Ballinderry Shamrocks

SportTracker Ulster Football League Club Final

Ballinderry 0-13
Glenullin 0-10

Source: Derrygaa.ie

Midway through the first half of this entertaining club final at wet and windy Watty Graham Park, Glen last year’s winners Glenullin had posted four points against the wind, Ballinderry failing to register a single score in this period.
With Gerard O’Kane driving them forward from wing back Glenullin were the dominant side against a strangely lethargic Shamrock’s who were being outgunned in all sectors.
However Ballinderry roused themselves in the second quarter, James Conway and the mercurial Enda Muldoon taking control in the middle of the field, player of the match Conleith Gilligan and pacy full forward Brian McGuckin by now exerting considerable influence up front.
Between the 15th and 20th minute Ballinderry had landed four points to draw level and by half time they’d forged a 0-08 to 0-05 lead. Indeed Glenullin went fifteen minutes without raising a flag, one point from the tenth minute emphasising the Ballinderry dominance.
Glenullin did rally in the third quarter to cut the lead to the minimum but they were mostly dependant on Paddy Bradley for scores over the hour, the supply line almost drying up in the final quarter as Enda Muldoon gave a master-class in ball winning
and distribution and Conleith Gilligan in accurate finishing.
Man of the match Gilligan was at pains to point out that last year’s semi final defeat
by Glenullin had had no bearing on this game, stating, “It’s a new year, a clean sheet for everyone. The best team in the county won last year. They beat all the best teams, no problem on that score.”
Glenullin faced a stiffish breeze in the first half but took the game to the Shamrocks from the throw in, Paddy Bradley outpacing Brendan Conway before fisting the ball
forward to Dominic McIlvar who set up Donal Boylan for a point after a mere fifty seconds.
That set the tone for the first quarter as Paddy Bradley took a pass from his brother
Eoin and held off a strong challenge from Jarlath Bell to flick over the second point. The holders continued to pressurise the Ballinderry defence, Eoin Bradley pointing free when fouled by Kevin McGuckin, his brother Paddy on target in the 10th minute for a four point lead.
Then the game took a dramatic turn as Ballinderry tied the scores with a four point scoring barrage between the 15th and 20th minute, Gilligan with two points, one from a free, Brian McGuckin and Fabien Muldoon on target.
Paddy Bradley put Glenullin back in front from a free seven minutes from half time but Ballinderry reeled off points from James Bateson, Ronan Devlin, Enda Muldoon and Gilligan from a free to take a 0-08 to 0-05 lead to half time.
Brian McGuckin extended the advantage on the restart, Gilligan sweeping the ball imperiously from the wing after seven minutes to put five between the sides.
Paddy Bradley did start a brief Glenullin rally with a converted forty metre free, a four point flurry between the 7th and 12th minutes completed by Eoin Bradley, Dermot O’Kane and a Paddy Bradley free.
At 0-10 to 0-09 Glenullin looked as if they might make a game of it in the final quarter but all they could muster was an added time score from Paddy Bradley. In between Gilligan dissected the posts three times, two of his points from frees, to ensure a Ballinderry victory.
After the final whistle Declan Flanagan presented the player of the match trophy to Conleith Gilligan, Martin McAvinney handing over the cup to Ballinderry captain Jarlath Bell.

The Ballinderry scorers were Conleith Gilligan 0-07, 0-04 frees, Brian McGuckin 0-02, Enda Muldoon, James Bateson, Ronan Devlin and Fabien Muldoon 0-01 each

The Glenullin scorers were Paddy Bradley 0-05, 0-03 frees, Donal Boylan and Eoin Bradley 0-02 each, Dermot O’Kane 0-01

Ballinderry
Michael Conlon Kevin McGuckin Jarlath Bell (Captain) Declan Bell Brendan Conway Ronan McGuckin Conor Nevin James Conway Enda Muldoon Conleith Gilligan Darren Conway Ronan Devlin James Bateson Brian McGuckin Fabien Muldoon
-Raymond Wilkinson for Darren Conway 42 mins
-Ryan Scott for Declan Bell 47 mins
-Gerard Cassidy for Fabien Muldoon 50 mins

Glenullin
Shane O’Kane Barry Mullan Brian Mullan James McNicholl John Heaney John O’Kane Gerard O’Kane Neil Mullan Dominic McIlvar Conrad Bradley Donal Boylan Donal McNicholl Dermot O’Kane Paddy Bradley Eoin Bradley
-Eunan O’Kane for John Heaney 36 mins
-Stephen Mullan for Brian Mullan 55 mins
-Basil Rafferty for Donal McNicholl 57 mins

Sean Gilsenan Monaghan