REPORT/PHOTOS: Gallant Ballyheigue Bow Out As Abbeydorney Advance

Mike O’Halloran watched Abbeydorney beat Ballyheigue in the Round 2A Garveys Supervalu Kerry SHC clash in Austin Stack Park yesterday…

Ballyheigue 0-13

Abbeydorney 2-13

Players contest a puck out. Photo by Dermot Crean

At halftime, nobody gave Ballyheigue a chance in this game as they trailed on a scoreline of 0-4 to 2-8, but they started a revival that saw them use every ounce of energy they had in them to score nine points and to come within two scores of Abbeydorney.

Ballyheigue opened brightly showing great passion and matching Abbeydorney everywhere but on the scoreboard.

Philip Lucid, Adrian Flahive and Pa Regan had their points, Abbeydorney scored two goals from Niall O’Mahony and a well-worked goal from Ronan Donovan when Nigel Roche passed a free to him and he ripped the net on eighteen minutes.

Continued below…

Abbeydorney had three points each from Nigel Roche and the excellent James O’Connor and one each from Ronan Donovan and Daniel O’Leary in the first half.

Abbeydorney only managed to add five points in the second half all of them coming from the stick of Nigel Roche.

The Ballyheigue challenge rose significantly, they curbed the influence of James O’Connor and upped their own performance.

Brian O’Leary chases Ballyheigue’s Chris Mahony. Photo by Dermot Crean

Ballyheigue had one gilt-edged goal chance hit the crossbar from Jason Casey, Philip Lucid blasted a 20 metre free over the bar when a goal effort beckoned. Those chances with a raft of wides could have seen them finish closer to Abbeydorney.

Abbeydorney won and without taking from their achievement, spare a thought for gallant Ballyheigue who are fighting hard to keep a senior team going while they wait for their underage work bear fruit.

Ballyheigue go out of the championship with their heads held high, Abbeydorney go to the next round having learned valuable lessons that will stand them in good stead for an attempt to reach to final. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS…