South West Breslin Cup Final
All Saint’s Ballymena 1-18 Erin’s Own Cargin 1-13
A powerful display of strong running and accurate finishing by Ronan McKillop and the place kicking of Harry Wylie were the catalyst that powered All Saints to a five point victory over a battling Erin’s Own in the Breslin Cup final in Ahoghill today.
McKillop proved unmarkable as his strong running opened up the opposition defence time and again and was always willing to drop back to help out his own defence when the occasion required. He scored five of his side’s points over the hour while the accuracy of Wylie from the placed ball added another seven but they were only two of the stars in a very focused All Saints side.
Having slight advantage of the elements in the opening period the Ballymena lads recovered from an early Conhuir Johnston goal which gave the Toome side a 1-1 to 0-3 lead after 10 minutes but such was short lived.
A 50 metre free despatched between the posts with the minimum of fuss by Harry Wylie in a contest which featured impressive place kicking from both the finalists saw the Ballymena lads take the lead and when centre forward Cal O’Brien was on hand to fire to the net after a rebound fell his way they were 1-12 to 1-04 ahead at the interval.
Cargin matched their opponents score for score at the start of the second half but the long range kicking of Harry Wylie from the placed ball saw All Saint’s lead 1-18 to 1-08, and seemingly strolling to an easy win.
Cargin came with a late surge however and it was the turn of the All Saints defence to earn their corn with Sean O’Callaghan, Michael Reid and Patrick Ferris getting through a power of work as their opponents staged a late rally.
It was a case of backs against the wall for the Slemish Park side in the latter stages as Cargin laid siege, but although they did add a handful of points they were unable to close the gap suficiently.
All Saints were quickly into their stride and they had three points on the board as Ciaran Campbell, Oisin O’Mullan and Harry Wylie raised white flags apiece by the end of the 4th minute.
Cargin opened account in the 5th minute as the early delivery to Conhuir Johnston gained dividend as the full forward split the posts and when Eunan Quinn claimed the high ball and quickly found Johnston again the former blasted to the corner of the net.
An indiscretion on Johnston after Diarmuid Mc Peake delivered long in the 6th minute saw Eunan Quinn sent the award firmly over the bar and the Toome side were two in front.
That lead was to be short lived however as the pace laden Ronan McKillop responded with a 10th minute point but Benen Kelly edged his side two in front once more from a well struck long range free.
The Ballymena side responded as the strong running of McKillop and his colleagues began to find gaps in the opposition defence and a fine Oisin O’Mullan point signalled a period of All Saints dominance.
Harry Wylie converted two frees and a couple of defence splitting runs by Ronan Mc Killop found similar reward as All Saint’s moved into a 0-09 to 1-03 lead and were now dictating matters.
Cargin tried to stem the tide and Eunan Quinn replied from a pointed free but the Toome lads were being forced into unforced errors and these were being punished as Wylie took opportunity.
Harry Wylie sent another long range 50 metre free over the bar with Ronan McKillop quickly following suit as the All Saints offensive gathered momentum.
As the game entered injury time the Ballymena side struck another decisive blow as Cal O’ Brien was on hand to finish a rebound to the back of the net before Pearse Esler followed with a 33rd minute point.
An excellent half hour’s work from All Saint’s as they headed for the dressing rooms with a half time advantage of 1-12 to 1-04.
Cargin started the second half with a mountain to climb despite the favours of the diagonal breeze and were first to strike as a foul on Tom Shivers was punished by Benen Kelly who fired the resulting free firmly between the posts with the minimum of fuss.
Harry Wylie replied in kind at the other end, Ronan McKillop added another when he nipped in from the right hand side to fist over and Wylie was on target again with seven minutes of the new half gone.
A Eunan Quinn pointed free which followed a foul on Conhuir Kelly was promptly negated when Harry Wylie planted another long range free between the posts and although Conhuir Johnston and Benen Kelly raised further whites in the Cargin cause, Ryan McCartney and Oisin Mullan responded once more for the Slemish Park lads.
All Saint’s now led 1-18 to 1-08 and the Breslin cup looked on its way to Ballymena but Cargin were not ready to throw in the towel and led by the example of Cahir Donnelly in particular they were to finished with a flourish.
Late replacement Ben McLarnon’s cute delivery paved the way for Conhuir Johnston to raise white and a well struck free by Benen Kelly following a foul on Cahir Donnelly closed the gap to eight.
Kelly collected the resulting kick out to return the ball between the posts and the All Saints defence was coming under a lot of pressure as their opponents pushed forward again.
Eunan Quinn followed with another score as he split the posts following a Ciaran McPeake delivery but it was going to take a goal to get them back into contention.
The All Saint’s defence soaked up everything that came their way, led by full back Patrick Ferris and a late Eunan Quinn point delivered from a close range free after a foul on the hard grafting Tom Shivers was to prove Cargin’s lot.
The long whistle quickly followed and the Breslin cup was Ballymena bound on a winning scoreline of 1-18 to 1-13.
South West chairman, Jim McGrath presents the Breslin Cup to All Saints captain, Michael Read
All Saint’s: Daniel Mc Coy, Jude Casey, Patrick Ferris, Paddy O’ Brien, Tyrone Mitchell, Michael Read, Ryan Mc Cartney, Shaun O’ Callaghan, Harry Wylie (0-07), Ronan McKillop (0-05), Cal O’ Brien (1-00), Pearse Esler (0-01), Oisin Mullan (0-03), Ciaran Campbell (0-02), Joseph O’ Rawe
Subs
Tristan Ferguson for J O’ Rawe
Cargin: Shea Laverty, Hugh O’ Donnell, Cahir Donnelly, Diarmuid Mc Peake, Cahir O’ Boyle, Benen Kelly (0-05), Odhran Molloy, Eunan Quinn (0-05), Charlie Mc Cann, Caomhinn Kennedy, Tom Shivers, Conhuir Johnston (1-03), Cian Scullion
Subs
Ben Mc Larnon for C Kennedy
Ciaran Mc Peake for Diarmuid Mc Peake
Dylan Gallagher for C Scullion
Brogan Mc Nally for H O’ Donnell
Referee K Parks (Naomh Eanna)
