League

The Fortress
Spectators: 9179 (Terracing: 6886, Seating: 2111, VIP seats: 182) Irwin Keegan's late challenge caught a Ballytrasna's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Irwin Keegan helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Dhún na nGall™ getting a freekick after 5 minutes play. Irwin Keegan hit a great ball. In a very dangerous position, a player in Dhún na nGall™ fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 6th minute. Penalty! In the 8th minute there was a penalty for Ballytrasna. Blair Martyn stepped forward and shot the ball to the right of a diving Donahue Barrett. 0-1. After 12 minutes, Fergus McSteven mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Ballytrasna and the Dhún na nGall™ players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 12th match minute, Ballytrasna was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Fergus McSteven to maneuver through the defense. An unexpectedly hard shot by Donell Prunty in the 13th minute of play forced Dhún na nGall™'s goalkeeper Donahue Barrett to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 15th match minute, Dhún na nGall™ was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Cullan Dimson to maneuver through the defense. After a defensive mix-up in Dhún na nGall™'s zone, Blair Martyn stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Donahue Barrett came out of the goal and Blair Martyn tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Cullan Dimson shot a long shot in the 18th minute and a light blocked Brenna Sheridan hadn't a chance when the ball went into goal on his right side. It was 1-1. A collision led to Ballytrasna getting a freekick after 20 minutes play. Peadar McAlphie hit a great ball. 23 minutes into the match, Ballytrasna's goal looked a bit too open when Pat Walker came free, but Brenna Sheridan reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 24th minute, Shey McPhilip hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Brenna Sheridan took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Pat Walker, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Donell Prunty sent away a hard shot on goal in the 29th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 35 minutes into the match, Pat Walker dribbled the ball past the defender and swiftly kicked the ball to the left of Brenna Sheridan, 2-2. The supporters of Dhún na nGall™ booed when Ballytrasna was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 40 match minutes in a wonderful position. Shey McPhilip didn't get a good kick on the ball. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Donell Prunty to make the kick off. When the match clock showed 55 minutes, the score became 3-2 when Irwin Keegan sped through Ballytrasna's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Brenna Sheridan. After some careless play in the Dhún na nGall™ defense, Peadar McAlphie kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Donahue Barrett. The Dhún na nGall™ fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Donahue Barrett should have stopped the shot. Donahue Barrett made a fantastic save in the 61st minute, when Shey McPhilip sent off a good shot on target. After some careless play in the Dhún na nGall™ defense, Donell Prunty kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Donahue Barrett. The Dhún na nGall™ fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Donahue Barrett should have stopped the shot. 69 minutes into the match, Irwin Keegan had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Brenna Sheridan. Ballytrasna's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Irwin Keegan was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 4-4. The crowd rose to their feet as Gil Caffey kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Donahue Barrett. That made the score 4-5 in the 73 minute of play. Brenna Sheridan made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Pat Walker in the 77th minute of play. Ballytrasna's Brenna Sheridan played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ailill Ryan in the 78th minute of play. Brenna Sheridan showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Pat Walker, who was totally free with the ball in the 80th minute. Donell Prunty kicked well hit freekick during the 84th minute of the match. In the 85th minute Irwin Keegan shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Brenna Sheridan saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 88 minutes into the match, Dhún na nGall™'s goalkeeper Donahue Barrett had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Donell Prunty. Alan Hughes kicked well hit freekick during the 93rd minute of the match. The Ballytrasna supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing Ballytrasna would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.