The Reigning Champions unbeaten record in the Championship of 2022 continues following a hard fought victory over neighbours Clarecastle in Cusack Park Ennis.
In a hotly contested encounter featuring superb individual duals throughout the field, it was Ballyea’s chance creation and fleet of foot in the final third that proved the difference.
Aaron Griffin was scorer in chief for the winners as he would go on to rack up seven points from play throughout the evening whilst Morgan Garry and Paul Flannagan were constantly in possession to set up the next attack
For the Magpies Eoghan Wallace was a stalwart in defence whilst Bobby Duggan led the offensive with four first half points and a fantastic save by netminder Cian Broderick in the opening period from a Tony Kelly strike , kept the sides in touching distance at the break.
At the half time whistle the sides departed at Ballyea 0-11 to Clarecastle’s 0-06.
On the restart Patrick Kelly and Bobby Duggan both pointed for Clarecastle reducing the gap to three and it appeared the comeback may be on, however at this crucial juncture, the champions found their rhythm , grabbing six of the next eight points and egineering a seven point lead in the process with just ten minutes remaining in the tie.
However the games only goal and best feature followed soon afterwards , when a route one clearance from Clarecastle was supremely gathered by Bobby Duggan on the edge of the Ballyea square and despite the vigorous attentions of Paul Flannagan and Peter Casey on his flanks, Duggan found the space to produce a rocket to the top right corner of Barry Coote’s net, re-igniting the contest once more.
Unfortunately for the Magpies the energetic response from this superb piece of skill came from Aaron Griffin who would point twice in quick succession with Tony Kelly also getting in on the action with a brace from play.
Darragh Healy and Bobby Duggan then added frees for the Magpies before the full time whistle sounded, in what may yet prove crucial in the scoring difference stakes.
It finished at Cusack Park, Ballyea 0-21 to Clarecastle’s 1-14