Borris/Kilcotton's ruthlessness in front of the goals proved to be the difference

Borris/Kilcotton 2-23 

Ballinakill 0-21 

BORRIS/Kilcotton remain undefeated in the Laois Shopping Centre SHC after an eight-point win over Ballinakill in the first of the Saturday double header in Laois Hire O'Moore Park.

A close game was expected between two physical sides and it kept to the script for a long period, but Borris/Kilcotton's ruthlessness in front of the goals ultimately proved to be the difference.

Ballinakill enjoyed a good start to the game and hit fifteen points by half time, though their lack of goals would prove costly in the end as while they made Eoin Fleming make a couple of saves, they never really threatened a green flag, while Borris/Kilcotton's goal early in the game kept them in touch.

A second goal came for the victors early in the second half which derailed another strong start from the underdogs and that was a costly blow to Ballinakill as they failed to recover from there and Borris/Kilcotton ran away to a comfortable win.

Ballinakill made a flying start to the game, registering five points in within three minutes of Alan Doheny throwing in the ball, Ben O'Mara getting the first within ten seconds of the start.

Eddie Dwyer soon followed along with captain Seamus Fitzpatrick and Ryan Quinlan made it four with 1:28 on the clock, and Brian Duggan became Ballinakill's fifth different scorer with a well taken free.

All their hard work was essentially undone in no time at all when Stephen Dunphy slotted Borris/Kilcotton's first point and a goal soon followed when PJ Scully rose to gather a high ball in from midfield and turn to lash it into the net.

Ballinakill almost had a goal of their own from the next play as Fitzpatrick forced a good save from Eoin Fleming, and Borris/Kilcotton went on the attack themselves again and drew level with points from Scully and Joe Campion.

Still inside the opening ten minutes of the game Ballinakill went on the attack again with points from Ethan Drury, O'Mara and Fitzpatrick before Drury appeared to fall foul to an injury and had to be replaced by Noel Duggan.

Lir McDonald got in on the act with a well taken score from long range before receiving a yellow card for a high shoulder on Colm Stapleton, forcing the Borris/Kilcotton centre back to the sideline to be bandaged up.

Jer Quinlan and Scully both slotted for Borris/Kilcotton either side of excellent scores from Cha Dwyer and Ryan Quinlan and Dylan Doyle added another for Ballinakill after a powering run from midfield.

The sides traded a brace of frees each before half time and there was a flashpoint late in the half when Cha Dwyer and Joe Campion tussled in front of the stand and the Ballinakill man received a yellow card but his side led 0-14 to 1-9 at the break.

Brian Duggan increased the lead to four points with two early frees in the second half, but Borris/Kilcotton were brilliantly effective on the attack once again, this time Aaron Dunphy being left free in front of the posts and hammering the net.

Scully added a point from a free and Jer Quinlan struck from play as Borris/Kilcotton took the lead for the first time, and they never looked back from there.

Gearoid Lynch levelled it momentarily but Borris/Kilcotton hit back through Scully and Stephen Dunphy and after an initial reply from Cha Dwyer from range, they completely dominated the remainder of the game.

Ballinakill saw another couple of goal chances be snuffed out and their attempts at points were all going awry, and unfortunately for them Borris/Kilcotton had no such issues as they struck the next nine points in a row.

Scully struck five of the scores from frees, Aaron Dunphy struck twice from play while Jer Quinlan and Joe Campion both added one each to the rout.

Ballinakill got a couple of late consolation scores from Cha Dwyer and Dan Bergin, but the jig was up and their chances of progression are looking very slim.

SCORERS:

Borris/Kilcotton: PJ Scully 1-14 (0-12fs), Aaron Dunphy 1-2, Jer Quinlan 0-3, Joe Campion 0-2, Stephen Dunphy 0-2.

Ballinakill: Brian Duggan 0-4 (fs), Cha Dwyer 0-4 (0-1f), Seamus Fitzpatrick 0-3, Ben O'Mara and Ryan Quinlan 0-2 each, Eddie Dwyer, Lir McDonald, Dylan Doyle, Gearoid Lynch, Ethan Drury and Dan Bergin 0-1 each.

BORRIS/KILCOTTON: Eoin Fleming; Philip Tynan, Enda Parlon, Steven Finan; Evan Quinlan, Colm Stapleton, Niall Coss; Eoin Fitzpatrick, Connor Kilbane; Dean Carey, Joe Campion, Jer Quinlan; PJ Scully, Aaron Dunphy, Stephen Dunphy.

Subs: Matthew Whelan for Stapleton (blood, 25m-ht), Eoghain Coss for Stapleton (44m), Neil Foyle for Carey (45m), Matthew Whelan for Fitzpatrick (59m).

BALLINAKILL: Paul Simms; Cathal O'Shaughnessy, Ian Shanahan, Andrew McDonagh; Lir McDonald, Cha Dwyer, Podge Lawlor; Gearoid Lynch, Dylan Doyle; Ben O'Mara, Seamus Fitzpatrick, Ethan Drury; Brian Duggan, Eddie Dwyer, Ryan Quinlan.

Subs: Noel Duggan for Drury (18m, inj), Drury for B Duggan (36m), B Duggan for N Duggan (45m), Conor McDonagh for Doyle (52m), N Duggan for A McDonagh (54m), Dan Bergin for B Duggan (blood, 55m).

Referee: Alan Doheny (Castletown)