Rainy cold evening in Hospital. Good defending and coming out of defence at the start. Yellow for Cackz (Cathal McMullan) and free for Ballylanders to have the opening score of the game. Some very good tackling at the start of the game from the lads start showing great intent. A very well worked goal chance by Tommy Glynn, passed off to Dylan Cronin but just glanced by the post. Dylan worked hard to win a free and converted himself after 10 mins to make it 0-02 to 0-01 to Ballylanders. After 15 mins gone in the 1st half it was 3 points to 1 to Ballylanders. Spud (Dean McLoughlin) was forced off injured after 15 mins and BACK FROM RETIREMENT is Kevin Nolan. Some great runs by Ralph Leonard up the field to win a free and a lot quicker movement. Some great work by Evan Sweeney to dispossess Ballylanders on the 45metre line coming out from a short kick out and hand passed then to Gordon onto Egan to win a penalty. And BACK FROM RETIREMENT Nolan puts it in the top left corner and a further point from Gordon Brown to make it 1-03 to 0-03. Another great bit of work from the lads led to another beauty from Gordon off the shoulder. Kevin Nolan very evident effect and he has that experience controlling the game when he gets in possession. Some great play and work rate after 25mins. A great save/interception from Condon just before half time(28mins). An unlucky break fell to Ballylanders which led to goal chance and the conditions gave way to one of the lads conceding a penalty. A jersey-less Sherlock stepped back into goals for the Ballylanders penalty but he was given the eyes and dives to wrong side at 30 mins, to make the score 1-03 a-piece. A long kick out down the field and a break won by Na Piarsaigh filtered into Tommy Glynn with a great response over the black spot off the right. Ballylanders answered back with a good score to make it level at half time. 1-04 a piece. Some heckling was heard from the crowd to Shane Walsh at half time about his Ralph Lauren wellingtons but the heckling doesn’t faze Shane. 

We started off the 2nd half with a brilliant run from Evan Egan to win a free and FREE TAKEN QUICKLY to Tommy Glynn for a goal. Aggressive yellow from the ref to Egan for a bad timed challenge after 38 mins. 2-04 to 1-06 after 40mins. An intense game with some fierce challenges from both sides adding the to the affair. Draw game 13 mins into 2nd half but Sherlock with a beauty off the right to make it 2-05 to 1-07. Ralph Leonard with some great interceptions and tackles. Ballylanders took the lead 1-09 to 2-05 but Dylan leveled it again. Debut from John Robinson with 10 mins to go and instantly offloading a lovely ball to Dylan who wins a free and converts. This then followed by brilliant dispossession and free won by Jack McCarthy in the middle of the field after 51mins and a great roar from the crowd. Egan and Dylan with another 2 points off the left with the kick passing into the full forward line in the 2nd half really evident and effective. Ralph Leonard again with another last man catch to save the day and top off a great performance marking the Ballylanders danger man. With 5 mins to go it was 2-09 to 1-09. A great converted free from Ballylanders outside the 45 to bring it back to 2points (2-09 to 1-10) with 4mins to go. Ralph with another interception in the dying stages of the match and a brilliant free giving a display for the ages. Normal time up and 1 point in it in favour to Na Piarsaigh. A converted injury time free out in the corner for Ballylanders to made it a draw game. Ballylanders got another 5 mins into injury time to go one up. 7 mins into injury time a very difficult free outside the 45m line dropped short and final whistle followed. Some brilliant performances put in by the lads and played with their hearts on the sleeve. They showed great passages of play and beautiful football to watch. Very unlucky to be pipped late at the end of the game but onwards and upwards for Micheál and the lads. 

Team: Evan Condon, James Linnane, Ralph Leonard, Fionn O'Tiarnaigh, Ronan Houlihan, Cathal McMullan, Rueben McCarthy, Gordan Brown (0-02), Jack McCarthy, Dean McLoughlin, Evan Sweeney, Eoghain Sherlock (0-01), Evan Egan (0-01), Dylan Cronin (0-04), Tommy Glynn (1-01).

Subs: Kevin Nolan (1-00,P) for Dean McLoughlin (15mins)injury, Diarmuid Ryan for James Linnane (HT)injury, John Robinson for Reuben 49mins, Louis Murphy for Evan Condon (injury time), James Linnane for Ralph Leonard injury time. 


County Senior Football Championship Round 2 Full Time: Na Piarsaigh 2-09 Ballylanders 1-13

This excellent play-by-play report was compiled by James Daly. 

A good win for our U16 hurlers last Tuesday in the opening round of the championship, beating Glenquin Gaels on a score line of 2-18 to 0-13.

A brilliant win for our U14 Camogie team in the Treaty Cup final last Thursday night. Well done to all involved.
Final score: Na Piarsaigh 3-14 Effin 1-03