BALLYBAY BEST SECOND TIME ROUND

BALLYBAY 1-11
CARRICKMACROSS 0-10
by COLM SHALVEY

BALLYBAY made their second chance count with a four-point win over Carrickmacross in their Gormley uPVC Senior Football Championship preliminary-round replay at Clontibret last Sunday.
Ballybay have been the highest goal-scoring team in senior football for the last few years and again so far this season and it was one of those three-pointers, scored by Shane McQuillan midway through the second half, which proved crucial here.
Both sides made two changes from the drawn game. Ballybay had Paul Finlay and Ryan Wylie back, while Carrick had Stephen Gollogly and James McGeown fit again, although the loss of Peter O’Hanlon to America for the summer weakened their midfield. Wylie, along with his brother Drew and Fergal Smyth, backboned the Ballybay defence, while Thomas Kerr, Christopher McGuinness and McQuillan showed well up front.
Gollogly, Eoin Sherry, Mark McNally and Paddy Lonergan led Carrick’s challenge, but they will now have to head for the back door.
Carrickmacross were first off the mark when Stephen Gollogly won and scored a 25-metre free, but a well-taken point by Christopher McGuinness brought Ballybay level. Drew Wylie added a good point with his left foot, but neither team scored in the following eight minutes, with a couple of promising chances going untaken.
Thomas Kerr left a scoreable free short for Ballybay, while David Murnaghan hit an upright after a short ’45 by Cillian Cromwell for Carrick, who also had a shot at goal by Paddy Lonergan blocked.
Paul Finlay converted a 25-metre free for a foul on Kerr to double Ballybay’s lead and he was also involved, along with Tommy O’Neill, in setting up Shane McQuillan for a point from play.
McGuinness moved Ballybay four clear with a fine score after good work by Kerr and Fergal McArdle, but an equally good effort by Gollogly ended 23 scoreless minutes for Carrick.
Eoin Sherry narrowed the gap to two points and although Ballybay replied when McGuinness sent a clever punched effort over the bar from a Brian McCabe centre, Lonergan tapped over a 20-metre free after …