A
suberb last quarter saw Ballyskenagh dish out an eleven points drubbing, 1-20
to 1-9, to last year's beaten county finalists Kilcormac/Killoughey in Group
2 of the Offaly SHC at Banagher on Sunday evening last.Offaly SHC Group 2 Round 1
Ballyskenagh 1-20 ....... Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-9
A
suberb last quarter saw Ballyskenagh dish out an eleven points drubbing, 1-20
to 1-9, to last year's beaten county finalists Kilcormac/Killoughey in Group
2 of the Offaly SHC at Banagher on Sunday evening last.
This was a game that was always going to be close but it was Ballyskenagh,
who also defeated K/K in the 1st
round of the 2002 championship, that always looked the likely winners.
Kilcormac/K, for one reason or another, have been hit by the loss of their
entire full back line from last year - Seamus Spain, Henry Kilmartin and Jamie
Flynn - and their absence was evident through out.
The scenario now is that the Double K's might struggle to reach the knock-out
stages of this year's championship and that would be disastrous for them especially
after the great progress they made in '02.
Ballyskenagh,
now under the guidance of Paddy Kirwan, are no strangers to making bright starts
to the championship, but maintaining it for the full duration has been a problem
for them. Last year they looked to be well on course for a county semi-final
place, however, they collapsed badly losing to Shmnrocks, K/K and St.
Rynagh's in successive matches.
It is unlikely that 'Skenagh will make the same slip up this time round, but
they'll need to be cautious and avoid falling into the complacency trap.
From the outset Ballyskenagh dictated the game to K/K with county players Brendan
Murphy, Noel Murphy and David Franks causing all sorts of problems, while Eoghan
Franks was clinical from placed balls.
At the end of the first quarter 'Skenagh led by 0-5 to 0-3, but a Barry Gorman
goal brought K/K right back into it. However, when Noel Murphy doubled on a
Eoghan Franks free in the 25th minute and the sliotar
crashed to the back of the net it helped 'Skenagh regain the lead and they were
subsequently never headed. At half time they were 1-8 to 1-4 in front.
The opening quarter of the second half was evenly contested with both sides
adding three points to their half time tally. Then when John Leahy and Joey
Wynne pointed to leave just two between them, 1-11 to 1-9, it looked like a
close finish was on the cards.
However,
nothing could have been more further from the reality as a much livelier 'Skenagh
side took complete control and hit nine points without reply to run out as the
most comfortable of winners.
Paul Cummins opened the scoring for Kilcormac/Killoughey in the 1st minute when
he pointed from 45 metres. Two pointed frees from Eoghan Franks edged Ballyskenagh
in front by the 4th minute. Brendan Murphy then extended 'Skenagh's lead with
the first of his three points from play. John Leahy pulled a point back for
K/K when he pointed a 25 metre free after Cathal Murphy had fouled David Gleeson.
Brendan Murphy then followed up with a great individual score for 'Skenagh,
soloing 30 metres before striking the sliotar over the bar off the hurl from
35 metres. Mark Hand pointed a long range free for K/K in the 15th minute and
a minute later K/K were in front. Paul Leonard floated the ball into the Ballyskenagh
square and Barry Gorman rifled a first time shot the back of Tom O'Toole's net.
Noel Murphy cut the deficit to the minimum with a well-taken point in the 21st
minute.
Two minutes later 'Skenagh went back in front and were never subsequently headed.
David Franks was fouled in mid-field and Eoghan Franks floated the ball goalwards,
for Noel Murphy to double on it overhead to the back of Stephen Byrne's net
to leave it 1-5 to 1-3.
Eoghan Franks (f) and Noel Murphy extended 'Skenagh's lead to four points, before
Colm Cassidy sent over a long-range effort for K/K. The final score of the half
fell to Eoghan Franks who pointed a 50 metre free to give his side a 1-8 to
1-4 interval lead.
David Gleeson opened the second half scoring with a K/K point, but a like score
from Eoghan Franks quickly cancelled this. Paul Cummins narrowed the gap to
two points in the 37th minute, but again Franks responded for 'Skenagh, this
time from a 65'. John Leahy and Franks again exchanged pointed frees to leave
it 1-11 to 1-7 for 'Skenagh at the three quarter stage.
John Leahy pointed another K/K free in the 46th minute and when substitute Joey
Wynne left just two between them with 13 minutes left to playa grandstand finish
looked on. Amazingly that was to be K/K's last score as 'Skenagh took complete
control and hit nine points without reply.
David
Franks and Alan Middleton struck over good long-range efforts. Eoghan Franks
then converted his third 65' of the game and David Franks hit another from play
to leave six between them with 5 minutes left in the game. Two more Eoghan Franks
points followed and in injury time Brendan Murphy, Noel Murphy and David Franks
were all on target to give 'Skenagh a well deserved 11 point victory 1-20 to
1-9.
Scorers
Ballyskenagh - Eoghan Franks (0-10,0-5 frees, 0-3 65's), Noel Murphy (1-3),
David Franks (0-3), Brendan Murphy (0-3) and Alan Middleton (0-1).
Kilcormac/Killoughey - John Leahy (0-3, frees), Barry Gorman (1-0), Paul Cummins
(0-2), Mark Hand (free), Colm Cassidy, David Gleeson and Joey Wynne (0-1 each).
Teams
BALLYSKENAGH: Tom O'Toole; Eugene Hannon, Mick O'Hara, Mark Kirwan; Barry Keeshan,
Cathal Murphy, Brendan Franks; Alan Middleton, Noel Murphy; David Carney, David
Franks, Eoghan Franks; Bill Lalor, Brendan Murphy, John Dooley.
Subs: Derek Middleton for Bill Lalor, (21 mins).
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: Stephen Byrne; Keith McConville, Peter Healion, John Flaherty;
Ger Healion, Mark Hand, Colm Cassidy; Kevin Rigney, Mark Leonard; Paul Cummins,
Tony Spain, Martin Murray; John Leahy, David Gleeson, Barry Gorman.
Subs: Joey Wynne for Tony Spain, (37 mins), Paul Leonard for Kevin Rigney, (42
mins) and Thomas Craven for Mark Leonard, (55 mins).
REFEREE: Brian Gavin, Clara.