Passage were determined to start strongly after several recent slow starts and after a vigorous warm-up they dominated the opening stages and took the opening point through Ronan Cooney. Several wides followed and then Ballinora showed how dangerous they could be by breaking fast and scoring 1-04 without reply. Passage stuck to their task however and tagged on two more points from Anthony Kidney and after a great team move Kidney was through on goal when he was dragged back by a Ballinora defender. Kidney slotted home the penalty and Passage finished the half with an excellent score by Dara Murphy. Score at half time was 1-04 to 1-04.
Passage began the second half in great style and had Ballinora on the rack with three excellent long rang points from Cian Power and a rocket of a free kick from Anto Kidney which rebounded off the crossbar and was met on the half volley by Tony McCarthy who hammered an unstoppable shot past the Ballinora keeper. At this stage Passage were five points ahead and it looked as if they would win easily, but in fact they finished the game on the back foot as Ballinora launched attack after attack.
The Passage defence was under massive pressure as Ballinora star man, John Poland, was having a blinder at centre forward and later on at full forward. Passage centre back, Aaron Horan, however gave nothing away easily and ably assisted by wing back, Fiachra Kelleher, put Poland under pressure forcing several wides. Any time that Ballinora burst through they were pushed back by man of the match, Mark Horan, at full back whose fielding in the conditions was superb and equally his delivery of the ball out of defence to a team-mate. Ballinora scored a late goal and struck the upright with the last kick of the match to give Passage the win by a single point, for the third consecutive game. Final score Passage 2-07 Ballinora 2-06.
For Passage Ronan Cooney, Dara Murphy, Liam Cotter, and Tony McCarthy were lively up front. Cian Power and Keelan O'Flynn worked tirelessly in midfield, and the Horan brothers were defiant in defence. Next up for Passage is the final against Blarny at 2:30pm on Saturday Nov 26th in Manning Park.
Pasáiste Abú