Cha Dwyer’s brilliance leads Ballinakill to crucial Laois GAA SHC win over The Harps

Cha Dwyer’s second-half performance was the difference as Ballinakill got a crucial victory over The Harps with a two-point win, which went down to the wire.

Dwyer scored 1-4 in the second period as his positional switch proved vital. However, Ballinakill just about hung on in the end as Ciaran Comerford had a chance at the death to draw it but had to settle for a point, ending a brilliant game in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday evening. 

The first-half was an entertaining and even enough half as no team led by more than three points at any stage. It was Ballinakill that opened the scoring with a free, Ciaran Comerford came into his own, hitting two frees to give The Harps the lead in the early stages. Ben O’Mara equalised soon after and the game went into a lull for a few minutes with both teams registering wides.

The Harps hit the front with two points from Comerford, who was causing all sorts of problems. Podge Delaney then added his first point as The Harps led 0-5 to 0-2. The teams would then trade points on two occasions, with Delaney and Hugh Whelan getting The Harps' scores, while Cha Dwyer got Ballinakill’s scores after long-range points.

Comerford added his fifth of the night, but Ballinakill hit back through O’Mara and Seamus Fitzpatrick. James Duggan who wasn’t listed to start, started and got his first of the evening as it was tit for tat all the way through. Podge Delaney added another to give his side the lead by three points. Ballinakill finished the half stronger with points from O’Mara and a Brian Duggan free.

In the next play, Ballinakill hit a crucial goal from O’Mara, just on the stroke of half-time, which was pivotal. Ciaran Comerford ended the half with a free in reply as Ballinakill led 1-10 to 0-12 at half-time.

The second half was similar, with both sides trading blows, and the game went down to the wire. Comerford opened up with a free before Dwyer started to make the headlines by hitting two points. Comerford again kept his side in the game through a free and Justin Duggan then levelled matters again.

Brian Duggan added a free for Ballinakill and a Dwyer point restored their lead to two. Ross Deegan got a brilliant score for The Harps to narrow the gap. Dwyer added another from a free, with his influence growing and growing as the game went on. Justin Duggan found a point as both teams struggled to pull away.

Ballinakill then got their second goal from a free. Cha Dwyer stood over it and went for the juggler and fired it to the net, leaving The Harps' defence on the ground. The Harps rallied after that with Ciaran Comerford nailing three frees to bring it back to a two-point game. Dwyer got another crucial point to break the momentum of The Harps as they were starting to dominate as the game entered the last stages.

The excellent Comerford and Brian Duggan would trade points yet again as four minutes were signalled for added time. Goalkeeper Paul Simms landed a huge free for Ballinakill to put three in it again and it looked like it was just enough.
The Harps pushed for a goal and Ciaran Comerford had the chance to level it, but his effort just went over the bar and Ballinakill held out for a crucial victory.

Final Score

Ballinakill 2-19

The Harps 0-23

SCORERS – Ballinakill: Cha Dwyer 1-7 (1-2 frees), Ben O’Mara 1-4, Brian Duggan 0-5 (three frees), Seamus Fitzpatrick 0-2, Paul Simms 0-1 (free). The Harps: Ciaran Comerford 0-13 (eight frees), Podge Delaney 0-4 (two frees), Justin Duggan and James Duggan 0-2 each, Ross Deegan and Hugh Whelan 0-1 each.

BALLINAKILL: Paul Simms; Noel Duggan, Ian Shanahan, Cian O’Shaughnessy; Andrew McDonagh, Cha Dwyer, Podge Lawlor; Gearoid Lynch, Ethan Drury; Ben O’Mara, Seamus Fitzpatrick, Eddie Dwyer; Brian Duggan, Ryan Quinlan, Dylan Byrne-Grey. Subs: Lir McDonald for O’Shaughnessy (injured – 21), Jamie Drury for Lawlor (38)

THE HARPS: Michael Lanigan; Jack Kennedy, Cody Comerford, Rory Dunne; Ciaran Flynn, Padraic Dunne, Cathal Murphy; Daniel Comerford, Eoghan Doheny; Podge Delaney, Ciaran Comerford, Hugh Whelan; Justin Duggan, James Duggan, Ross Deegan. Subs: Conor Brophy for Doheny (38), Michael Monahan for Kennedy (injured – 45), Cathal Phelan for Whelan (50), Pat Walsh for Deegan (53), Rian Edwards for Murphy (53)

REFEREE: Michael Cleere (Rathdowney-Errill)

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