Injury-hit Ballina fall to Carrick Swan

Ballina face a winner-takes-all tie with Upperchurch/Drombane after falling to Carrick Swan who made it two wins from as many outings in this round 2 group 1 clash in the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship on Saturday.

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 1

Carrick Swan 3-18

Ballina 1-19

Report: John O’Shea in Cashel

Fresh from their opening round victory over Upperchurch/Drombane, the Swan were full of confidence against a Ballina side that were hit by injuries with man of the match against Silvermines, Eoghan Power, along with Steven O’Brien and Charlie King all ruled out.

They were over-reliant on Jack Collins from placed balls, whereas the Swan had a greater spread of scorers. Their full forward line in particular were in fine form, hitting 2-7 from play while Callum Lanigan was unerring from placed balls, and midfielder Aaron O’Halloran chipped in with 1-1.

Carrick Swan started the livelier with Gavin O’Halloran getting the scoreboard moving inside the opening minute. Callum Walsh doubled this advantage before Jack Collins got Ballina off the mark from a placed ball. Aidan Waters fired over from an acute angle before Ballina hit the next three, Michael Breen landing a huge effort from beyond the half way line and followed up with a long range free. Cillian Ryan got his first to put Ballina ahead for what would be the only time in the game.

Carrick upped their game, hitting the next five points, Callum Lanigan with two frees and one from play, and Aaron Dunne & Eric O’Halloran with a point each. Josh Egan and David Kelly were on the mark for Ballina reducing the deficit to two. However, the Swan replied through Taylor Fleming, Aaron O’Halloran and Aidan Waters before Jack Collins closed out the half with a converted free to leave the half time score Carrick Swan 0-11, Ballina 0-7.

Ballina needed a positive start after the break and Jack Collins pointed after ten seconds. However, from the resulting puck-out Aidan Waters blasted past Simon Grace when he followed up on a save from Callum Lanigan. Ballina reacted with points from Cillian Ryan and Jack Collins to cut the Swan advantage down to four.

The next twelve minutes were even enough with play moving up and down the field. Aidan Waters set up Aaron Dunne for his second point, before David Kelly made his mark at the other end. Kelly and Cillian Ryan were coming more into the game and that was reflected in the scoring pattern.

The Swan were finding it difficult to pull away despite threatening on occasions. Aidan Waters found his range for his third and Jack Collins hit his fifth. Callum Lanigan and Zak Egan traded points to keep the Swan ahead by five with a quarter of an hour to play.

Their second goal came on 46 minutes when Callum Lanigan opened up the Ballina defence before laying off to Aaron O’Halloran who scored from close range.

Danny O’Hanlon was then introduced and fired over with his first touch when he latched onto a ball from Eric O’Halloran. A minute later, O’Hanlon got his second when he prevented a high ball from going over the end-line, before splitting the posts.

The Swan were seven to the good with seven minutes of normal time remaining, but Ballina struck back with a point from David Kelly which was followed up with a similar score from sub Matthew Power. Jack Collins reduced the deficit to four when he put over his eighth point to keep the game alive.

The game finished on a high. Firstly, Aaron Dunne raced through the Ballina defence for goal number three, and two minutes into added time David Kelly got in for a late Ballina major when he was first to react to a great save by Kieran Lonergan from a Billy Collins low drive, for what was the last action of the game.

Player of the Match: Aidan Waters (Carrick Swan).

Carrick Swan: Kieran Lonergan (7); Dean Kiely (6), Scott Hogan (6), Jack Murphy (7); Colin Loughman (7), Gavin O’Halloran (0-1, 8), Ben Mulcaire (7), Aaron O’Halloran (1-1, 8), Dean Waters (6), Eric O’Halloran (0-1, 7), Callum Lanigan (0-5, 4f, 7), Taylor Fleming (0-1, 6), Aidan Waters (1-3, 8), Aaron Dunne (1-3, 8), Callum Walsh (0-1, 7).

Subs: Danny O’Hanlon (0-2, 8) for Walsh (49), Colin Waters (6) for Hogan (54 inj); Owen Harrigan (NR) for Fleming (58), Dean Walsh (NR) for A Waters (58).

Ballina: Simon Grace (6); Paddy O’Donovan (7), David Grace (6), Terry O’Halloran (6); Zak Egan (0-1, 6), Michael Breen (0-2, 1f, 7), James Hanly (7), David Coughlan (6), Jack Collins (0-8, 6f, 8), Ben King (6), Josh Egan (0-1, 6), Kian Donnelly (6), Corey Ryan (6), David Kelly (1-3, 8), Cillian Ryan (0-3, 7).

Subs: Billy Collins (6) for King (HT), Matthew Power (0-1, 7) for Ryan (44).

Referee: John Butler (Upperchurch/Drombane).