FAI Youths Cup 4th Round

Ballingarry (2) 2 (Paudie Murphy 35 mins, 37 mins pen)

St Marys (1) 1 (Robert Docherty 2 mins)

Last Saturday evening at Mick Hanley Park Ballingarry made light of the testing weather conditions to advance to the last eight of the FAI Youths Cup for the first time in the clubs history. Ballingarry did enough to edge out St Marys from Cork city by the odd goal in three and did do by overturning a poor start when they conceded a poor goal to the opposition.

The visitors got a dream start and were ahead after only two minutes. Ben Moynihan took the ball down their left and sent a low cross into the area where the ball broke but Ballingarry keeper Eoin O’Connor who didn’t gather the ball which then fell to centre forward Robert Docherty who blasted to the roof of the net. This gave Marys confidence and for the next ten minutes or so they were on top but really didn’t create clear openings. Gradually Ballingarry got into their stride and began to enjoy some good possession but like their opponents they were finding chances difficult to create. As the half wore on Ballingarry began to carve out a few openings like the one on twenty four minutes when Cian McGoey played a slide rule pass up to Paudie Murphy but the striker dragged his effort wide of the left hand post from sixteen yards. Ten minutes later TJ Tierney played the ball into space down the left for McGoey to run on to and he took the ball into the area, the covering defender got a slight touch on the ball before McGoeys shot was saved by the keeper with the ball then rebounding off the Ballingarry player for a goal kick.

Ten minutes to the break and Ballingarry were deservedly on level terms with a fine a goal as you are likely see. Murphy, having been picked out in space just inside the Marys half was still a long way from goal and had plenty to do. He took the ball down the line before coming inside towards the penalty area and dinked a beautiful chip with his left foot over the keeper and inside the rigging at the back post. Two minutes later it was advantage Ballingarry when Murphy converted from the penalty spot following a foul on Eoin Lynch. It certainly is a competition Paudie Murphy likes as in all of Ballingarrys games so far he has scored a brace in every game. Half time 2-1.

Ballingarry started the second half the better and two minutes in midfielder John Fitzgerald had a decent enough chance. Having been picked out by Adam Hickey down the right, the midfielder came inside towards the edge of the area but finished poorly by dragging his effort across goal and wide of the far post. Three minutes later keeper Eoin O’Connor did well to gather a Marys corner from the right in a crowded area before releasing left back TJ Tierney down the wing but his drilled cross was handled by Marys custodian Jake Healy. On the hour mark Cathal McMahon, on as a sub attacked down the right and his low cross almost picked out Cian McGoey but keeper Healy was brave to gather the ball at the feet of the Ballingarry forward.

Marys goal scorer Docherty then linked well with Dave Culley whose effort was easily gathered by Eoin O’Connor in the Ballingarry goal. Moments later Cian Cullahane thought he had equalised for Marys but it was disallowed for offside. Marys were pushing forward more, but the Ballingarry defence, led superbly by skipper Brian Sheehy along with Jack Mullane, Cian O’Carroll and Tierney were giving nothing away. Ballingarry nearly got the insurance goal when confusion in the Marys defence saw a loose pass being played across their area with the ball coming to McMahon and with an open goal shot wide from thirty yards. However it didn’t matter as Ballingarry held on to achieve a deserved win and a win that sees them into the last eight in the country.

Ballingarry: Eoin O’Connor, Jack Mullane, TJ Tierney, Brian Sheehy (capt),

Cian O’Carroll, Adam Hickey, John Fitzgerald, Jamie Ryan, Eoin Lynch, Paudie Murphy, Cian McGoey. Subs Gary Storin, Cathal McMahon, Luke Hayes, Zach Hayes, Colin Bresnihan, Kieran Wall, Mark Ruddle.

St Marys: Jake Heaphy (capt), Jamie O’Connor, Jamie Barrington, PJ O’Donovan, Adam Murphy, Sean Daly, John O’Sullivan, Eugene Hendricks, Ben Moynihan, Robert Docherty, Shane Gostl. Subs Cian Cullahane, Dave Culley, Ryan O’Driscoll, Conor O’Sullivan, Sean Salmon, Andrew O’Driscoll, Adam McCarthy

Referee Pat O’Connor