Meela bounce straight back

) presents the Man of the Match Award on Wednesday evening last to Ballinameela\’s Brendan Phelan. Also pictured Emer Barry (Waterford GAA PRO) and Paddy Joe Ryan (County Board Chairman). “]
Ballinameela won a fourth County Intermediate Football Championship and a third since 2009 at Fraher Field in last Wednesday night’s replay when seeing off Bonmahon by two points.
Ballinameela made the better start, hitting points through Jim Curran and Brian Phelan inside the opening six minutes.
Tom Curran struck their next score in the 18th miinute, while 60 seconds later, the excellent inute later Michael Harney opened Bonmahon’s account with a point.
The game’s first goal came on 22 minutes when the ball was played in from the stand side of the field to Micheál Culloo who from close range he made no mistake in beating Brendan Murphy.
Ciaran Buckley landed a point for Bunmahon before Brendan Phelan landed a brace of points for Ballinameela and the final score of the half came on the half hour mark as Shane Dwan pointed to leave his side trailing 1-5 to 0-3 at the break.
The second half began in a similar fashion to the first as Jim Curran and Brendan Phelan hit points but this brace was quickly cancelled out by scores from Richie Walsh and Jonathan Fenton to leave Bonmahon trailing by five points once more.
The game burst into life on 41 minutes. Ballinameela had an attempt to hit a second goal but failed to take it.
In an effort to play the ball out of defence, the Copper Coast men unleashed a sweeping series of passes at pace downfield, concluding in substitiute Jeff Hally’s fine finish.
From the restart, the ball landed in the midfield and was claimed by Bonmahon, who wofked the ball rapidly into Jonathan Fenton for a second green and gold goal inside a minute. They now led for the first time that night.
However, Bunmahon failed to capitalise as Ballinameela hit the next four scores in a row through Jim Curran with a brace, Shane Flavin and Tom Curran to send them back in front by three.
Richie Walsh pulled back two points for Bunmahon in an eight minute spell to leave just one between the sides.
In the 61st minute, Bunmahon showed their hunger as Shane Dwan burst through on the Ballinameela goal only to see his effort zip inches wide.
A minute later Ballinameela secured a title that had looked so unlikely for most of their initial meeting with Bonmahon thanks to another effort from man of the match Brendan Phelan.
Ballinameela: James McGrath; Stephen McGrath, Colin Walsh, Kealan Looby; Jason McGrath, Kevin Phelan, Michael Shine; Brian Phelan, Lorcan Looby; John Harrington, Tom Curran, Shane Flavin; Jim Curran, Brendan Phelan, Micheál Culloo.
Scorers: Jim Curran (0-4), Brendan Phelan (0-4; 0-1f), Jim Curran, Michéal Culloo (1-0), Tom Curran (0-2), Brian Phelan and Shane Flavin (0-1 each).
Bunmahon: Brendan Murphy; Fionn Buckley, Eoin Fitzgerald, Kieran Roche; Jonathan Fenton, John Roche, Niall Queally; Patrick Queally, Michael Harney; Richie Walsh, Ciaran Buckley, Ciaran Hearne; Conal Queally, Shane Dwan, Dylan Power.
Substitutes: Jeff Hally for Patrick Queally (HT), Cian Hally for Eoin Fitzgerald (34 mins), Kevin Hally for Kieran Roche (51), Michael Mullarkey for Conal Queally (56)
Scorers: Jonathan Fenton (1-1), Richie Walsh (0-3f), Jeff Hally (1-0), Micheál Harney, Ciaran Hearne and Shane Dwan (0-1 each).
Referee: Anthony Fitzgerald.