Briody fires Ballinacree to glory

BOYS DIV 4/5 SHIELD

Ballinacree dug deep in the final 10 minutes to secure a well-earned 4-9 to 2-7 win over a gallant Scoil Cholmcille Mount Hanover side in the Boys Div 4/5 Shield final at Trim on Thursday, writes Tom Gannon.

A quick start in the second-half saw the Mount Hanover side lead by five heading into the last quarter. However, Ballinacree rattled off 2-5 without reply which ultimately saw them steam to victory.

After 15 minutes, Ballinacree held a 0-4 to 0-1 lead courtesy of points from Jamie Briody, Hollie Curran, Ethan Kearney and Evan Cooke. With two minutes left in the half, Shane Woods brought the Duleek school back into the game with a brilliant strike to the top left corner before Lennon King also found the back of the Ballinacree net just on the stroke of the half-time whistle. Scoil Colmcille went in at the break leading 2-1 to 0-4.

Straight from the throw-in, Ballinacree got their first goal. A long ball in from Lorcan Kearney found Briody who finished brilliantly to the net. Scoil Colmcille then experienced a purple patch and they rattled off five points without reply through two points from King along with further scores from Woods, Crosby and TJ McGuinness.

A Ballinacree goal in the 31st minute, courtesy of Callum Hamilton, shifted momentum completely in favour of the north Meath outfit. It was the start of a run that saw Ballinacree score 2-5 without reply, 1-2 of which came from Jamie Briody.

Pierce Tuite, Kearney and Cooke also added points before Cooke’s last-minute goal ensured there was no way back for Scoil Colmcille.

Ballinacree NS - Janet Porter; Sol Kelly, Harry Curran; Senan Kearney, Evan Cooke (1-2), Ethan Kearney (0-2); Jamie Briody (2-3 one free), Lorcan Kearney; Peadar Briody, Pearse Tuite (0-1), Hollie Curran (0-1). Dáire Colwell, Flynn O’Connor Maguire, Darby Fagan, Kian Riley, James Gibson, Killian Kenny, Daniel Tynan, Ben Coyle, Calum Hamilton (1-0). Mentor - Gerry Farrell, Ciara Uí Chonduibh, Ronan Kearney.

Scoil Cholmcille Mount Hanover - Daniel McGuinness; Johnny McGuinness, Cian Deasy; Tom Kelly, Shane Woods (1-1), Dara Deasy; Leigh Doyle, TJ McGuinness (0-1); Jake Lynch, Lennon King (1-2), Peter Crosby (0-3, one free). Alex McEnteggart, Eddy Xue, Michael Power, Seán Connell Cudden, Charlie Collins, Conor McGuinness, Paddy Curran, Adam McEnteggart, Harry Flood, JJ Morgan, Seán Wang. Mentors - Brigid O’Donnell, Colin & Catherine Crosby, Adrian Briscoe, Joanne Deasy.

Referee - Alan Mulvany (Ratoath SNS).