Action packed weekend of club Gaelic football league action
Tinryland GFC were victorious in their Senior football Division 1 league game last weekend.
Rathvilly emerged victorious on Friday defeating their neighbours in this Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 1 game.
Brandon Kelly with two points helped Rathvilly into a four point lead 0-5 to 0-1 lead at half-time. Clonmore came more into the game in the second half with 2 Tom Pollard points closing the gap with ten minutes to go. Rathvilly’s greater experience helped them over the line to keep up their 100% record to date.
RATHVILLY: Regan Murphy; Robert Coleman, Colin Byrne, (0-1), Padraig Deering; Brian Smith (0-1), Josh Moore, Padraig Bolger (0-1); Eamon Finnegan, Luca Kavanagh; Ryan Sibbald, Brandon Kelly (0-4), Jake Elliott (0-2); Cillian Molloy, Robert Ryan, Diarmuid Gavin.
Subs: Conor O'Neill (0-1), Tony Bolger, Padraig White, Ger Kavanagh.
CLONMORE: Jordan Kane; William Doyle, Anthony McDonald, Cormac Connolly; Shane Murphy, Matt Cullen, Conal Cullen; David Mulvany, Eoin Connolly; Dara Connolly, Enda McGrath, Darragh Cullen (0-1); Lewis McDonnell, Luke Connolly, Dylan Doyle (0-2).
Subs: Tom Pollard (0-2) for D Connolly, Daire Byrne (0-1) for McDonnell, Paddy Gahan for Cullen.
Referee: James Foley (Kilbride)
The home side were made to work hard before they gained their first win in this year’s Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 1 tie against a determined Bagenalstown Gaels on Friday.
Bagenalstown owned the ball in the opening stages with the elements in their favour and they opened their account with a point from their full forward Cian Doyle.
Tinryland came to grips with the game and the sides were all square when one of Tinryland’s best player Diarmaid Walshe slotted over a wonderful point.
Cian Doyle edged Bagenalstown ahead once again and they held this lead until the 20th minute when Diarmaid Walshe converted a free. Walshe repeated this act and the home side stretched clear by two in the 24th minute when Walshe scored another beauty after good work by Conor Byrne and Jonah Dunne. The closing stages of the opening half saw Tinryland consolidate their lead with a great Mark Lawlor point following good play by Bobby Doyle and Diarmaid Walshe. The final act of the half was a well worked Jonah Dunne goal after an excellent lay off from Michael Hosey. A feature of the first half was a wonderful save by Tinryland goalie Chris Townsend with the eventual winners ahead 1-5 to 0-2 at the change of ends.
When proceedings resumed Bagenalstown Gaels seemed to get a new lease of life. Cian Doyle slotted over a two-pointer and he scored another free to leave only three separating the teams.
Tinryland rang the changes introducing James McGrath and he was only in when he opened Tinryland’s second half account with a well-struck point.
Two more Tinryland subs, Conall O’Shea and Adam Mullen, were introduced as Bagenalstown began to stage a mini revival. Cian Doyle slotted over another point from a free in the 49th minute and 60 seconds later the sides were all square when corner forward Danny Carthy somehow found the Tinryland net after a scramble in the square.
This score seemed to spur Tinryland back into the groove and James McGrath regained the lead for the home side with 10 minutes remaining. Both sides went in search of the winner and after Cormac Walshe had doubled the Tinryland lead the home sides supporters began to breathe a little more easily when Conall O’Shea pointed after good play by Shane Redmond and Niall Lowry. Bagenalstown Gaels were not dead yet and goalie Ciaran Cunningham struck a beauty of a two pointer with two minutes remaining to leave the minimum separating the teams once again.
Tinryland were finally guaranteed the points when substitute Conall O’Shea rattled the Bagenalstown net after a great pass from Mark Lawlor. James McGrath capped a great 20 minutes on the field with another Tinryland point on the stroke of full-time.
TINRYLAND: Chris Townsend; Conor Byrne, Conor Ryan, Cian McGuire; Sean Murphy, Michael Hosey, Danny Moran; Shane Redmond, Niall Lowry; Jonah Dunne (1-0), Diarmaid Walshe (0-4), Lorcan O’Connor; Bobby Doyle, Cormac Walshe (0-1), Mark Lawlor (0-1).
Subs: James McGrath (0-3), Conall O’Shea (1-1), Adam Mullen.
BAGENALSTOWN GAELS: Ciaran Cunningham (0-2); Mark Kennedy, Darren Crooks, Liam McDonnell; Paddy Abbey, Danny Doyle, Thomas McDonnell; Jack McCullagh, Sean Wall; Eoghan Hickey, Billy Fitzpatrick, Keelan Guidera; Danny Carthy (1-0), Cian Doyle (0-6), Patrick Kelly.
Referee: Sean McCormack (O’Hanrahans).
Leighlinbridge are finding the going tough in the Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division Two but they know matches like these are a huge learning experience for their new and younger players. While they were not a serious competitor for Kildavin Clonegal they remained resilient all through and contributed to an open game of football.
With Liam Roberts powerful all through at centre back, Kildavin Clonegal led 2-9 to 1-2 at the break with Ciaran Nolan getting the Leighlinbridge goal.
In the second period Kildavin Clonegal were able to knock over a couple of two pointers to keep Leighlin at bay. Leighlinbridge did manage two goals through, an Aidan Lillis penalty and the second, after a fine move, finished by Joey Byrne.
LEIGHLINBRIDGE: Chris Kearney; P J Haughney, Val Fleming, Jonathan Stringer; Cian Brennan, Ros Dermody, Alfie Barcoe; Robert O Byrne (0-2), Joey Byrne (1-0); Aidan Nolan, Gavan Slattery, Ciaran Nolan (1-1); Eric Nolan, Shane O Reilly, Aidan Lillis (1-4).
Subs: Cian Kavanagh, Joe Byrne, David Kelly.
In a tight Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 3 tie on Wednesday, an experienced Rathvilly side came away from The Fighting Cocks ground with a narrow win. Eoghan O’Connor Byrne contributed 1-4 of the winners total.
RATHVILLY: Conor Elliott; Rob Coleman, Paul Curran, Senan Molloy; Kyle Byrne, Keith Curran, Luca Kavanagh; Tony Bolger, Kenneth Bello (0-1); Ger Kavanagh, Robbie Ryan, Conor O’Neill (0-1); Diarmuid Gavin, Eoghan O’Connor Byrne (1-4), Jack Carroll (0-1).
Subs: Brian Murphy (0-1) for K Curran, Pauric Whyte for P Curran, Paddy Reilly for Carroll, Joseph Gibbons for Coleman.
This Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 3 tie on Saturday in Rathcrogue was a game of two halves.
With the elements in their favour O’Hanrahans dominated the first half scoring. The townsmen had the ball in the Tinryland net early on when wing forward Keelan Lacey scored. Three further points from Joe Doran increased O’Hanrahans lead to six points before Conall O’Shea opened the Tinryland account after good play by Sean Murphy. Thirty seconds later Tinryland’s best player Peter Hennessy slotted over a good point. It got better for Tinryland and Hennessy when his 45 went direct to the O’Hanrahans net to leave only one point separating the teams. T O’Hanrahans responded and corner forward John Ryan had the ball in the Tinryland net within seconds of the kickout. Another Blues major from Joe Doran stretched the lead to seven points and despite another Hennessy point t O’Hanrahans finished the half on a high note with a Keelan Lacey goal. At the interval, O’Hanrahans led 4-4 to 1-4.
From the restart, Tinryland had wind advantage playing into the Wexford end of the pitch. Another Hennessy 45 ended up in the O’Hanrahans net and Padraic Whelan pointed. Tinryland had now reduced the Blues lead to five points. A Glen Doyle point combined with a Conall O’Shea goal left only the minimum separating the teams with 20 minutes still remaining.
With the weather deteriorating it was all Tinryland but wayward shooting and questionable decision making kept the game scoreless for the next 15 minutes as O’Hanrahans introduced Karl and Barry English into the fray. The scoring famine finally ended when Glen Doyle levelled matters with six minutes left. When the same player slotted over another point it looked like the home team had hoovered up all the league points. The Blues had other ideas r and it took a brilliant Darren Murphy save to deny them victory before the town team finally got back on level terms when Danny Thompson converted a free in the dying seconds which was their only score of the second half.
TINRYLAND: Darren Murphy; Padraic Whelan (0-1), Ciaran Byrne, Bradleigh Nolan; Paddy Walshe, Adam Mullen, Matthew Gleeson; Sean Murphy, Peter Hennessy (2-3); John Dempsey, Cian McCreanor, Brian McGrath; Conall O’Shea (1-1); Glen Doyle (0-3), Eoghan Hosey.
Sub: Eoin Townsend.
O’HANRAHANS: Owen O’Gorman; Thato Rammusi, Lazzy Meaney, Jason Kehoe; Ciaran Timmons, Milo Feehan, Ger Sinnott; Blake Holmes, Allen Owens; Keelan Lacey (2-0), Danny Thompson (0-2), Frank Ndahiro; Joe Doran (1-3), Jason Kenny, John Ryan (1-0).
Subs: Karl English, Barry English.
Referee: Damien Brady (Eire Og)
After a competitive enough opening quarter Eire Og turned on the style to emerge with a Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 4 comprehensive victory over a game and depleted Ballinabranna side at Pairc Ui Brien on Saturday. A five-star performance from former senior player, Derek Hayden, was key to the victory.
Two of his goals were typically cheeky when he somehow lobbed the advancing keeper to secure his second goal.
The victors opened the scoring with a point. They added a second but two pointed frees from David Byrne and Brian Kinsella had the teams level.
Eire Og scored their first goal in the second quarter. They added a further point two minutes later, but Ballinabranna full-forward, David Byrne, showed great soccer skills to finish to the back of the net. But this was cancelled out by a second Eire Og goal a minute later. They then added a further five points to lead 2-8 to 1-2 at the interval.
Eire Og began the second half with a point. They then added a further point in the 36th minute before Willie Kavanagh opened Ballinabranna's account with a point in the 38th minute. David Byrne pointed a free two minutes later to give his side some hope. Eire Og then pointed five minutes later and then added another a minute later and this was added too by a third goal a minute later to which Oisin Pagnier replied with a point two minutes later.
The only two pointer arrived for the Reds in the 55th minute and their nights work was completed with a fourth goal. Even though James Kehoe replied with a point the fifth goal arrived a minute from time to complete the nights scoring.
EIRE OG: Sean Murphy; Tommy Donohoe, Paul Behan, Lee Mulhall; Lee Carpenter, Philip Hegarty, Daniel Hayden Donovan; Shane Murphy (0-1), Corey Harmon (0-5 2f 1-2p); Cathal Brady (1-3), Derek Hayden (3-2), James Ruth; Liam Ryan (0-2), Ryan O’Grady (1-0), Mark Corcoran (0-1).
Sub: Joe Travers BALLINABRANNA; Cian McDonald; Kevin Kennedy, William Ryan, Adrian Brennan; Tom McDonald, Brian Mulleney, Willie Kavanagh (0-1); James Kehoe (0-1), Graham Amond; Steven Egan, Oisin Pagnier (0-1), Paul Fitzgerald; Brian Kinsella (0-1), David Byrne (1-2), Aaron Dunne.
With a strong sprinkling of re-graded first team players proved too strong for the Tinryland third team in this opening Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 5 game in Rathcrogue on Wednesday.
The winners got on the scoresheet straight from the throw-in when former Tinryland player John Dwyer slotted a point and over the next ten minutes the men in sky blue dominated with points from Dylan Bourke and Miley O’Reilly with the latter also finding the net.
Tinryland, who were fielding a third adult team for the first time in four years opened their account with a John Dempsey point but Asca continued to make the running adding another goal from O’Reilly and further points from Conor Byrne (2) and substitute Killian Comiskey.
Gary Scully who was one of Tinryland’s more livelier players found the Asca net but this score proved to be a false dawn for the home side as Asca added a further goal from Miley O’Reilly who brought up his hat-trick and points from John Dwyer and Dylan Bourke as Asca led 3-8 to 1-1 at the interval.
When referee Pat Moran re-started proceedings Asca continued to dominate and it took a great save from Tinryland goalkeeper Lee Buggle to deny the eventual winners another goal. Asca stretched their advantage before Tinryland staged a mini revival with points from Tomas Murphy, Eoin Townsend, John Paul Moore and Garry Scully which completed the scoring in this one- sided game. Gary Scully did hit the crossbar with a last second penalty but when he gathered the re-bound referee Moran had already sounded the full-time whistle.
ASCA: Dylan Reamsbottom; Luke Bramley, Alastair Clifford, Andre Luiz Carvalho; Callum Carlin, John Jackson, Eoghan Evesson; Jimmy Phelan, John Dwyer (0-3); Shane Noonan, Dylan Bourke (0-4), Conor Byrne (0-5); Kieran Noonan, Miley O’Reilly (3-1), Stephen Bayley (0-1). Subs: Killian Comiskey (0-1), Darragh O’Connor, Brendan Short, Alex Vint, Jack Redmond.
TINRYLAND: Lee Buggle; Bradleigh Nolan, Mark Dempsey, Brian Geoghegan; Adam Buggle, Tomas Murphy (0-1), Matthew Brennan; Johnny Scully, Eoin Townsend (0-1); Keelan Quigley, Ruari Scully, Brian Mullen; John Dempsey (0-1), John Paul Moore (0-1), Gary Scully (1-1). Subs: P.J. Murphy, Evan Doyle, Justin Keogh.
Leighlinbridge met a vastly experienced neighbour in their opening Carlow Credit Union Senior Football League Division 5 match in Old Leighlin on Wednesday. With a third of their team holders of senior championship medals they had too much firepower for their parish rivals. The winners led 3-6 to 0-1 at the break with Liam Coughlan getting two of the goals.
Leighlinbridge were much improved in the second half. With midfielders Ros Dermody and Kacper Gniedziejko leading the fight they whittled down the lead to six points at one stage with two 2 pointers from Gavan Slattery being a major help. A goal would have really helped but it never came. Old Leighlin rallied and in the end were comfortable winners. Kevin Lawlor made his debut for Leighlin.
LEIGHLINBRIDGE: Chris Kearney; Timmy Clarke, Jonathan Stringer (0-1), David Kelly; Pat Meaney, Fiach O Byrne, Joe Byrne; Ros Dermody, Kacper Gniedziejko; Shane O Reilly (0-1), Gavan Slattery (0-4), Ciaran Nolan (0-2); Aidan Nolan, Val Fleming (0-1), Cian Flood (0-2).
Subs: Kevin Lawlor, Jamie Brennan.
