Breen brings home bacon

CCFL Div. 4A

Dynamo Town 2 Ballyroan FC 1

Dynamo centre-half snatches win at death

This tie ebbed and flowed throughout with the Portlaoise hosts shading the opening half. Indeed the home side were well worth their one-goal lead at the interval. Ballyroan rallied well in the second period and deserved their equaliser. Dynamo had the last laugh however with a late, late dramatic winner on the cusp of full-time to break Ballyroan hearts.

The hosts began brightly with both Cole and McDonagh prominent. Sidor then fired in a well-weighted free but Ballyroan managed to clear their lines. Eventually the visitors found their feet with Christy Lalor win ball after ball and prompting his side from midfield. Dynamo continued to dominate however with Farrell releasing McDonagh with a flick on. The diminutive winger stood up an inviting cross but; yet again, a goal-shy home side didn’t avail of the chance. Brophy then then turned provider for the Portlaoise side but none of his teammates read his pass and a relieved Ballyroan cleared their lines yet again.

After all that Dynamo wastelfulness Ballyroan began to get a footing in the game. A swivelling volley from Whelan put the hosts on notice. A defensive mix-up then allowed Whelan fire home but play was called back for a foul. Then an inviting free from Burtenshaw just evaded a clutch of diving headers as the Dynamo goals led a charmed life. Lalor, Whelan and Ward then went close as Ballyroan continued their purple patch. Sidor was then called upon to brong off a marvellous tackle to stop a goalbound Ward in his tracks. Breen and Farrell were called on; in quick succession, to keep the Dynamo goals intact.

The hosts put an end to the Ballyroan renaissance in dramatic fashion moments later however. A booming ball forward saw the classy Cole take it in his stride, use the minimum of touches then rifle his shot low into the far corner. With time running out in the half Ballyroan tried desperately for an equaliser but Maher and his defenders stood firm. Cole and Farrell then combined well but the final lob was comfortably dealt with by Phelan in the away goals. Right on the stroke of half-time Farrell was put through on goal by a cushioned header from Cole. Alas for the hosts the final shot grazed the outside of the Ballyroan post as the half-time whistle sounded.

All changed on the resumption as Ballyroan enjoyed much more of the play against a visibly-tiring Dynamo rearguard. Ward almost grabbed a goal from a huge Phelan kick out. Then Paddy Lalor made amends when he strode though a hesitant home defence before curling his shot home off the post. Christy Lalor then provided Ward with a great chance but the tall midfielder fired wide as the ball dropped.

Slowly but surely Dynamo began to launch attacks of their own through Sidor, Cole and subsitute Killian Doyle. With time running out a Sidor free was comfortably saved by Phelan and that seemed either side’s chance to break the deadlock. However one last ball forward into the Ballyroan area saw Breen head home off the crossbar. The visitors summoned one last response but Campbell couldn’t steer his last-gasp shot on target for an equaliser.

For the visitors Paddy Farrell excelled at the back while Michael Cole caught the eye up front. Ballyroan was best served by Christy Lalor and Jamie Whelan.

Dynamo Town: James Maher; Mark McDonald, John Breen, Martin Byrne, Paddy Farrell; Darren McDonagh, Joe Brophy, Aaron Young, Marcin Sidor; Noel Farrell, Michael Cole Subs: Gerard Fitzpatrick, Killian Doyle, Paul Redmond, Eoin Tynan, Eoghan Fingleton

Ballyroan FC: Dara Phelan; Ger Campbell, Mark McDonald, Gary Conroy, Killian Fitzpatrick; Christopher Lalor, Gary Ward, Martin Scully, Jamie Whelan; Paddy Lalor, Kevin Burtenshaw Subs: Chris Burtenshaw, Trevor Phelan, Kievin Fitzpatrick, Tomas Whelan, Sean Ramsbottom