23/09/05 - Division 1A
Ballyheigue (0) V AC Athletic (1)
Team: M O'leary
D Casey
N Gilbride
C Griffin
M Lucid
J Griffin
M Slattery
N Flahive
N Stack
T Diggins
P Casey
Subs: M Harkin
Team: Cyril Dineen
John Fitzgerald
Mark Walshe
Conor Harty
Shane Leahy
Conor Diggins
Barry Walshe
Eamonn Fitzgerald
Kieran Young
John Mike Dooley
Stephen Goggin
Subs: Pat Spillane for Stephen Goggin
Shane Harty for Shane Leahy
Athletic opened their season with a creditable away victory against their near neighbours on a glorious autumn evening in Kerry Head. AC had just been pipped for promotion to the Premiership last season but showed no signs of a hangover as they gave their hosts few chances once a lead had been established.

Much of AC’s ability lies in their experienced centre backs Conor Harty and Mark Walsh. Ballyheigue threw on the equally experienced Mark Harkin and together with Mike Slattery he tried very hard to unpick the lock. But the visitors’ duo refused to be shifted and ‘keeper Cyril Dineen was hardly tested throughout.

At the other end, Ballyheigue ‘keeper Mike O’Leary was the busier, particularly in the second half as AC went into counter-attack mode with John Mike Dooley in particular seeking to open his account.

It was a goal from another source however that won the match. In first half injury time Steve Goggin picked the ball up outside the right edge of the area. Seeing Dooley marked he opted to try his luck and sent a fizzing drive past O’Leary into the far corner.

On the balance of things, AC probably just deserved it. They created the better chances overall and might well have extended their lead towards the end of the match.

Ballyheigue had drawn their opening game against Spa Road, where chances came frequently. This time they were at a premium. AC might have opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Dooley connected with Barry Walsh’s free kick to send his volley wide of the far post.

As Ballyheigue settled ‘keeper Dineen was forced to punch Colm Griffin’s free clear. But Barry Walsh was deprived of the opener by O’Leary’s brave dive to whisk the ball off his foot moments later.

AC then pressed the home side back. Twice in succession Mike Lucid rose highest to power defensive headers away. Then AC midfielder, Eamon Fitzgerald’s dangerous cross from the left caused temporary panic in the Ballyheigue defence before Tom Diggins and Jason Griffin scrambled it away for a corner. Both Nicholas Stack and Ned Flahive began to work the left touchline and Stack was unlucky to see his header miss the far post.

Dineen then plucked Paul Casey’s cross off of Slattery’s head as Ballyheigue put some pressure on Athletic’s goal. AC countered in the forty-second minute with a Dooley lob over the ‘keeper which Colm Griffin cleared off the line. Then came the key score from Goggin on the stroke of half time.

Dineen did well to hold Flahive’s effort early in the second half. But Ballyheigue thought they had got the equaliser in the 65th minute. Dineen’s attempted punch fell to Paul Casey. His instant header seemed destined for the top corner until Dineen recovered to grasp the ball under the bar. AC were now in familiar territory.

Sub Pat Spillane and Dooley were left to forage alone as the rest retreated into a tight shell. Griffin tried a long distance effort which went wide and Dineen held Lucid’s header from a corner. Dooley nearly sealed the game two minutes from time with a lob over O’Leary that faded past the post but it took an excellent block by Eamon Fitzgerald to stop Colm Griffin’s goalbound injury time strike.

So honours go to AC in a sportingly fought local derby well handled by late replacement referee John O’Regan.

(c) Kerryman.
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