When we started the 2014 league season we lost our first two games to Parke and Ballintubber. This season we have out that right with a fine win last week at home to Parke and a resounding win tonight away to Ballintubber.
There was a number of changes to the team from last weekend, in came Paul McNicholas, Dermot Keane, Eoin Gallagher, Joe Kelly and Stephen Henry for Paul McDonagh, Danny McNicholas, Kevin Doyle, Kevin McShea and Barry Brennan.
The game started like a rollercoaster with a goal for Michael Walsh with the first attack of the game but Ballintubber went straight from the kick out and with a mistake in our defence had the ball in the back of our net.
A Jack McDonnell point from a free was soon canceled out by a Ballintubber 45 but from there we took control of the game and two more frees from the boot of Jack McDonnell and a point from Stephen Henry had us in a three point lead after approximately 15 minutes.
Ballintubber got a point back before Michael Walsh struck again and hit the back of the net after 18 minutes.
There was a lull in the game before both teams exchanged frees just before the break with our score coming again from the boot of Jack McDonnell to leave the score at half time Ballintubber 1-3 Swinford 2-5.
The team didn’t let up with the restart and we rattled off four points from the dead ball with one from Liam Moran and three from the reliable boot of Jack McDonnell. It was 20 minutes into the half before Ballintubber got their first score of the half.
Management made a number of changes and the introduction of Barry Brennan had him extend our score to 2-10 before Ballintubber got one point back.
The bench was emptied and Paul McDonagh, Pearse Walsh, James Lavin and Kevin Barry entered the game. Kevin Doyle came on earlier in the game.
Jack McDonnell score a fine point from play before he finished the game off with the last kick of the game into the back of the Ballintubber net.
A comprehensive 12 point win on a final score of Ballintubber 1-5 Swinford 3-11 banishes last years defeat to history.
This was a fine team performance led from the full back line and right through the field and against a Ballintubber team that included a number of their more senior players . I don’t wish to pick out any players as everyone led from the front and it was a great team performance. Next week we are home to the Neale.
Swinford: Conor Campbell, Jason Carney, Mark Forkan, Paul McNicholas, Fergal Harte, Conor Horan, Dermot Keane, Joe Kelly, Eoin Gallagher, Stephen Henry, Liam Moran, Tom Horkan, Jack McDonnell, Michael Walsh, Darren Campbell. Subs used: Kevin Doyle, Barry Brennan, Paul McDonagh, Pearse Walsh, James Lavin.