Ballyheigue 3-14, Crotta O Neills 1-9
WITH a display of ruthless efficiency, particularly in the second half, when they had the aid of the strong breeze, holders Ballyheigue became the first team to advance to the semi-finals of the AIB County SHC when they easily disposed of the challenge of Crotta O'Neill's in this onesided quarter-final clash in Tralee on Friday evening.
In so doing, the seasiders issued catch us if you can warning to the other teams left in the race for the Neilus Flynn trophy, and on the evidence of this display, it would take very good team effort to deny Ballyheigue a second successive county title.
In all, seven players including all six forwards contributed to Ballyheigue s final tally, while the displays of the seasiders three inter-county stars, Brendan O Sullivan, Michael Boxer Slattery and county goalkeeper John Healy, who lined out at right full-forward, has to come in for special mention.
Between them, all three contributed 3-10 of their team s final tally, with Slattery , not for the first time in his career, emerging s top-scorer on the night with a personal haul of eight points.
After county star Padraig Cronin had initially given Crotta the lead with a pointed free after only two minutes for a foul on David Kearney.
Almost immediately, though, Ballyheigue hit back with a bang when speculative lob from Brendan O Sullivan which appeared to be going wide, suddenly deceived Crotta goal-keeper Tom Red McElligott and ended up in the net, much to the horror of the Crotta supporters.
Crotta recovered well from this set back and after Michael Slattery (free) and David Kearney traded points, they trailed by two points after five minutes.
In the eighth minute, Brendan O Mahony from a free for a foul on Sean Twomey, reduced the gap to the minimum and it appeared that anything could happen.
Then, in the 12th minute, newcomer David Kearney, goaled for Crotta and this score put them into a 1-3 to 1-2 lead.
Kearney followed up with a minor shortly afterwards and suddenly it appeared that Crotta, who had the advantage of the breeze in the first half, might reproduce their famous victory of two years ago and when Sean Twomey increased their lead to three points as the game approached the second quarter, the odds on a Crotta victory were shortening.
Ballyheigue, though, refused to panic and points from Michael Slat-tery (2) and John Healy following pass from Jason Griffin meant that the scores were level t 1-5 apiece with 20 minutes gone on the watch.
Padraig Cronin put Crotta into the lead with a point from a 65 in the 28th minute but Jason Griffin brought proceedings to a close when he levelled the scores right on the call of referee Ger Neenan s half-time whistle. Both sides thus retired to the dressing rooms at 1-6 apiece.
Crotta, who now faced the elements, needed a good start if they were to keep their dreams of victory alive.
Alas, though, this did not happen as Michael Slattery pointed Ballyheigue into a lead they never subsequently relinquished within three minutes of the resumption.
Crotta s chances were suddenly disappearing and when Brendan O Sullivan scored his second goal of the game after a long through ball from Noel Gilbride in the 37th minute to put the winners four points to the good, Crotta were suddenly all at sea.
Even though they tried to make light of a difficult situation with points from Brendan O Mahony and David Kearney.
Crotta, though, badly needed a goal to revive their flagging challenge.
They almost got one in the 42nd minute, but Ballyheigue goalie Patrick Corridan saved splendidly from Sean Twomey nd David Kearney in turn.
With this went Crotta s last hopes, and when John Healy scored goal number three of the game for the seasiders from a Michael Slattery pass, the victors were 3-8 to 1-8 clear.
Convincing
By now, the only question that remained was what Ballyheigue s final tally would be, and in the last 12 minutes, they outscored Crotta by 0-6 to 0-1 with John Healy, Alan Murphy, Michael Slattery (3) and full-forward Eamonn O Sullivan all contributing white flags to edge home very convincing winners.
Teams and Scorers: Ballyheigue:
Patrick Corridan, Michael Lucid, Edward Power, Padraig O Connor, Colm Griffin, Willie Joe Leen, Pat Harrington (Capt), Kevin O Sullivan (0-1), Noel Gilbride, Alan Murphy (0-1), Brendan O Sullivan (2-0), Jason Griffin (0-1), Michael Slattery (0-8), Eamonn O Sullivan (0-1), John Healy (1-2).
Subs: Ed Flahive for Padraig O Connor, Tom Brendan O Connor for John Healy, Nicholas Stack for Kevin O Sullivan.
Crotta O Neill s: Tom Red McElligott, Fergus O Sullivan, Tom Cronin, J.P. Quilter, Denis Mahony, Tom Blond McElligott, Andrew Keane, Declan Fuller, Padraig Cronin (0-2), Sean Twomey (0-1), David Kearney (1-3), Jerome O Sullivan, Brendan Mahony (0-3), Diarmuid McElligott, Pete McGrath.
Subs: Kevin Galvin for Diarmuid McElligott , Jack Twomey for Declan Fuller.
Referee: Ger Neenan (Abbeydorney)
