AIB Ulster Club IFC quarter-final
Ballinderry (Derry) 1-14 Carrickcruppen (Armagh) 0-12
INJURY-TIME frees from Shea McCann and Ben McKinless sealed Ballinderry’s spot in the last four of the Ulster Club IFC later this month.
A free from Armagh ‘keeper Blaine Hughes had pulled Carrickcruppen back to within a point with 13 minutes to go.
It seemed a million miles away from when the Shamrocks led 0-7 to 0-1 after a rampant opening.
Fast forward to the final quarter, with just a point between the sides, it was Niall O’Donnell who answered the Ballinderry call.
After taking a pass from Aaron Mullan he thumped to the net to open up a four-point lead.
It should’ve put Ballinderry in the driving seat but within seconds they were down to 14 men.
Ryan Bell appeared to push out in the aftermath of the goal but referee James Lewis deemed it a strike before brandishing a red card.
It came five minutes after Carrickcruppen’s Ross Flynn had been dismissed on a second booking.
Carrickcruppen missed late chances to pull themselves back into the game before Ballinderry got the daylight they needed.
The Derry champions started without the suspended Gareth McKinless but it was his replacement Darren Lawn who dictated most of the early play as they controlled the opening 20 minutes.
Shea McCann lofted over the opening point with Ben Matthews replying for the Armagh champions.
A kick-out to Charlie Crozier led to Lawn creating a chance for O’Donnell to slot over his opening score. Two Lawn points then put Ballinderry six up. They were composed and cruising.
On the flip side, Carrickcruppen carried ball into tackles with Ballinderry hitting them on the break.
The visitors then hit four unanswered scores from Woods (2), Sloan and Cathal O’Grady during their period of urgency.
It was Ballinderry who finished the half on the front foot, with Forbes surging upfield to fist over for a 0-8 to 0-5 interval lead.
Crozier kicked Ballinderry four up and they may have pushed further clear had Adam Matthews not blocked Matthew Smyth’s half-chance for goal.
Sloan, Woods (2) and a sweet point from Eoin Kane pulled Carrickcruppen back into contention by the mid-point of the second half.
They looked dangerous with their pace and when Hughes drilled over his free to make the score 0-11 to 0-10, Ballinderry were under the cosh.
While the Armagh men played with two banks of four in their kick-out press, Ben McKinless was always able to pick out a short option to get Ballinderry control of the ball.
When the key score arrived in the 49th minute, it was a late run from Niall O’Donnell that created the goal chance. Aaron Mullan’s pass was perfect with O’Donnell not having to break stride before hammering to the net.
The sending off of Bell heaped the pressure back on Ballinderry. They didn’t have his presence to thwart any high balls into their defence like in their Derry final replay win over Faughanvale.
Matt Quinn, Ryan O’Neill and Oisin Duffin all had key possessions to ease the threat before the late points sealed victory.
The Shamrocks now take on Derrylaughan in the semi-final.
Ballinderry B McKinless (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 45); E Rocks, O Duffin, R O’Neill; D Lawn (0-2), A Mullan; M Smyth, N O’Donnell (1-2), R Forbes (0-1); S Coleman, C Crozier (0-3 frees); T Rocks, S McCann (0-4, 0-2 frees); O Mullan, R Bell
Subs E Devlin for E Rocks (43), M Quinn for Smyth (47), D McKinless for O Mullan (56), C Mallon for Lawn (59)
Yellow card A Mullan (29)
Red card R Bell (49)
Carrickcruppen B Hughes (0-1 free); U Quigley, C Sloan (0-2, 0-1 free), R Magee; O O’Hare, A Matthews, T O’Hare; M Hughes, J Cunningham; R Flynn, C O’Grady (0-1), E Woods (0-5, 0-3 frees); E Kane (0-2), Daire Kelly, B Matthews (0-1)
Subs T Kelly for Sloan (45), C O’Callaghan for A Matthews (45), C Cunningham for Quigley (50) A Watters for O O’Hare (55)
Yellow cards T O’Hare (30), A Matthews (33), R Flynn (31, 44), J Cunningham (62)
Red card R Flynn (44)
Referee J Lewis (Fermanagh)
