Shannon Rovers progress to Munster Junior 'B' Football semi-final

GAA: Munster Club Junior 'B' Football Tournament Quarter Final

Shannon Rovers 1-13

Ballylanders 2-6

Report: Liam Hogan in Ballyagran

Shannon Rovers progressed to the semi-finals of the Munster Junior ‘B’ Football competition after defeating Limerick champions Ballylanders in the quarter final on Sunday.

A 52nd minute goal from Andy Byrne proved to be the key score that broke the dead-lock as the Tipp champions deservedly progressed. However, the close nature of the contest should not have come to that, bar the last seven minutes of the first half, when they were outscored 2-3 to 0-2, the Rovers were the better team and aided by the breeze in the second half they should have scored more than 1-5, squandering a number of chances, including at least five wides from scoring positions.

It was a contrast to their shooting in the opening twenty minutes when they asked questions of the Limerick champions when taking a 0-6 to 0-1 lead despite playing a strong breeze with George Hannigan the top-scorer, aided by the great workrate of Emmett Moran, Conal Moran, Andy Byrne, Padraig O’Meara, and Eamon Hough.

The full backline of Derek Horan, Matt Tierney and Michael Dolan were no shrinking violets either, but it looked as if their world collapsed for those final minutes of the first half when Ballylanders scored two goals in as many minutes to lead 2-4 to 0-8 at the changeover.

That was Ballylanders best period of the game as Killian & Peter Lane, Phil O’Sullivan, and Eamon O’Mahony posed danger while full forward Kieran O’Callaghan showed very much why he was a star with Limerick footballers a decade ago.

The Ballyagran pitch was in good nick for the time of year while the threat of rain held off for the duration of the game.

Ballylanders had the help of the stiff breeze in the opening half, but it was the Rovers who took up the challenge with purpose and with a string of passing moves were deserving of their five point lead after sixteen minutes. George Hannigan scored the four, two from play, one after Andy Byrne was denied from close range by Ballylanders netminder Mark O’Callaghan. The Moran brothers, Emmet & Conal, had scored a point each to make up the sextet of scores.

Up to then there were occasional signs of something positive coming from Ballylanders. Those signs were increasing as the game headed into the final ten minutes of the first half as Killian Lane, Adrian Cooke and Peter Lane were busy popping up in dangerous areas.

In the 23rd minute, Kieran O’Callaghan scored Ballylanders second point after an assist by Adrian Cooke. A minute later, Killian Lane added another point with a sweet left footed strike. Five minutes later, George Hannigan was equally smart with a great score but the game as about to be turned on its head.

Killian Lane won possession and soloed towards goal parallel to the end-line before finding Phil O’Sullivan who gave Niall Cahalan no chance. Seconds later, Ballylanders had a second goal when Eamon O’Mahony pounced on a rebound following a save by Cahalan to see Ballylanders two clear.

The purple-patch continued as Killian Lane increased the Limerick side’s lead but George Hannigan’s injury time free kept the Rovers close as the teams headed for the dressing rooms.

Shannon Rovers showed greater purpose in the opening minutes of the second half with Paddy Heenan scoring after sixty seconds, quickly followed by another Hannigan free. Six minutes later, the Tipp champions were back in front after Andy Byrne scored a fine point.

A point by Robbie Downey had scores level in the 43rd minute but Conal Moran edged the Rovers in front before scores were level for the third time after Kieran O’Callaghan scored a free from a difficult enough angle.

It was anyone’s game at this stage, but the Rovers had the greater share of possession and in the 52nd minute the deadlock was broken when a hand-passing move involving four pairs of hands finished up with Emmet Moran putting Andy Byrne through for a goal.

Sean Hough had just been introduced and his first touch was to score a point which had Rovers four clear with six minutes remaining.

That margin had given the Rovers the confidence to hold possession to wind down the clock. They had chances to seal the game for good, but possession was enough to stem the Ballylanders attempt to score and except for one chance which came back of the upright there was nothing to worry the Rovers fifteen who will play Kilmihil of Clare in the semi-final.

Player of the Match: Andy Byrne (Shannon Rovers)

Shannon Rovers: Niall Cahalan (7); Derek Horan (7), Matt Tierney (7), Michael Dolan (7); Emmet Moran (0-1, 7), Paraic O’Meara (Capt, 7), Eamon Hough (7); Conal Moran (0-2, 8), Andy Byrne (1-1, 8); Marcus Esmonde (7), George Hannigan (0-7, 4f, 8), Michael Tierney (7); Paddy Heenan (0-1, 6), Oisin McMahon (6), Austin Tierney (6).

Subs: Vince Mulvihill (6) for Heenan (51); Sean Hough (0-1, 7) for McMahon (53); Enda Hogan (NR) for Michael Tierney (59); Cathal Hogan (HR) for Horan (60+4).

Ballylanders: Mark O’Callaghan (7); Pa Kelly (7), Enda O’Neill (7), Johnny Tallon (7); John Hayes (7), Seamus Ryan (7), Sean O’Neill (7); Killian Lane (0-1, 8), Dan Blade (6); Adrian Cooke (0-1, 7), Peter Lane (0-1, 7), Robbie Downey (0-1, 6); Phil O’Sullivan (1-0, 7), Kieran O’Callaghan (0-2, 1f, 7), Eamon O’Mahony (1-0, 7).

Subs: Shane Fox (6) for Hayes (25 inj); Dylan Noonan (6) for K Lane (32); Shane Ahern (6) for O’Mahony (52); Eoin Burchill (NR) for P Lane (58); Danny Hayes (NR) for O’Sullivan (58).

Referee: Ciaran Murphy (Cork).