GAA Round-up: Cortown win, Ballinlough have to settle for a draw while Kilbride narrowly lose out
Corn Na Boinne
Adrienne White
Nobber...1-12
Kilbride ...1-11
Kilbride headed to Nobber on Monday night to play to play a fixture that had been previously postponed.
It was a classic game of two halves. Kilbride were excellent in the first half showing good displays of team work, great football and excellent scores.
At the interval Kilbride comfortably led 1-10 to Nobber's 0-4
Nobber uppped their game and excelled over this young Kilbride team in the second half.
Bridging the gap, they went ahead with a few minutes to full time to win the game by one point.
Kilbride - Craig Manning; Adam Smith, Daniel Boyd, Sean Duffy; Conor O'Driscoll, Finn White, James Gavin; Caolan Howard, Timmy Farrell; Cian Harford, Luke Faherty, James Browne; Adam Malone, Thomas Egan, Barry O'Leary. Subs - Cathal Farrelly, Jack Donnelly and Paul Hayes.
Next game in Kilbride on Saturday v Navan O Mahonys, 1pm.
Reserve Cup
Ballinlough... 1-9
Oldcastle... 0-12
Ballinlough welcomed former manager Brian Donohoe and his Oldcastle charges to a bitter cold Park for this final group stage game of the Reserve Cup.
The home side who kicked off proceedings, the in-form Jack Smith with a tidy point following a quick 45’ worked short in the third minute.
It didn’t take Oldcastle long to respond as they hit back with a point from play, but the Ballinlough forward line were sharper in the opening exchanges, Colm Mallen sending over an advanced mark in the eight minute before Conor Briody bagged the only goal of the game three minutes later.
Mallen once again pivotal as he controlled the ball along the end line before finding Niall McDonnell who shifted the ball to Briody and he finished to the net with aplomb to give Ballinlough a four point lead.
The home side were motoring well now and Benji Smith added his name to the score sheet with a fisted effort from a tight angle in the 13th minute before Oldcastle got their second score of the game with a pointed free two minutes later.
A lovely score for Kit Óg Lynch kept Ballinlough’s lead at five points and indeed they should have being further in front, but some shaky shooting saw the ball sent wide of the posts on several occasions.
Oldcastle for their part pointed another free in the 20th minute before they themselves were guilty of the same poor shooting that had afflicted Ballinlough a few minutes previous.
The visitors did take the next score to reduce the gap to three in the 26th minute but it was Ballinlough who finished the scoring of the half when Kit Óg Lynch won and converted his own free in the 29th minute.
So when referee Seamus O’Connor blew the half time whistle, Ballinlough led on a scoreline of 1-5 to Oldcastle’s 0-4.
From the restart Oldcastle set about dismantling Ballinlough’s lead with an early goal chance denied by Corey Monaghan in the home team's goals but the loose ball was tipped over the bar in the 32nd minute, and then a second point from play two minutes later made it a two point game.
Great work from Niall McDonnell earned Ballinlough a free in the 36th minute which was duly converted by Collie Mallen before Oldcastle hit back with a free of their own five minutes later.
Another Oldcastle attack towards goal was expertly denied by full back Robbie Farrell who intercepted the ball just in time to stop the chance materialising fully, and the Ballinlough defensive unit as a whole were operating well at this stage of the game, forcing Oldcastle into less favourable shooting positions and preventing them any clear sight at the posts.
There was little they could do to thwart Oldcastle’s next score though as another free was converted, this time from distance and off the ground but with pin point accuracy it sailed over the bar.
Both sides were guilty of giving up soft frees in the closing stages. Kit Óg Lynch and Collie Mallen pointed from the placed ball while Oldcastle added a free of their own to leave two points between the sides in the 55th minute.
A point from play in the 57th minute left the bare minimum in it and with Ballinlough badly needing a score they worked the ball well around the shooting area before it landed with Alan Gibney.
Many watching the game wouldn’t have expected the young corner back to be brave enough to take on the shot, but anyone who has followed his rise from underage would have known exactly what Alan is capable of and he sent over a magnificent point in the 59th minute.
Credit to Oldcastle they refused to lie down and finished the game strongly, a goal chance in the 60th minute rattling the crossbar before the ball was struck over the bar, and from the restart they secured possession and worked themselves well into a position to land the equalising point in the 61st minute.
To be fair to referee Seamus O’Connor he gave both sides time to find themselves a winner but with tired minds and bodies, neither team could capitalise and so when he blew the full time whistle it ended all square.
That result ends our involvement in the Reserve Cup but with the League competitions just around the corner there is plenty of games coming up for this group of lads.
Next up for our first team is a trip to Bohermeen when we take on St.Ultan's on Saturday afternoon.
Ballinlough - C Monaghan; A Gibney (0-1), R Farrell, M Farrell; H Briody, D Caffrey, J Casserly; L Maguire, M McCullen; J Smith (0-1), B Smith (0-1), N McDonnell; C Briody(1-0), C Mallen (0-3), K Óg Lynch (0-3).
Subs - C Rennicks for C Briody, D Rogers for McDonnell, N Farrelly for Casserly.
TAILTEANN SHIELD
Cortown... 4-09
Boardsmill.... 1-10
Davy Rispin
Cortown continued their unbeaten start to 2024 and in doing so booked their Semi-Final ticket with the minimum of fuss largely due to an Oisin Smith hat-rick against an understrength Boardsmill on Thursday night in Cortown.
Played in bitterly cold conditions, Cortown backed by a moderate breeze in the first half conceded a goal almost immediately. Not deterred by the concession of the early major, Cortown reeled off a trio of scores from Davy Rispin in succession (two frees) to restore parity.
The hosts now settled into the contest, started to impose themselves and shortly struck for their first goal of the night. Oisin Smith slotted neatly into the top corner of the net from close range to give Cortown the lead for the first time.
His second goal would arrive shortly after this time following an intricate passage of play involving Tommy Smith, Luca Brady and Elliot Reilly prior to Smith rounding Jim Bird and dispatching to an empty net.
Mill veteran Bertie McLoughlin and expert place-kicker Niall Bagnall stopped the rot for the visitors with points. Smith added a free to his ever-growing tally with Stevie (Daddy) Clarke riffling over in trademark fashion.
Smith and Hugh Staunton curled over fine points from play with Bagnall adding another from a free down the other end for the visitors. Cortown had the final say of the half with a third goal of the half. The Smith brothers combined with Tommy cutting in along the end line and unselfishly dishing off to Rispin inside who palmed over the defender and into the net to give Cortown a seemingly unassailable half time advantage - 3-07 to 1-03.
The hosts picked up where they left at the start of the second adding quickfire points from frees via Rispin and Smith. That's as good as it got though with Boardsmill rallying to their credit and making a real fist of things.
Bagnall added a series of frees whilst the influential Stevie Gibbons became more involved as the game wore on. A combination of sloppiness from the men in yellow along with a plethora of substitutes may have been contributing factors to the decline however the game was long since over.
Oisin Smith did manage to complete his hatrick with a deft dink over Bird - whether he meant it or not that's another thing but we'll give the Trim Celtic man the benefit of the doubt!
Cortown advance to a last four meeting with either Carnaross or Moynalty in a few weeks time. Boardsmill can prepare themselves for the commencement of the League in a fortnight.
Cortown - Colm McGearty; Barry Canning, Decky Clarke, Micky Costello; Daragh Smith, Charlie Smith, Ciaran Keating; Stevie Clarke (0-1), Luca Brady; Elliot Reilly, Hugh Staunton (0-1), Ivor O'Halloran; Davy Rispin (1-4, three frees), Tommy Smith, Oisin Smith (3-3, one free). Subs - Daragh O'Halloran for S Clarke, Theo Staunton for I O'Halloran, John McGearty for D O'Halloran, Conor Whelan for Reilly, Conor Mulroe for T Smith.
Referee: Paul Mooney (Syddan)