St Mullins avenge earlier defeat to Ballinkillen to reach SHC final
Paddy Boland (St Mullins) shoots over Ballinkillen’s Dion Wall, Boland contributed 2-3 for his
The Carlow roll of honour leaders are back in the Senior Hurling Final after this emphatic win in the semi-final at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.
St Mullins enjoyed a great start when Paddy Boland scored a fifth minute goal which could well be one of the easiest the Carlow intercounty player has ever scored. John Doyle created the initial chance but as the ball ran loose Boland was on hand to touch it over the line.
Ballinkillen relied heavily on Ciaran Whelan for their scores and by the break he had accumulated six points with all bar one coming from placed balls. In the meantime, the St Mullins attack carried a constant threat.
John Doyle scored their second goal when he used his physique to create space before his looping effort found the net. The third was vintage Boland as he caught a delivery high above his head at the O’Hanrahan end of the ground. He sold a dummy which opened up space on the right and made no mistake when expertly finding the net.
At the interval, St Mullins led 3-8 to 0-7 and they quickly tacked on another three points in a row through Boland, Conor Kehoe and Marty Kavanagh. Their opponents managed to find another gear and it was their turn to get a run of four scores with Whelan (2), Kevin Kavanagh and Sean Murphy all raising white flags.
They needed a goal but instead, St Mullins killed the game with three points as Ballinkillen began to falter. Their opponents sensed their opportunity. In the final ten minutes they turned the screw scoring eight points without reply. It was emphatic.
A lot has happened since the result was reversed when the sides met in the opening round of the group stages on a warm summer day in McGrath Park.
P Boland 2-3, C Kehoe 0-6 (4fs), James Doyle 0-6, John Doyle 1-1, P Doyle 0-2, M Kavanagh 0-2, J Kavanagh 0-1.
C Whelan 0-9 (6fs), K Kavanagh 0-2, S Whelan, S Murphy, P Hynes 0-1 each.
Seamus Murphy; Laurence Brennan, Paudie Kehoe, Ciaran Harris; Paul Doyle, Michael Walsh, Ger Coady; Jack Kavanagh, Eamonn O’Shea; John Doyle, Marty Kavanagh, Colm Kavanagh; Conor Kehoe, Paddy Boland, James Doyle. Subs: Gary Bennett for C Kavanagh (53), Eddie Doyle for J Kavanagh (57).
Tommy Dowling; Jamie Wall, Dion Wall, Mark Foley; Ciaran O’Neill, David English, Eric English; Cormac Lomax, Sean Whelan; Adam Ryan, Ciaran Whelan, Kevin Kavanagh; Craig Wall, Marty Dalton, Jack Treacy. Subs: Sean Murphy for Ryan (h/t), Padraig Hynes for D English (h/t), Ian Craddock for Lomax (45).
Paud O’Dwyer (Palatine).
