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Match Report
Ballyshannon
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000,
Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Phelim Mullan got the match started through his kick off. In the 9th minute, Desmond McTom hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The audience thought a goal was coming when Seán McDonald got free with Joseph Harkin in the 18th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Bil Benson recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 20th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. When Kerrigan Dempsey fell near the penalty area in the 23rd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Ballyshannon's protests and gave Kerrigan Dempsey a yellow card for diving instead. A collision led to Ballyshannon getting a freekick after 23 minutes play. Kerrigan Dempsey hit a great ball. Ballyshannon's Bragan McJames played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joshua McStephen in the 24th minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in Ballyshannon's zone, Joshua McStephen stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Bragan McJames came out of the goal and Joshua McStephen tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After some careless play in the Ballyshannon defense, Joshua McStephen kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Bragan McJames. The Ballyshannon fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Bragan McJames should have stopped the shot. Seán McDonald fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Joseph Harkin having to interfere. In the 39th match minute, Ballyshannon was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Kerrigan Dempsey to maneuver through the defense. 41 minutes into the match, Bil Benson had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Bragan McJames. Ballyshannon's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Bil Benson was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-2. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Joshua McStephen in the 46th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Bragan McJames saved Ballyshannon from getting behind. Seán McDonald could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 47th minute of the match, but Joseph Harkin made a huge save. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 1-2.
The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Joshua McStephen to strike the kick off in the second half. Seán McDonald sent away a hard shot on goal in the 51st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Bradley Grant sent away a hard shot on goal in the 52nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 54th minute the ball was on its way in behind Clonegal's goalkeeper Joseph Harkin, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. In the 56th minute Seán McDonald shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Joseph Harkin saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Joseph Harkin didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Seán McDonald went, in the 58th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-2 was the resulting score. When Seán McDonald came up free with the goalie in the 63rd minute, the Ballyshannon fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Seán McDonald couldn't finish the play. Clonegal's Joseph Harkin played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Barney Mullan in the 85th minute of play. Clonegal's Bil Benson got a good chance for a goal in the 86th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Seán McDonald fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 87th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Joseph Harkin having to interfere. After 89 minutes, Desmond McTom mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Clonegal and the Ballyshannon players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 92 minutes, Seán McDonald made it 3-2 with a short kick to the right side. Clonegal's Joseph Harkin tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. If Barney Mullan had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 97th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ballyshannon were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Clonegal for a fine match.
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