Ballymac see off Ardfert challenge to book Kerry Premier JFC final berth

STICKY CHALLENGERS: Fiachra Ennis, Ardfert and Dan O'Shea, Ballymacelligott in action. Pic: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD.

Kerry Premier JFC semi-final: Ballymacelligott 2-12 Ardfert 1-10.

There were some sighs of relief blended into the Ballymac celebrations as they eventually saw off the sticky challenge of Ardfert on Saturday to make their first Kerry Premier JFC final.

That the Division 1 side has not got over the line in a Championship final since their Novice Championship success in the mid-nineties weighs heavily. 

They lost two intermediate finals afterwards and are now heading into a third successive season in the top flight of Kerry’s Co League, but knockout football seems to stir their stress tanks.

They frittered away four goal chances and had 12 wides at Austin Stack Park against a club who are the epitome of never-say-die. It made for a fraught hour for the loud Ballymac support. 

They will play the winners of Sunday’s other semi between Listowel and Annascaul, and they will need to show a lot more poise in the final than here if Ballymac are to return to the intermediate grade.

In midfielder Aidan Breen, they have arguably the best non-inter-county footballer in the grade, and they needed his 35-year-old maturity to close this one out. An Ardfert point from sub Eoghan McElligott made it a one-score game in the 54th minute (2-10 to 1-10), and all Ballymac’s old ghosts were lurking again.

A penalty, converted by Breen, in the 40th minute had given Ballymac the 2-10 to 1-7 leeway they needed, and with it, an extra man, with Ardfert keeper Nicholas O’Sullivan black-carded for the foul on Vinny Horan. 

That should have been that, but bad wide after bad wide followed for Ballymac. Meanwhile, Nathan O’Driscoll was showing well in the Ardfert attack, and they reeled off three points on the bounce to keep Ballymac on edge.

It said as much for Ballymac’s panicked profligacy as it did for Ardfert’s resilience that the winners’ halftime advantage was only two points, 1-7 to 1-5.

They wasted four clean goal opportunities – two of them produced points – while Ardfert’s only real sight on goal was clinically finished by Colin Walsh after 16 minutes.

It was the lifeline Ardfert needed, as Ballymac had steadily built a 1-4 to 0-1 advantage in the opening quarter. Their goal in the 9th minute was created by Micheal Reidy and finished by Donal Daly, but it was a rare show of precision finishing from the favourites.

Ardfert, as physical as ever and lucky not to be down to 14 men in the opening minute when Brandon Barrett clearly punched a Ballymac player, got a foothold in the second quarter, courtesy of midfielder Fionan Mackessy and forwards Bobby O’Regan and David Griffin.

Though Ballymac restored a 1-6 to 1-1 lead on 20 minutes, Ardfert would claim the next four points, with Jordan Brick claiming a brace. Griffin went off injured but Nathan O’Driscoll was as lively in his stead, and kicked a fine point in the 28th minute. 

O’Regan reduced the gap to a point before Niall Collins grabbed his third point of the half for Ballymac to take a two-point lead into the interval.

Collins, a Kerry minor in 2021, finished with four points, and along with Breen and Vinny Horan, they managed to keep Ardfert at arm’s length but there was always the sense that they needed to be more than one score ahead. 

Collins won a soft free in the 58th minute to provide that insurance free for Breen (2-11 to 1-10), before Horan placed Adam Sheehy to close the deal.

Scorers for Ballymac: A Breen (1-3, 1-0 pen, 3f), N Collins (0-4), D Daly (1-1), D Keane (0-2), M Reidy, A Sheehy (0-1 each) 

Scorers for Ardfert: B O’Regan (0-3, 1f), C Walsh (1-0), J Brick (0-2), N O’Driscoll (0-2), F Ennis, O Ferris (f), E McElligott (0-1 each)

BALLYMACELLIGOTT: C Leen; D Sweeney, D O’Shea, J O’Keeffe; C Counihan, T Brick, T O’Connor, D Sweeney; A Breen, M Reidy; N Collins, D Keane, A Sheehy; D Daly, V Horan, B Lonergan.

Subs for Ballymac: D Broderick for Lonergan (55), P McCarthy for Keane (61); M Sweeney for Broderick (65); D O’Regan for Collins (66) 

ARDFERT: N O’Sullivan; S Brosnan, T Wallace, G O’Riordan; E Leen, F O’Sullivan, E Ferris; F Mackessy, F Ennis; C Walsh, B O’Regan, B Barrett; J Brick, D Griffin, O Ferris.

Subs for Ardfert: N O’Driscoll for Griffin (17); D Kearney for O’Riordan (half time); G Horan for F O’Sullivan (41); E McElligott for N O’Sullivan (52); S Leen for Ennis (55).

Referee: P O’Sullivan (Firies).