Winning start for Leighlinbridge
Leighlinbridge's Cian Brennan gets a shot off despite the pressure of Palatine's Luke Campion.
Leighlinbridge got off to a winning start in the Talbot Hotel Carlow Junior 'A' Football Championship, beating Palatine by four points in Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday night.
The game began with shots from outside the arc falling into the grateful arms of each goalkeeper as both teams tried to find their shooting range. Accuracy also proved problematic as both sides failed to trouble the scoreboard early on.
A 45 from Josh Kearney opened the scoring for Leighlinbridge in the seventh minute and from the resulting kick out came a second point for Bridge, curled over nicely by captain Liam Brennan.
Palatine goalkeeper Ryan Gordon stood up well to deny Cian Brennan a goal, but Fiach O'Toole gathered the rebound and kicked over a third point for Leighlinbridge. Their first goal come seconds later when Aidan Nolan played in Charlie Nolan to raise a green flag in the tenth minute for the men in black.
Mark Brennan pointed again for Leighlinbridge before Fionn O'Toole got Palatine off the mark with 14 minutes on the clock.
Then, with the last play before the water break, Palatine captain Conor Buggy carved through Leighlinbridge before laying the ball off to O'Toole who palmed it into Chris Kearney's net to leave three between the sides at the midway point of the first half.
Charlie Nolan gave Leighlinbridge the lead once again just after the resumption, but a tidy finish from Luke Byrne wiped out the Nolan score.
Palatine won the resulting kick out and released Oran O'Boyle, who took his time before placing the ball in the bottom corner of Ryan Gordon's net - a second goal from Palatine, bringing them level after 23 minutes.
Joey Byrne nudged Leighlinbridge back in front after Charlie Nolan had been denied by superb save from Gordon. O'Toole then pointed a free towards the end of the half, but Aedan Byrne cancelled that out before Nolan added another.
The final act of the half saw O'Toole guide over another free to reduce Palatine's arrears to just a single point, with Leighlinbridge up 1-8 to 2-4 at the break.
A great score from Aedan Byrne pushed the Bridge two in front after only 15 seconds of the second half. A Josh Kearney free followed before Byrne slipped the ball to Aidan Nolan who tucked his shot into the net to raise a second green flag for Leighlinbridge after 33 minutes.
Nolan added a point moments later before Ryan Gordon made another point-blank save to deny Charlie Nolan a goal.
Palatine never managed a score in the third quarter, but they came to life midway through the half, with Luke Campion breaking their duck followed by a free from Dylan Doyle off the bench.
A monster free moments later from well outside the arc was converted magnificently by Fionn O'Toole and suddenly Palatine were back to within three points with five minutes of normal time remaining.
O'Toole pointed one last free, but scores from substitutes Conor Delacey and Alfie Barcoe made sure of the win for Leighlinbridge.
They are back in action this coming Thursday night when they host Naomh Eoin, while Palatine are also at home in Round 2 when they will welcome Kilbride on Saturday.
C Nolan 1-2, A Nolan 1-1, J Kearney (1f, 1'45) and A Byrne 0-2 each, L Brennan, F O'Toole, M Brennan, J Byrne, C Delacey and A Barcoe 0-1 each.
F O'Toole 1-6 (3f, 1tpf), O O'Boyle 1-0, D Doyle (f), L Byrne and L Campion 0-1 each.
Chris Kearney; Mark Brennan, Daniel Barron, Riss Dermody; Joey Byrne, Kacper Gniedziejko, Ciaran Nolan; Liam Brennan, Aedan Byrne; Cian Brennan, Josh Kearney, Rob O'Byrne; Fiach O'Toole, Charlie Nolan, Aidan Nolan.
Aidan Lillis and Conor Delacey for J Kearney and O'Byrne (both 39), Caoimhin Ryan for Dermody (43), Alfie Barcoe for C Brennan (46).
Ryan Gordon; John Byrne, Conor Lawlor, Ewan Breen; Glen Forde, David Kehoe, Luke Campion; Matthew Farrell, Conor Buggy; Oran O'Boyle, Lee Gordon, Luke Byrne; Dylan Farrell, Fionn O'Toole, Adam Seger.
Cian Fitzpatrick for Lawlor (20), Kyle Broderick for Breen (34), Dylan Doyle for D Farrell (42).
Peter Doran.
