Na Fianna squeeze past Ballinteer and secure quarter final place

NA FIANNA 1-16

BALLINTEER ST JOHN’S 1-15

Killian Deeley was the match winner at O’Toole Park on Sunday as his point deep into second half stoppage-time helped Na Fianna to squeeze past Ballinteer St John’s by the slenderest of margins in Group 1 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Football Championship.

With both sides having one win and one loss apiece to their names, this final round encounter was effectively a ‘winner takes all’ affair in the race for the knockout stages of Dublin’s top-tier football championship. A draw would have been enough to get Ballinteer into the last-eight on a slightly superior scoring average to that of their opponents, but Deeley came up with the vital score at the death to ensure that five-time champions Na Fianna remain in contention for top honours in 2025.

Recently retired from inter-county football following a 10-year stint with his native Clare, Keelan Sexton opened the scoring in this game with a second minute point. Yet it was Ballinteer who enjoyed the better of the early exchanges at the Crumlin venue as Eoghan Fitzpatrick and Luke Cullen both found the target in advance of the influential Jack Lundy kicking three points from frees – including an impressive two-point effort on nine minutes.

Na Fianna interrupted this scoring sequence with a David Quinn point, before Ballinteer further underlined their intent when Dublin senior star Luke Breathnach and Lundy split the posts in fine style. This left John’s five points in front (0-7 to 0-2) on the first-quarter mark, but Na Fianna came roaring back into the reckoning when Brian O’Leary released Sean Caffrey for a clinical finish to the net on 16 minutes.

Although Ballinteer fired back almost immediately with another Cullen point, a James Doran two-pointer from play at the opposite end left their lead at the bare minimum. While Seamus Fenton and Glenn Whelan also found the range for Ballinteer, it was their Glasnevin rivals who ended the opening period with a flourish.

With O’Leary and Caffrey on hand to supplement a two-point free from goalkeeper David O’Hanlon, Na Fianna brought a 1-8 to 0-10 buffer into the second half.

The tie was still delicately poised on the resumption, however, and there seemed to be a sense that this game was destined to go down to the wire. There was also a feeling that each score in the remaining minutes could prove to be vital and it was Ballinteer who made the initial inroads after the restart with back-to-back efforts from Fenton and the marauding Ben Millist.

Nevertheless, Na Fianna maintained a consistent attacking threat and they were in the driving seat as a result of O’Leary (two) and Sexton raising three white flags in as many minutes during the third-quarter. The introduction of substitutes on either side brought a freshness to the game as it developed, but it was starting corner-forward Breathnach who got Ballinteer back to within one point of Na Fianna on the stroke of 50 minutes.

Even though another majestic O’Hanlon two-pointer appeared to give Tom Gray’s northsiders some breathing space, Ballinteer were back in the hunt for a knockout spot when Lundy coolly slotted home a 54th minute penalty.

Lundy later knocked over a free to leave Kevin Murphy’s men in the driving seat, but a quick brace by Na Fianna substitute David Lacey turned the game on its head during a tension-filled finale.

It looked like there was going to be a sharing of the spoils when David Devereux fisted over an equaliser for Ballinteer in the third minute of time added on, but there was still an opportunity for Na Fianna to strike back.

At the end of a patient attack, Deeley swung over a point with almost 66 minutes on the clock, and although Ballinteer had a final play at the far end of the pitch, this proved to be the decisive moment of the game.

Scorers – Na Fianna: S Caffrey 1-1, D O’Hanlon 0-4 (2 2PF), B O’Leary 0-3 (2F), J Doran (2P), D Lacey (1F), K Sexton 0-2 each, D Quinn, K Deeley 0-1 each. Ballinteer St John’s: J Lundy 1-5 (1-0 pen, 3F, 1 2PF), S Fenton, L Cullen, L Breathnach 0-2 each, B Millist, D Devereux, E Fitzpatrick, G Whelan 0-1 each.

Na Fianna: D O’Hanlon; F Potts, J Cooper, E Murchan; A Rafter, N McGovern, D Kennedy; V Flynn, J Doran; C Baxter, B O’Leary, D Quinn; C Reddin, K Sexton, S Caffrey. Subs: K Deeley for Baxter (41), O Donohoe for Kennedy (47), D Lacey for Caffrey (52), T Brennan for Flynn (56), C McHugh for Reddin (58).

Ballinteer St John’s: A Clabby; F Nolan, M Gardiner, B Millist; M McNally, L Smith, D Devereux; E Fitzpatrick, J Sweeney; J Quirke, J Lundy, S Fenton; L Cullen, G Whelan, L Breathnach. Subs: R Cullen for S Fenton (43), N Devereux for Quirke (47), L Fenton for Whelan (50), Whelan for Breathnach (65).

Referee: Brian O’Connor (Garda Westmanstown Gaels).