Narrow win for juniors over Moate

Following the heroic fight by Ballymore to save their Intermediate status, their attentions turned to the Junior B championship against Moate, in Moate, on Tuesday, August 18. The team management had close to a full panel to pick from and sent out a strong side albeit with some players playing in unfamiliar positions.  While Ballymore got off to a flying start, scoring three unanswered points , Moate adapted well to the windy conditions and made it a tough battle for supremacy on the score-board, throughout the first half. Scores were traded and at the half-time interval the sides were locked together at 0-7 a piece.  Ballymore faced a strong wind the second half and both fatigue and rustiness seemed to set in for ten minutes or so. During this period Moate built up a six point lead.  The team gained their second wind and went on a scoring spree themselves of 2-2 in a ten minute period, with superbly taken goals from Dermot Farrell and Brian Finnerty.  Then came the most significant moment in the game for Ballymore. After getting back into the game, it was crucial that they also defended their lead. Moate raided up the pitch with about six minutes to go and worked a position that brought them a magnificent goal opportunity. Seeing the shot from 10 mtrs going to his left Connor McNeill dived and made a wonderful save at full stretch pushing the ball out over the end line. This gave huge impetus to the team to keep their 'lines' cleared for the remaining few minutes of the match. Ballymore led by two points with about three minutes to go when Moate scored to set up a tight finale.  On the stroke of full-time, Moate received a free about 35 metres out, left of the uprights and wind assisted! With the ball heading towards the uprights, it looked to all as if it had been scored when one umpire raised the white flag while the other then signalled wide on the instructions of Seamus McCormack, the referee.  Ballymore, players, substitutes, management and those supporters that were present showed their immediate relief as this is a game that the team pulled out of the fire and could be judged as one that got away from Moate. Joy and relief were the mixtures for all involved and especially for the team and subs.Team: Connor McNeill, Bobby McDermott, Andy Slevin, Shane Rooney, Alan Slevin, Dara Rooney (Capt), Mike Slevin (0-1), Liam Gilligan, Sam Whooley, Dermot Farrell (1-6), Anthony Kearney, Louie Mears (0-2f), Stephen Rooney (0-2), James Eivers, Brian Finnerty (1-0), Stephen Butler, Frank Eivers, Anthony Martin, Vinny McCormack, Ciaran Finnerty, Pascal White, Brendan Maguire and Sean Kincaid.