line in the end as they used all of their nine lives to claim victory over Sallins in an absorbing round one Intermediate Championship clash.

Having led by 10 points at one stage, they only managed to score four points in the final 50 minutes of play as Sallins launched an admirable comeback - led by the superb Conor Herbert who finished with nine points - before ultimately coming up short after leaving themselves with too much to do following an abysmal start.

This game looked over by the midway point of the first half, which was a shame really because Sallins became to match their opponents after they had allowed Ballyteague to stroll into an unassailable lead by the 16th minute. The eventual winners powered into a 1-7 to 0-0 advantage by that point, with Sallins standing off in defence, losing the midfield exchanges and creating very little going forward.

It was Stephen Connolly who inflicted most of the early damage on the scoreboard, with his brilliant hanging effort opening the scoring in the first minute before he curled over a long range free soon after. An impressive point from the right wing from midfielder Cian Gillian put them three ahead, and when Connolly launched over his third of the day from a free near the touchline on the right handside it was clear that he was in the groove.

Glen Thorpe's close range point put them five clear, before Padraig Murphy - in for the injured Barry Mullins after five minutes - bundled home a 13th minute goal after some consternation in the Sallins defence presented him with the glorious chance. Connolly followed that up with the score of the game as he split the posts with a stunning score from a sideline ball that sailed over with plenty to spare.

It took until the 17th minute for Sallins to finally get a point on the board, coming through a tidy effort from Paul Moynihan who pointed off his left, before Conor Herbert followed that up minutes later with a free. Ballyteague drifted out of the game badly during the second quarter, perhaps taking their foot off the gas, and the only other score they posted during the first half was a Connolly free two minutes into injury time, but they still entered the break with a commanding 1-8 to 0-3 lead.

Sallins, backed by the wind in the second half, began to thrust their way into the game as Herbert led their charge. Ballyteague were utterly dominated for the first 31 minutes of the second half, and despite continuing to master midfield through the excellent Kieran Brennan, they never offered anything going forward as they failed to make the ball stick when they worked it up to that end of the field.

Herbert began the half with an eye-catching score from the left wing, before he was then on the receiving end of a strike from Ballyteague centre-back Sean Dowling who was shown red for his indiscretion, allowing Herbert to add his fourth point from a free. The Sallins sharpshooter again pointed in the 37th minute, but Kevin Murphy finally found the target for the Larks once again when he slotted over a point 10 minutes into the second half.

Sallins upped their efforts from that point onwards though, and five points in a row, four of which came from Herbert and with another effort coming from Moynihan, left them just one point behind with five minutes left to play.

Ballyteague somehow found a way to finish the game with two points in a row however, as Brian McGrath stroked over a free in injury time before Murphy sealed the win with his second point of the evening to ensure the Larks will be in the winners' section of the second round, but only just.

Scorers for Ballyteague: S Connolly 0-6(4f, 1SL), P Murphy 1-0, K Murphy 0-2, B McGrath(1f) G Thorpe and C Gillian 0-1 each.

Scorers for Sallins: C Herbert 0-9(7f), P Moynihan 0-2.

Ballyteague

M Herbert; D Dempsey, T Coogan, G Nugent; B Mullins(P Murphy 5 mins inj(S Jacob 49mins), S Dowling, J Melia; K Brennan, C Gillian; G Thorpe, N Moran(K Murphy 38mins), G Smullen; S Connolly(B McGrath 40mins), D Randles, C Mullaney.

Sallins

S Herbert; J McNulty, J McLoughlin, R O'Domhnaill; C Sharkey, E Ralph, D Foley; K Foley, P Farrelly; C Dalton, C Herbert, J Sharkey(I Murphy 57mins); S Corley, A Power, P Moynihan.