Battling Balally
Celtic shock champs
September 12th 2000. The Star - Ger Keville.
Balally Celtic 3 - Stedfast United 3
Battling Balally upset all the odds as they secured a point against champions Stedfast
last Saturday. When Stedfast equalised for the second timein the 62nd minute and Balally's
Martin Curran was sent off for dissent, Stedfast looked odds on to go and collect the three
points. But Balally were definitely not there just to make up the numbers against the
United Churches kingpins. Indeed it was Balally who were cursing their luck at the final
whistle after they let the full three points slip through their fingers. As Stedfast threw
everything forward in the closing stages, Balally countered and Derek Mills found himself
one on one with Stedfast keeper Derek Dunne. Mills duly slotted home and a remarkable
victory looked in place for Balally until the final minute when Kevin Norris pounced from
close range after Ronan Miley failed to hold a Brian Farrelly corner.
Exceptional
Stedfast had the better of the first half with their best effort coming from Gary Whyte, but
he could not get his close range header on target following a cross from Norris. But it was
Balally who opened the scoring midway through the first half when Mills flicked the ball on
for Ronan McCabe to slot home past Miley. Stedfast upped their game afther this however, but
they were up against an exceptional goalkeeper in Miley, who was part of the Benildus College
team that won the All-Ireland last year. But he could do little to stop Stedfast drawing
level five minutes into the second half. Norris played a long diagonal ball to put Danny
White in the clear. The centre half composed himself but was denied by an excellent save
from Miley. Farrelly was on hand to smash home the rebound. The hectic start to the second
half continued and Balally were back in front a minute later. Substitute Lee Higgins picked
the ball up on the right hand side and sent a hopeful ball into the box that broke for Declan
Lynam who hammered a fine volley into the roof of the net from 18 yards.
Attack
Stedfast were on the attack immediately after but were denied by an amazing double stop by the
inspired Miley. White and Farrelly combined with the latter put through on goal only to be
denied by a point blank save. The rebound fell to Farrelly who looked odds on to head home,
but Miley showed unbelievable reflexes to tip the ball over the bar. Gary Whyte levelled
matters for Stedfast in the 62nd minute with a neat finish following a through ball from Henry
Fox before Curran got his marching orders. Mills and Norris swapped goals late on to ensure
a point apiece.
STEDFAST
: Derek Dunne, Danny White, Eugene Long, Joe Reynolds,
Stephen Whyte, Aidan Delaney, Kevin Norris, Brian Farrelly, Gary Whyte, Robbie Giltrap, Henry Fox.
Subs : Ken O'Reilly, Robbie Donnelly.