Mount Sion up the tempo after McGrath’s switch to attack

Mount Sion 2-16 Ballyduff Lower 1-8

This was before the champions upped their level of performance several notches and ultimately cruised to a facile victory however.

A double scores defeat did scant justice to Ballyduff, but when the cause was greatest, Sion’s big guns thundered into the fray and their complete dominance in the closing quarter left no room for argument about the result.

The most decisive moment of the game came in the 35th minute with the switch of Ken McGrath from centre back to centre forward at a time when Ballyduff had translated a two point interval deficit into a deserved one point lead.

A shock result looked very much on the cards at that stage, but from the moment he took over in attack McGrath transformed his side’s fortunes, and it was his brilliantly taken goal in the 58th minute that finally sealed and delivered the deserved victory.

Tony Browne took over the pivotal role in defence following McGrath’s switch, and the former All-Star also impacted brilliantly with many of his lengthy clearances setting up scores for forwards that were now in full flight.

As Ballyduff’s resistance finally crumbled, the champions stretched into an unassailable lead, with McGrath’s superb goal two minutes from time the icing on the cake for them.

Although the champions led by two points, 0-9 to 1-4, at the interval, it was Ballyduff who created all the goal chances in that opening half.

Three times only the brilliance of goalkeeper Ian O’Regan prevented Sion’s citadel from falling before it eventually did to Richard Barron’s 29th minute strike.

The outstanding full back play of Ballyduff’s John O’Leary had been one of the highlights of the half, but his side was eventually overwhelmed as the champions found their form.

Three quick fire points on the restart had Ballyduff in front for only the second time. The Mount Sion mentors reacted by moving Ken McGrath to attack and the pendulum swung in the champions’ direction.

There was still only a point separating the sides (0-11 to 1-7) going into the crucial closing quarter, but Sion grabbed this semi-final by the scruff of the neck and were all but out of sight within a matter of minutes.

With his very first touch in the 47th minute, substitute Barry Browne delivered Ballyduff a killer blow when his speculative lob deceived goalkeeper Brian O’Leary, and the ball dipped inside the upright for the most fortuitous of goals.

It marked the beginning of the end of Ballyduff’s challenge. McGrath’s influence increased with every passing minute and the victory was copper-fastened long before his glorious goal in the final minutes.

Scorers: Mount Sion: M. White (0-8, 0-4 frees); K. McGrath (1-1); B. Browne (1-0); E. Kelly (0-3); R. McGrath, S. Ryan (0-1) each. Ballyduff Lower: P. Fitzgerald (0-4); R. Barron (1-0); J. Kennedy (0-2); G. Harris, S. Larkin (0-1) each.

MOUNT SION: I. O’Regan; J. Cleere, A. Kirwan, K. Flynn; K. Stafford, K. McGrath, B. Flannery; E. McGrath, T. Browne; E. Kelly, R. McGrath, D. Kelly; M. White, B. Greene, S. Ryan. Subs: B. Browne for R. McGrath; M. Gaffney for Stafford.

BALLYDUFF LOWER: B. O’Leary; D. Van Veen, J. O’Leary, D. Troy; D. Ryan, C. Kenny, S. Larkin; P. Matthews, P. Leahy; F. Fitzgerald, G. Harris, N. Power; T. Cooper, J. Kennedy R. Barron. Subs: B. Power for Cooper; J. Cuddihy for N. Power.

Referee: Pat Moore, Abbeyside.