fonaCAB Ulster Minor Tournament 2017 at St Pauls GAC
Errigal Ciaran 1-08-1-10 Ballinascreen
By Kevin Herron
Ballinascreen overcame Errigal Ciaran 1-10-1-08 in a hard fought and at time fiery FonaCab Ulster Minor Football Tournament Quarter-final at St Paul’s this afternoon.
There was very little between the sides in an enthralling encounter that was in the melting pot until Martin Bradley scored the insurance for the Ballinascreen. Errigal’s misery was compounded when Peter Og McCartan was dismissed for a reckless challenge in injury-time as the Derry champions set-up a semi-final meeting with Rossa on St Stephens Day.
Errigal Ciaran were first off the mark and after two minutes after Darragh Canavan combined with Pauric McNelis who slotted over the bar.
It took six minutes for Ballinascreen to respond through a converted free from Ciaran Doyle and within a minute the Derry men edged ahead thanks to a superb score off the boot of Emmett Duggan, who evaded heavy pressure and kept his composure to send the ball between the posts.
The sides were level approaching the midway point in the half as Peter Og McCartan ran onto a through ball from a free and his shot dipped over the bar to level at 0-02-0-02.
The opening goal arrived after 16 minutes and it fell to Ballinascreen, Cathal Donnelly took on Tiarnan Colhoun and had the beating of the corner-back before slipping the ball into space where Emmett Duggan was waiting to slot past the advancing Ciaran McKenna and make it 1-02-0-02.
Darragh Canavan responded with a free for Errigal, but Reece McSorley restored his sides goal advantage a minute after Euan McBride saw McKenna parry his goal chance from more great work from Cathal Donnelly.
Ballinascreen were very much in the ascendancy and by the 23rd minute increased their lead to four-points, Euan McBride picked out Emmett Duggan whose shot on the turn was accurate and raised a white flag to make it 1-04-0-03.
However, within sixty seconds Errigal Ciaran were thrown a lifeline when Ballinascreen goalkeeper Ryan Scullion upended Ciaran Traynor on route to goal and referee Brendan Toland had hesitation in signalling for a penalty.
Traynor dusted himself down and sent Scullion to the wrong way to make it 1-04-1-03 with four minutes of the half remaining.
Errigal were galvanised and a converted Canavan free on the stroke of half-time levelled the game at 1-04 apiece.
Like the first-half, it was Errigal who hit the opening score of the second through Canavan and despite Cathal Donnelly charging forward to draw Ballinascreen level – Peter Og McCartan played a one-two and then fired between the posts to edge the Ballygawley side ahead once more.
It would be Errigal’s last score for over fifteen minutes as Ballinascreen hit four unanswered scores to build up a three-point lead.
Ronan McKenna charged forward and linked well with Reece McSorley who fired over the bar from wide on the right to level the game at 1-06-1-06.
Ryan Doyle should have gave Ballinascreen the lead for the first time since the 30th minute, but for the intervention of the post, though a minute later Emmett Duggan got into a shooting position was able to punt over the bar under intense pressure.
Euan McBride then picked out Conal Logan in space and the wing-corner back doubled his sides lead before McBride intercepted a Duggan pass in his stride and gave his side a 1-09-1-06 lead.
Errigal Ciaran were in urgent need of a score and Darragh Canavan obliged with a converted a free and with ten minutes remaining Stephen McMenamin’s layoff to Ciaran Traynor resulted in a second quick score as the bare minimum separated the sides at 1-09-1-08.
Canavan had the chance to level on two occasions through converted frees, but the pressure got to the number eleven and his shots drifted wide on both occasions.
With sixty minutes on the clock Ballinascreen eased the pressure slightly as a sweeping move up field saw the ball played into the path of Martin Bradley and the midfielder sent the ball between the sticks.
There was still enough time for an Errigal Ciaran goal which would have turned the game on its head, however after the Tyrone side lost possession and Ballinascreen had the ball in the middle of the field towards the sideline – Peter Og McCartan lost composure and a dreadful challenge resulted in referee Brendan Toland dismissing the midfielder and thereafter Ballinascreen saw out the remaining minutes to book a semi-final spot at the Shaws Road venue next Tuesday when they will take on Rossa.
Pics by Dylan McIlwaine