Ballybay gunning for Champions

Ballybay’s Paul Finlay

BALLYBAY manager John Joe Gorman admitted that his players have waited for a year to get a championship match up with Latton, as the memory of last season’s two defeats to The O’Rahilly’s are burned into their memory.

The county champions broke Ballybay hearts twice last year, first in the Championship semi-finals, and then again in the league last four. Both games were won by single scores.
In the championship, Latton beat the Pearse Brothers with a late burst of 1-1.

“It will be difficult because Latton are the county champions. It is not going to be easy beat,” Gorman said.
“Having said that an awful lot of us were disappointed with the way it went last year. I don’t think that any of the players have forgotten. They are going to be up for it. This is the draw that they wanted.”

Ballybay have been in fine form this season. They did have a shaky start in the championship when they drew with Carrickmacross, but after they won the replay, they went on to beat Monaghan Harps and Currin which put them into this semi-final.

Gorman said that he was happy with how they were going, but did admit that there was more to come.
“So far they haven’t been as good as I expected them to be,” he said.
“Although they have fought well. Probably we are short a few. We haven’t had a full squad all season.”

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday September 13. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here