Football League Division 7 

Oldcastle 2-11, Ballinlough 2-08.

The torrential rain eased off just in time for the throw-in at Ballinlough this evening, and a foul on Ryan Kevin saw him convert for Oldcastle’s first score. Ballinlough took one back, with Ryan taking the kick-out, on to JP Purcell who chipped her in to Paddy Gilsenan for the next. Two fine points from Ben Grey followed. A super Cillian Connell block secured the ball, on to Ross Cadden, to Ben Grey, back to Sean Maxwell on one of his upfield runs, on to Conor Hetherton, to Kyle Kavanagh, to Ciaran Connell, back to Lloyd Colleran, to Cillian, to JP and finally to Ryan Kevin for a fine point. Ballinlough doubled their score to two with a free, with Kyle Kavanagh adding the next for Oldcastle. Ben Grey added another, with Ballinlough on the next attack, but great work from Cillian Connell to win it back, on to Lloyd, to Ryan, to Stephen Tierney, on to Ben Grey, to Sean Maxwell popping up halfway up the field again, another big run to get it to Conor Hetherton, back to Sean and finally to Kyle Kavanagh for another fine score. Ballinlough put Sean under pressure soon after with a shot on goal, he saved it but it was brought back for a free, which went wide, but another chance for them soon after found its’ target, leaving the halftime score Oldcastle 0-08, Ballinlough 0-04. 

Having had the wind with them in the first half, Oldcastle now had to play against it as well as the fifteen men, and a frantic thirty minutes ensued. Kyle Kavanagh added another point to get things underway, but Ballinlough secured the next kickout, and ended up with the ball in the back of the net, and followed that up with a point, to leave only one between the teams! Oldcastle pulled out all the stops now, Eoin Muldoon (now in goals) kicking out to Sean Maxwell, on to Ben Grey, to Ciaran Connell under huge pressure, great work from Josh Halpin, on to Stephen Tierney and to Brian Hetherton who was caught round the neck, the free on to Conor Delaney, back to Stephen, to Ben, to Conor Hetherton, to Cillian Connell who was fouled, Ben Grey stepped up to take it, far out and against the wind, but a lovely ball in to JP Purcell in front of goals, he was fouled and Ryan converted. Two between them!

Ballinlough put the pressure on again, with a scramble in front of goals, but Sean Maxwell, now playing outfield but with a goalie’s head still on him, blocked and cleared, saving at both ends! The resultant Ballinlough ’45 was sent wide. Still high pressure, the Ballinlough kickout secured by Sean, on to Ben, to Ross, to Paul Wade, back to Ben, to Stephen, to Kyle, to JP, to Garrett O’Reilly and finally to Conor Delaney who blasted her to the back of the net for a goal! Oldcastle were buzzing now, the Ballinlough kickout secured by Stephen Tierney, on to Ben, to Garrett, back to Stephen, to Sean, back to Garrett, back to Sean, caught with a running jump like a weanling let out on grass in springtime, on to Brian Hetherton and back to Sean, who was fouled, awarded a free, he was cartwheeling round the place while Ryan Kevin stepped up and converted, phew, six now between the teams!

You’d think it was nearly over at that, but Ballinlough hate getting beat by Oldcastle, so back they came, the green flag up, another goal, and of course followed by a point, and like that it was back to a two point game! A James Gibney clearance at the far end found Ben Grey, on to Kyle who made a great run upfield, and in to Conor Delaney who once more smashed her to the back of the net! Five clear again, with the clock ticking, Ballinlough threw everything they had at it, their kickout finding their man and every one of them in on top of the Oldcastle goals, definitely maybe nearly a goal, but just not over the line, with referee Ray Tynan finally deciding enough, but awarding Ballinlough a free in front of goals. With every single Oldcastle lad in the goalmouth there wasn’t a chance of a goal, so they had to face reality and go for their point. Only a few minutes left, but this game went hell-for-leather every step of the way, and it was Ballinlough who took the next score, another point to put them just three behind.  With that, they kept the pressure on, and ended up getting a free near the goals. Once again, all the Oldcastle lads were on the line, and Ballinlough’s pressure came to naught, ending up with a square ball, finally taken by Ciaran Connell for the clearance, away to Kyle and up the field, Oldcastle with the last bit of play before the final whistle blew on a score of Oldcastle 2-11, Ballinlough 2-08. 

Oldcastle: Sean Maxwell, Ciaran Connell, James Gibney, Cillian Connell, Brian Hetherton, Conor Hetherton, Lloyd Colleran, Ross Cadden, Conor Delaney (2-00), Ryan Kevin (0-04), Paddy Gilsenan (0-01), Ben Grey (0-03), Josh Halpin, Kyle Kavanagh (0-03), J.P. Purcell. Subs: Stephen Tierney, Eoin Muldoon, Garrett O’Reilly, Paul Wade. 

 

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