Blast from the past. Ballyvolane sweep past Killeady on November 12th, 2003
SAXONE CUP
Ballyvolane 3 Killeady Celtic 1
Veteran Derek Mellerick scored an injury-time clincher as Ballyvolane advanced to the third round of the Murphy’s Stout Saxone Cup, the knockout competition for second-division sides.
Mellerick played a key role in the 3-2 victory over visitors Killeady Celtic. His pass to set up the second goal for John Magner was sheer perfection and he regularly unhinged the Killeady defence.
The margin flattered Ballyvolane a little. Killeady will take some heart from their second division fightback, from that sensational free kick goal by John Paul O'Mahony and a five-star show in defence from his brother Eddie.
Peter Nugent, influential for the winners.
Mellerick, well off target with an early volley after a multi-pass move started in his own half by Tony O’Donnell, laid off an inch-perfect ball to Peter Nugent in the 12th minute. The powerful shot was superbly tipped over by keeper Peter Goulding.
O'Donnell, another veteran in the Ballyvolane side, came close to making far post contact with Mellerick's well driven free from the right in the 18th minute.
Killeady would have been expecting Mellerick to try his luck from a 26th minute free, but Nugent took responsibility and drilled a low shot past the wall and just past the despairing dive of Goulding.
It got even better for the home team in the 31st minute. Mellerick, near the halfway line and well out on the touch-line, robbed a Killeady player and curled a long-distance pass into the path of Magner who duly came up with the finish after seeing off the challenge of advancing keeper Goulding.
A bouncing back pass put Ballyvolane keeper Shane Hurley in trouble in the 34th minute but the Killeady strikers could not capitalise and had to wait until the second half for their opening goal.
Killeady midfielder Eddie O'Mahony stretches to flick the ball on from a throw-in.
Less than forty seconds of that second period had elapsed when, from the circumference of the centre circle, Killeady midfielder John Paul O'Mahony kicked a free kick that sped like some guided missile high into the corner of Hurley’s net.
Game on. But Killeady were unable to capitalise on this magnificent goal. Ballyvolane did have a few nervous moments but survived and indeed began to create some good chances themselves midway through.
Both O’Donnell and Nugent had penalty area shots blocked after a Mellerick free rebounded. Mellerick himself was disappointed te see his near post header, after good work by influential sub Adrian McDonnell and Magner, go just wide of the far post in the 71st minute.
Mellerick played linkman in the next minute and his diagonal ball into the box invited Magner to run on but keeper Goulding had quite good game and sprinted out to make the interception and keep the game alive.
Killeady's Finn, first to the ball. AUL Saxone Cup, 8.11.03 at Whitescross.
Killeady’s best effort at an equaliser came with six minutes to go. John Paul O'Mahony, an influential figure in their midfield, made room for himself on the 18 yard line and let fly. It looked as if his low would curl away from keeper Hurley but the Ballyvolane man reacted magnificently, dived to his right and turned the ball past the post.
Ballyvolane and veteran Mellerick finished with a flourish. Mellerick, the player-manager, was just wide, after a pass by J.J. Chambers in the 90th minute. And he did much better in the first minute of injury time, cracking in a smashing third after Magner had allowed a Nugent pass run on.
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