Ballybay Notes

There was no winner of last weeks Ballybay Pearse Brothers Blotto.
Number drawn were as follows: 8, 9, 10 & 11.
The following people won €20:

Margaret cCahey, Shercock

Rhys Edwards c/o John Keenan

Kathleen Keenan, Scotstown

Tara Symth, Ballybay

Eamonn Cashman, c/o Darren

M Cleary 0851164275

Ronnie Farrelly, Ballybay

Geraldine Sweeney, Connolly Pk, Monaghan

Patricia Quinn, Maudabawn

Margaret McCooey, Derrygreevy, Castleblayney

Next weeks jackpot is €7,200

Lotto Results: For all future Blotto draw there will only be five €20 winners drawn each week. Unfortunately this is a necessary by the club as ticket sales continue to fall and it will bring the results in line with a majority of other club draws within the county, as Ballybay where one of the few offering ten secondary prizes to the jackpot.

Results: On a winters Wednesday night the Ballybay senior team took on Traugh in the latest round of the senior league games. With the county team involved in the All Ireland quarter final on Saturday evening this game was fixed as a star game so Ballybay were already at a serious disadvantage from the outset. In appalling conditions Traugh started the brighter and opened a 3 point lead early on with Ballybay struggling to get to grips around the middle, on a night winning breaking ball was on high importance. Our forwards found it difficult to make the ball stick with numerous attacks breaking down. This allowed Truagh to counter attack with their inside forwards finding room to run onto the long ball into space. Only for the wonderful work of our full back line Evan, Brent & Fergal with Sean sweeping behind them they kept the Traugh scores to a minimum. Ballybay started to get to grips with the conditions and the game to open the scoring account. Colin and Puric offered the attack a fulcrum and the boys finished the half the stronger despite going in three points down at half time. After some positional changes at the break Ballybay pushed forward and looked the better team in the second half completely dominating the middle third but as they went in search of scores were exposed at the back and at times over reliant of the defence to keep Traugh out for scores. Our attack had to work extra hard for scores as the visitors deployed sweepers but they got the break through they deserved after some great work by Aaron and Pauric resulted in a penalty which was expertly converted by Colin Malone. This score gave the boys the confidence to push forward with Thomas O’Neil and Aaron providing powerful runs through the heart of the Traugh defence. Entering the final minutes the game was all square with Ballybay pushing for the winning score and but were unable to secure the score to claim both points. Unfortunately Traugh went down the field and got the winning point to claim victory by the narrowest of margins. Full time score Ballybay 1-9 Traugh 0-13. Ballybay team: Sean Gorman, Evan Rutledge, Brent Wylie, Fergal Smyth, Mark McArdle, Shane McQuillan, Paul Stuart, Thomas O’Neil, Cillian McAviney, James Kerr, Aaron Toner, Brian McCabe, Pauric Kerr, Ciaran Gallighan, Colin Malone, James Garraghan and Danny Gorman.

On Sunday last, in near perfect conditions for football, the reserve team travelled to Tyholland to take on Monaghan Harps in the final of the league. Ballybay started the brighter of the two sides in the opening exchanges but just failed to convert the possession to scores. Ballybay dominated around the middle third throughout the afternoon with a Cillian, Fergal & Arron winning a number of clean possessions and the lads around them winning the breaking ball. However it was the Harps that where clinical in front of goal and in the second quarter of the half opened up a nice lead for themselves. Ballybay made probing runs at the heart of the defence but lacked the composure to turn the early dominance into scores. The more Ballybay pushed for scores the space was left for Harps to attack and they were able to go a number of points unanswered before they hit the back of the nett, a score that would prove to be difference between the teams. James Garraghan was unlucky not to hit the net in the closing stages of the half when his powerful shot from distance went just wide with the keeper. At half time there was 6 between the teams with the management making a number of positional changes leaving the set up more balanced and focused on the task at hand. Again Cillian and Barry, who was introduced, dominated the mid field battle and scores where slightly easier to come by at the start of the half. Pauric and James where forming a decent understanding of each other inside with both getting on the score sheet and James having a second shot on goal, but failed to get the necessary power to the effort on this occasion leaving it a comfortable save for the keeper. The more Ballybay pressed the more they defence was exposed and only for some wonderful work from the backs, led by Evan who was outstanding throughout, the game may well have been over long before the final whistle. The one time that Harps attack got past the defence Brian McCabe was on hand to pull off a point blank save and keep us in the game. Ballybay continued to search for the scores but poor decision making and a number of wides towards the end would prove costly. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be on the day but it can be chalked down as a successful league campaign none the less. Full time score: Ballybay 0-11 Monaghan Harps 1-13 Ballybay Team: Brian McCabe, Cathal Mooney, Evan Rutledge, Paul Stuart, Conor Hand, James Kerr, Paul McCabe, Fergal Smyth, Cillian McAviney, Niall Duffy, Pauric Kerr, James Garraghan, Barry Macklin, Danny Gorman, Aaron Toner, Barry Lennon and Daniel McGregor.

The seniors played Donaghmoyne on Wednesday evening last and the St Pat minors played the same opponents in the championship semi-final on Tuesday evening. Match reports to follow.

Fixtures: The seniors will take on Castleblaney on Sunday morning at 12.30pm on the 16^th of August in Ballybay Pearse Park. The St Patricks minor team travel to Magheracloone on Tuesday the 18^th of August throw in at @ 7.30pm. The U14’s take on Aughnamullan on Monday the 17^th of August in Ballybay. The U12 team take on Rockcorry in the League Shield Semi Final at 7pm in Ballybay on Thursday the 20th of August. Please come along and support the boys as it will be greatly welcomed.

Thank you: A special mention to the clubs reserve team management of John Duffy, Sean Gorman and Shane McQuillan. The men done fantastic work in a very professional manner throughout the year when numbers and other commitments left things far from easy on them. Unfortunately the team was unable to deliver the silverware but the reserve team served its purpose in more ways than one. Thanks again for all our efforts.

Summer Clean Up: A major summer clean-up is to take place at Ballybay Pearse Park this Saturday for a number of hours in the morning. The committee would like to ask any club member who is in a position to help to please make themselves available from 9am onwards as we try to brighten up the club house and the surrounding carpark. Also if you have a spare bucket of white paint, a paint brush/roller, brush or shovel could you please take them with you.

Website: The club are currently working on developing a website to celebrate its colourful past & bright future while using it as an additional means of communication for Pearse Brothers both living in the area and those spread out over all corners of the world. If any club members of indeed members of the public have any info on the history of the club and would like to share it could they please contact Niall on pro.ballybaypearsebrothers.monaghan@gaa.ie or call him on 0871131268.

Bingo: Bingo will continue every Tuesday night at the later time of 9pm for the summer months in the club rooms. If there’s any member of the public, particularly elderly ladies & gentlemen, who would like to attend the night but struggle for transportation there is a free bus run within the local area to bring people to & from the club rooms. If you like to avail of this service please contact any committee member.