BALLON DROVE the dip in Eire Og SFC fortunes a trifle lower in Dr. Cullen Park on Sunday when delivering the YIs a second championship defeat with No. 13 Frank Fanning lofting the vital point in the 59th minute.

It was a close, tense contest and one Eire Og seemed to have in their control for most of the journey during which the winners only led for two periods totalling four minutes, until Fanning sank red hopes when taking a pass from Jimmy Maher to force the town team into the danger zone and with a must-win game ahead against Tinryland on Sunday next.

Remarkable was the Ballon resilience in face of what for long periods seemed insurmountable odds, and coming from behind to claim the points with a very enthusiastic finish.

Shy up to nine normally automatic starters for a variety of reasons, the YIs were a pale shadow of former combinations and they will have to face Tinryland on Sunday next without Keith Hession who leaves for a year in Australia today (Tuesday) and he playing well in his final outing.

There was certainly no sign of panic in the Eire Og camp when Cormac Mullins, Derek Hayden (free) and Vinny Kavanagh put them into a commanding lead by the seventh minute.

However, they only scored once in the following 18 minutes; that from Mullins again, and during that period Ballon - who defeated Eire Og in the league - drew level with scores from Peter Zerefa, Alan Kelly (free) Jimmy Maher and Kelly (another free) by he 23rd minute.

The Ballon spirit was high and after the teams were level again in the 25th minute points from Shane Myers - in the unusual role of midfield - and Murtough Ware (from a superb delivery by Hayden) saw them break 7-5 ahead and in no particular bother. Kelly closed to a point 90 seconds into the last half with a marvellous left-footed score after some very messy transferring on the left, but Simon Rea punished fouls in the 34th 39th and 44 thminutes to see the reds firmly back in the saddle.

However, they only scored once in the final 22 minutes and that a Ber Hennessy point after good work by Christy Bolger and Rea; that score levelling the tie for the third and final time.

Ballon, with Paddy Byrne having a tremendous second half in midfield, roared back from 6-10 with a goal by Michael O'Leary, who put through by Paddy Byrne, deposited a coolly executed shot low to the right side of the goal. Seconds later the same player converted a free and he repeated the feat, only this time from a 45 and the teams were level in the 56th minute and still ten minutes remaining.

It was turbulent closing stanza, with first Alan Callinan red carded for an incident at the Dublin end of the pitch and referee Brian Leonard leaving the scene of another incident closer to the tunnel corner to deal with the YI defender and then returning to the other end to red card Derek Hayden and Ballon's Jimmy O'Brien.

Although the scoring rate fell alarmingly in the last ten minutes - just one point at either end - the tension was palpable and a remarkable result for the '09 intermediate champions who will have a far more difficult assignment against Old Leighin on Friday.

John Gittens Jimmy O'Brien and Jimmy Maher led a resolute defence while both Byrnes had their moments in the middle while Kelly, O'Leary and Zerefa posed most difficulty for the Eire Og defence.

Eire Og relied on Alan Callinan and a fairly reliable half line of the Kavanaghs and Christy Bolger. Keith Hession claimed a hatful of ball on the right side of the park but the YIs could not come up with the goods at the scoring end where only Mullins and Tommy Dowling paid the bills.

Ballon earned 18 of the 37 frees and recorded six of the 16 wides - three of Ballon's wides in he opening three minutes.

- PAUL DONAGHY At Dr. Cullen Park