Ranelagh Gaels suffered their heaviest defeat all season on Sunday losing by nine points against Ballinteer St John’s, effectively switching the lights off on any thoughts of promotion.

The Gaels, who were controversially defeated on Tuesday, needed to bounce back swiftly to maintain their dwindling promotion challenge, however this was not to be the case.

The hunger and desire shown by Ballinteer, who have been in a relegation battle all season, was evident in the second half when they outscored the Gaels by 14 points.

As irony would have it Ranelagh played some of their best football of the season in the first half.

The backs were outstanding at crowding out the opposition attack with Joe in particular making some great challenges, while the movement of Enda and Timmy at the other end produced some magnificent scores. The Gaels lead by six points to one at half time.

It was clear that after 10 minutes into the second half the Gaels were feeling the effects from Tuesday’s night battle against table topping Stars of Erin and had emptied too much of the tank in the opening 30 minutes.

St John’s were now playing down the hill and made very good use of their bench bringing on four very strong substitutes ten minutes into the second half.

Tadgh and Corky, both making their first league starts in AFL Division 8, tried their damndest in the full back line however the Ballinteer forwards were being sent an excellent supply of ball and this was always going to be telling.

Eventually they got their deserved goal to take the lead and they never looked back.

It’s a new situation the Gaels find themselves in not to have anything to play for over the final four games of the season and this will be a disappointment.

But following two consecutive promotion-winning campaigns the first year at Division 8 cannot be labelled a failure.