Abbeyleix just squeeze over the line to get their first win of the league

St Lazarian’s Abbeyleix 2-16 

Castletown 2-14 

 ABBEYLEIX got their first points on the board in Division 1 of the ACHL with a two point victory at home to Castletown on Saturday evening.

The hosts had lost their opening three games coming into this fixture and were rooted at the bottom of the table, but they now join Castletown on two points who picked up a win over The Harps from their opening three fixtures.

Eoghan Fennelly top scored for the victors with eight points from frees and a further two from play, while Kevin Fitzpatrick popped up with two vital goals, including one in the closing minutes as Abbeyleix overturned a four point deficit in the last five minutes.

It was indeed Fennelly that got the scoring underway with a free just seconds after the throw in but Castletown came back strong in the opening ten minutes and took a five point lead.

Rory Kelly fired over the first for the visitors after good work by Conor Doran and Kyron Cuddy soon followed with a free.

Cuddy was in action again minutes later when he was hauled down by a trio of Abbeyleix men and he was awarded a penalty which Tom Og Phelan slammed past Liam Kavanagh, the Abbeyleix goalie in the absence of Enda Rowland.

Another free from Cuddy increased the Castletown lead to five but Abbeyleix battled back strongly to strike five points in succession and level things up.

Fennelly fired twice from frees and added a third with and followed that with an excellent score from play before a quick double from Colm Walsh on the left wing.

Cuddy and Fennelly then traded frees midway through the half but the Abbeyleix man went one better and again followed that with a very well taken score from play to put Abbeyleix back in front.

A great score from Doran brought the sides back level before Castletown were dealt a big blow when a long ball in from Fennelly found its way to Kevin Fitzpatrick who took a couple of tackles before eventually getting the ball over the line for a goal.

The goal reignited Castletown however with a point from Cuddy again off the back of work from Doran and Benny Reddin followed after a good clearance by Shane Phelan.

Tadhg Cuddy levelled things up with a good effort range but Abbeyleix had the final say of the half and went in 1-9 to 1-8 ahead from a Fennelly free.

The second half was very slow to get going with a couple of stoppages for injuries and other delays, but there was an early point for Cuddy to level things up.

The next score came eleven minutes into the half with a Fennelly free, but the momentum shifted back in favour of the visitors after two good scorers from Matthew Peters and Tadhg Cuddy.

Castletown then broke in for a second goal with Cuddy again breaking into space and turning on the burners before finding Doran inside to finish well, and Cuddy followed that with a 65 to put five between them with 47 minutes gone.

Ross Coffey brought life back into Abbeyleix with a long range effort before Cuddy and Fennelly traded frees, but the tide was turning in favour of the hosts.

Aaron Carroll landed a brace of scores from midfield but the killer blow came for Castletown when the ball broke inside to a free Colm Walsh whose shot was saved by Paddy Mullaney before rebounding out to Kevin Fitzpatrick who stroked home off the deck.

A free from Fennelly and a third point by Walsh sealed the deal late on for Abbeyleix and get their first two points on the board.

SCORERS – Abbeyleix: Eoghan Fennelly 0-10 (0-8fs), Kevin Fitzpatrick 2-0, Colm Walsh 0-3, Aaron Carroll 0-2, Ross Coffey 0-1.

Castletown: Kyron Cuddy 0-7 (0-4fs, 0-1 65), Conor Doran and Tom Og Phelan (1-0 pen, 0-1f) 1-1 each, Tadhg Cuddy 0-2, Rory Kelly, Benny Reddin and Matthew Peters 0-1 each.

ST LAZARIAN’S ABBEYLEIX: Liam Kavanagh; Lewis Churchouse, Oisin Carroll, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Ross Coffey, Cillian McEvoy, Alan Lynch; Aaron Carroll, Jack Finlay; Colm Walsh, Eoghan Fennelly, Eli Quinn; Kevin Fitzpatrick, Stephen Thompson, Sam Quinn.

Subs: Declan Iguma for Thompson (38m).

CASTLETOWN: Paddy Mullaney; Killian Cuddy, Shane Phelan, Tommy Goode; Ryan Peters, Tadhg Cuddy, John Gaughan; Conor Walsh, Callum Peters; Tom Og Phelan, Conor Doran, Rory Kelly; Matthew Peters, Benny Reddin, Kyron Cuddy. Subs: Joe Phelan for Gaughan (ht).

Referee: Brian Farrell (The Harps)