Ballyskenach 1-13 ....... Kinnitty 0-11
Report by Alan Walsh
A BRILLIANT 40th minute goal by Donal Golden sent Ballyskenach on their way to a merited victory over Kinnitty in this Offaly S.H.C. Group 2 match played in Shinrone last Sunday evening.
The sides were delicately poised at 0-8 apiece and Ballyskenach, despite their numerical advantage, were struggling to put Kinnitty away, until Golden's delightful strike rocketed to the roof of Liam Bergin's net. Golden's goal was the highlight of what was otherwise a lack-lustre tie.
Kinnitty were reduced to 14 men in the 29th minute when full forward Brendan Molloy, who had been deployed as a third midfielder for much of his time on the pitch, was sent off following an off-the-ball challenge on Ballyskenach full back Tom O'Toole.
It was a blow that the men from the foothills of the Slieve Bloom could scarcely afford and no matter how hard they tried in the second half they never looked like getting the goal that might get them out of jail.
On the evidence of this match, both Ballyskenach and Kinnitty will struggle in their bid to secure one of the two knockout places on offer from Group 2. Martin King managed Kinnitty, after this defeat, are really up against it and their next opponents are Tullamore, but youthful Ballyskenach do appear to have the potential to improve and they could yet cause a surprise.
Kinnitty began very promisingly and they had three points on the board by the 8th minute as Mick Molloy, Richie McRedmond and Brendan Molloy (free) all hit the target. But by the 17th minute Ballyskenach had tied matters. David Carney scored two delightful points, before Donal Golden took possession from a Vinny Franks pass and pointed.
In the 18th minute Kinnitty regained the lead when midfielder Richie McRedmond fired over his second point. Only seconds after coming onto the pitch John Dooley levelled matters at 0-4 all when he pointed a free won by Peter Murphy. Murphy, himself, made it 0-5 to 0-4, before Damien Flaherty hit back for Kinnitty.
Donal Golden and Richie McRedmond (free) exchanged points before the interval and that left the half-time score reading - Ballyskenach 0-6, Kinnitty 0-6.
A Sean Carroll point five minutes after the re-start gave Kinnitty the lead briefly as Ballyskenach hit back with two points from the Franks' brothers - David and Vinny. In the 39th minute Richie McRemond levelled the match for the sixth time at 0-8 all when he pointed a free.
But the all important score came just seconds later. John Dooley's perfectly flighted delivery was gathered brilliantly in the air by Donal Golden who swiftly turned his marker Liam Carroll and blasted a powerful shot to the net. It was a goal worthy of winning any match and it certainly gave Ballyskenach the cushion they needed. A 42nd point from Offaly panellist Noel Murphy gave 'Skenach a 1-9 to 0-8 lead.
Richie McRedmond (free) pointed for Kinnitty, but this score was cancelled out by a fine long range point by Ballyskenach centre back Mick O'Hara. Sean Carroll scored Kinnitty's 10th point in the 53rd minute, but Ballyskenach then made their final drive for the finishing line and three points on-the-trot scored by John Dooley (2) and Bill Lalor gave them a six points lead - 1-13 to 0-10 - with just two minutes remaining.
Kinnitty did try hard to salvage the situation but it was to no avail. Justin Kinsella was fouled at the expense of a 21 metre free which Richie McRedmond drove well wide, while an injury-time point by Damien Flaherty represented nothing more than a token consolation.
Eugene Hannon, after a sluggish start that saw him get the "run-around" from Justin Kinsella, settled down well after he swopped corners with Cathal Murphy, twin of Noel, and a member of last year's Offaly All-Ireland winning squad. Tom O'Toole cleared an awful lot of ball especially after Brendan Molloy was sent off. The Ballyskenach half back trio weren't overly imposing and that has to be a big worry for them.
Liam O'Toole and David Franks had the upper hand in the midfield exchanges, while John Dooley also made a big contribution around this sector when he came in and his long range point close to the finish was of the highest quality.
All six Ballyskenach forwards scored from play which is a good sign, while three others - Mick O'Hara, David Franks and John Dooley - also got in on the scoring act. Donal Golden was the real danger man at full forward, while David Carney too would have caused a lot more serious headaches for Kinnitty if he had to last the full hour.
Down to fourteen men and after hitting seven first half wides, Kinnitty were always going to be up against it for the second half. Vincent Bergin and Liam O'Brien tried hard in their defence, but it was a bit surprising to see centre back Joe Carroll being taken off after 24 minutes. Admittedly, he wasn't going too well against Noel Murphy, but maybe it would have been more beneficial to himself and Kinnitty if he had been switched to another position.
Brendan Molloy had been going well enough until he was sent off, and elsewhere Kinnitty's best performers were Richie McRedmond, Sean Carroll and Damien Flaherty.
BALLYSKENACH: Eugene Kirwan; Eugene Hannon, Tom O'Toole, Cathal Murphy; Mark
Kirwan, Mick O'Hara (0-1), Barry Keeshan; Liam O'Toole, David Franks (0-1);
David Carney (0-2), Noel Murphy (0-1), Bill Lalor (0-1); Vinny Franks (0-1),
Donal Golden (1-2), Peter Murphy (0-1).
Subs.: John Dooley (0-3, 0-2 frees) for Bill Lalor, (24 mins), and Bill Lalor
for David Carney, inj., (34 mins).
KINNITTY: Liam Bergin; Vincent Bergin, Liam Carroll, Paddy O'Donnell; Liam
O'Brien, Joe Carroll, Paddy Whelan; Richie McRedmond (0-5, 0-3 frees), Tommy
Ryan; Sean Carroll (0-2), Damien Flaherty (0-2), Mick Molloy (0-1); Mick Bergin,
Brendan Molloy (0-1, free), Justin Kinsella.
Subs.: Eoin McGuinness for Joe Carroll, (24 mins), and Peadar Bergin for Mick
Bergin, (37 mins).
REFEREE: Ger Wynne, St. Rynagh's