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| 13/08/06 - Final Henneberys Sports Reserve Cup |
| AC Athletic (1) |
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Ballyheigue (0) |
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| Team: |
Cyril Dineen
John Fitzgerald
Mark Walshe
Conor Harty
David O'Reilly
Derek Carroll
Barry Walshe 
Eamon Fitzgerald
Stephen Goggin
John Mike Dooley  
David Leahy
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| Subs: |
Conor Diggins for Stephen Goggin
Pat Spillane for Derek Carroll
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| Team: |
Michael Leary
Nick Stack
Noel Gilbride
Jason Casey
Paul Casey
Niall Heaton
Kevin O’Sullivan
Richard Hartnett
Jason Grifffin
Mark Dineen
Declan Quille.
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| Subs: |
Mikey Harte
Damian Casey
Frances Flaherty
Thomas Diggins
Paul Galwey
John McDonald.
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Ballyheigue pay the penalty as Athletic have more in reserve
Click picture to enlarge.
The curtain came down on The Kerry District League programme at Mounthawk Park in Tralee on Sunday with the Hennebery’s Sports Reserve Cup Final which was part of a double header at soccer headquarters. This was the big heavyweight North Kerry local Derby between AC Athletic and Ballyheigue.
An enthusiastic crowd was present for the big showdown with high expectations of a keenly contested game.
Played in excellent conditions this was a typical local derby game played with a tremendous amount of passion and conviction.
AC Athletic entered the game as warm favourites after winning Division 1A of the Kerry District League in very impressive style just a couple of weeks ago.
However, the boys from Ballyheigue had their own aspirations of bringing silverware back to the seaside town and got about their task in workmanlike fashion.
Ballyheigue opened the game very brightly and were putting a lot of pressure on the AC rearguard.
However they were unable to create clear cut scoring opportunities and rarely forced the AC goalkeeper Cyrill Dineen into making a save.
They were enjoying a lot of superiority in the midfield area and they had AChance to open their account after 10 minutes when Declan Quille sent in an inch perfect pass to Mark Dineen but his rushed his effort and his shot went well wide of the goals.
While AC were finding it hard to contend with a much more committed Ballyheigue side they looked very dangerous on the break with striker John Mike Dooley always difficult to contend with.
However, neither side could break the deadlock in a rather poor first half which was devoid of any type of free flowing football.
Both sides were guilty of hoofing the ball up into the air which made the game a poor spectacle to watch.
However the temperature of the game increased in the second half and within just two minutes AC Athletic took the lead with a very well crafted goal.
Mark Walsh cleared the ball out of defence and it found it way to Eamon Fitzgerald. The agile midfield sent an inch perfect pass to John Mike Dooley who found the Ballyheigue defence ball watching and the gifted AC striker gave the advancing Ballyheigue goalkeeper Michael Leahy no chance from close range.
Two minutes later AC should have gone two up when John Mike Dooley sent in a perfect cross to David Reilly and to his colleagues amazement he headed wide with only the goallkeeper to beat from 6 yards.
At this stage it appeared as if AC were heading for an easy victory but to their credit Ballyheigue stuck to their task and were putting plenty of pressure on the AC rearguard.
By now the game had turned into a tension charged affair and the tackles were coming in fast and furious by both sides. Ballyheigue were dominating exchanges at midfield but were unable to unhinge a rock solid AC rearguard.
Then Ballyheigue were presented with the opportunity of squaring up affairs when Francis Flaherty was taken down inside the box and referee Seamus O’Mahony had no hesitation in pointing to the spot for a penalty kick.
However, Ballyheigue’s aspirations of equalising were shattered when Paul Casey completely miss hit the penalty kick and it trickled harmlessly wide.
Ballyheigue went all out for an equaliser in the concluding stages of the game but despite their best efforts they never had the capability of breaching the AC defence.
The game ended in a rather sour note with a number of off the ball incidents with AC’s John Mike Dooley being shown a red card just minutes from the end of the game.
It general it was a rather poor game that lacked continuity of play and both sides are capable of playing much better football than this.
Best for the winners were Jim Fitzgerald, Conor Harty and Mark Walsh in defence, Barry Walsh and Stephen Goggin in midfield while John Mike Dooley had that extra bit of class up front which proved decisive at the end of the day.
Ballyheigue will feel aggrieved that they did not come out of this game with at least a draw and they had top drawer performances from Noel Gilbride, Jason Griffin, mark Dineen and Declan Quille.
There was great scenes of jubilation as the Henneberys Reserve Cup was presented to the captain of the AC Athletic side Barry Walsh by Sean O’Keeffe chairman of the Kerry District League.
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