IF Ballynahinch had won this vital Senior One clash, the proverbial fat lady would have been warming her in voice in preparation to celebrate avoiding relegation.
But she will have to curtail any urge to hit the high notes just for the moment. Campbellians leap-frogged Ballynahinch in the table courtesy of this win and the locals are now just one point ahead of Queen’s who they still have to face at home.
Armagh are already relegated so it’s a dog fight between Ballynahinch and Queen’s to see who will get dragged into a relegation play-off. If the locals avoid defeat at home to the students it may well be enough; a win would certainly allow the aforementioned lady to take centre stage.
With Andy Mulholland missing due to injury, Ballynahinch reshuffled the centre back pairing, with Tim Crean stepping in alongside skipper Grant Hayes for what was a crucial game. Having lost to Campbellians earlier in the season, the locals had a score to settle.
Both sides enjoyed a lot of possession early on with Stuart Hunter unlucky not to score, while at the other end Joel Easlea’s drag flick effort was well saved by Mark Brown.
It was end-to-end stuff and it was no surprise when Ballynahinch took the lead in the 23rd minute. A free hit drilled into the penalty area found Alex Millar whose shot was saved, but the ball fell to the unmarked David Bolton who made no mistake.
The locals held the lead until the interval, but within five minutes of the restart the game was all square, when Campbellians made the most of a short corner award, with a drag flick effort evading Brown diving to his right.
Ballynahinch fought back and 10 minutes after the restart took the lead for the second time in the game from yet another short corner. When the ball fell to the usually deadly Hunter there was only going to be one outcome and the ball rattled against the backboard.
Campbellians are made of stern stuff and instead of trying to keep it tight at the back in the middle of the park, the home side looked to increase its lead which proved its undoing.
The visitors levelled things at 2-2 in the 55th minute with another goal from a short corner and with five minutes to go scored again to take the lead for the first time in the game.
Ballynahinch had no option but to throw men forward in a bid to take something from the game and were caught on the counter attack with an unmarked forward having the simple task of slotting the ball past Brown to give the Belfast side a 4-2 lead.
While bitterly disappointed, Ballynahinch know they can avoid the relegation play-off if they can get a few more points. This Saturday the locals face North Down at Comber Leisure Centre and that will be a tough game.
Ballynahinch 2
Campbellians 4
SENIOR 1