We’re staying up! Ahane secured their Senior A status on Saturday evening as they put in top class performance against Ballybrown in Mick Neville Park.

Ahane started playing against the wind, but they did well, as within the first two minutes Tom Morrissey had slotted home a goal using his boot and Niall Moran added a point before Bruff got their opening score from Luke O’Connor. Tom added a free as the wind picked up and the clouds began to gather above the field. It was over and back for the next few minutes as Tom got a serious score from play and Ballybrown’s scores were gotten from Luke and Aidan O’Connor. Just over the ten-minute mark, Mark O’Halloran got Ahane’s fourth point, and all that was separating the teams was Tom’s first minute goal. Ballybrown bought it back to two points before Tom popped the ball over his shoulder and over the bar. First half water break score was Ahane 1-05 Ballybrown 0-05. The second quarter started and Ballybrown got the first two scores before Tom scored another beauty and then got on the end of a well struck Ciarán Barry free to put Ahane three points up once more. Killian Enright got in on the scoring action too and pushed the gap to four, but it was short lived as Ballybrown got a point from play. Half time the score was Ahane 1-08 Ballybrown 0-09.

With it still all to play for, Ahane came out in the second half all guns blazing as Tom scored two points, one from play and one from a free. Showing that it is not just the Ahane forwards who can score, Adam O’Brien jogged out of his goal to take a free well inside his own half and drove it over the bar. Tom scored the next two points and words don’t do either of them justice. They were absolute magic! Ballybrown got their first score of the half in the 38th minute, but again Tom scored a free to keep the Ahane charges with a seven-point cushion. As was the theme throughout the game Ballybrown never gave up and they scored three unanswered points to bring the gap to four. Ronan Fox stepped up and scored for Ahane to keep it at five. The score at the water break was Ahane 1-15 Ballybrown 0-14. Again, it was Ahane that were quickest off the mark in the final quarter as Tom and Paul O’Halloran scored points. Ballybrown got one back before Ronan scored another Ahane point and then Tom scored a free. Ballybrown continued to try and find a gap in the Ahane defence, but they were rock solid with Ciarán Barry having a serious game at centre back, and Evan O’Leary having another super day. Adam O’Brien was called into action in the late stages of the half but he somehow managed to save the shot even with the crowd of players around him. Ballybrown were awarded two close range frees as the game ticked into injury time, but Ciarán made a serious save as did Adam to ensure that the ball never went into the net. Down the other end, Tom popped over another point from play and Ahane’s final point came from full back Padraig Harnett who had a serious game too. In the dying moments of the game Ballybrown did manage to break down the Ahane defence and get their goal but it was too little too late for them as the full-time whistle blew and the score was Ahane 1-21 Ballybrown 1-15.

Huge well done to the lads on a super performance to retain Senior A status for next year. Huge thank you to their management team of Eamonn Meskell, John Meskell, Darren Harrington, and Denis Murrihy for all the hard work and time they have put into this year with the lads. Thanks to Rory O’Donnell and Brian O’Mara who have kept the lads in one piece over the season and to their kitman John Brennan for all he’s done this year! Finally, a massive thank you to our sponsor Unity Credit Union for their continued support, it is greatly appreciated!

Team: A. O’Brien, C. O’Mara, P. Harnett, E. O’Leary, C. Carroll, C. Barry, A. Shanahan; D. Morrissey, M. O’Halloran; D. Minehan, T. Morrissey, R. Fox, K. Enright, P. O’Halloran, N. Moran.

Substitutions: A. Murrihy, W. Brennan (1/2 time for N. Moran inj), M. Donnellan (2nd ½ K. Enright), M. Foley, P. Donohoe, A. Carroll (2nd ½ for M. O’Halloran), E. Enright (2nd ½ for P. O’Halloran), D. McCarthy (2nd ½ for D. Minehan), K. Morrissey, A. Hackett, C. Heffernan.