By Colm O’Connor
IT MATTERED:
After Warren Egan’s equaliser in the 60th minute, Ryan Basquel’s perfectly-judged kick from distance put Ballyboden ahead as the momentum had well and truly shifted their way.
CAN’T IGNORE…(EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT):
Just how brutal the conditions were. Both sets of players should be commended for what they offered on a pig of an afternoon.
GOOD DAY:
Yet again Ballyboden came good when it mattered most. That never-say-die attitude will serve as a warning to Kilcoo ahead of next month’s battle in Cavan.
BAD DAY:
There were tears among the Éire Óg players afterwards and you couldn’t but feel for them. Still, they were the second best team and the conditions may have been a leveller.
PHYSIO ROOM:
Brian Bobbett seemed to be the only Ballyboden player suffering afterwards. Paul McElligott’s day ended prematurely in the first half after a collision.
SIDELINE SMARTS:
Ballyboden probably didn’t let the ball do as much work for them in the second half as they should have and it almost cost them but the patience preached from the sideline was followed and paid off.
BEST ON SHOW:
Both full-back lines did well but then the quality of ball going into their markers wasn’t of great quality. Seán Gannon worked tirelessly for Éire Óg and was unfortunate to be on the losing side. For Ballyboden, the substitutes made a difference but from the off Cathal Flaherty was excellent and the Basquels were always working.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE.
Just as it was an atrociously difficult game to play in, it was as much one for the referee. Fergal Smyth fared okay but could have signalled a lot more than he did and without doing so some of his calls led to confusion.
NEXT UP.
Ballyboden St Enda’s face Ulster champions Kilcoo in a January 4 All-Ireland semi-final in Kingspan Breffni Park.