Champions reach another semi-final
Aerial ballet in the Stradbally Parish Gaels and Killeshin U/20FC game Photo: David Maher
When to, or not to, play the U/20 championships is an everlasting debate. Last Friday evening in miserable conditions Killeshin U/20 players travelled to Stradbally for a 7.30pm throw in. Most of this team would be students in Carlow and would have caught a bus home at four o’clock before rushing to eat and then travel to Stradbally.
In the end the points to the winners were very valuable. The host team were the reigning champions, a team built around their very impressive minor winning team of two years two ago.
The champions have been impressive in earlier games but on Friday struggled at times, due mainly to the conditions.
The first half was competitive and had Killeshin been sharper in front of goal they might have put pressure on the champions in the second half.
Instead all their scores came about in a ten minute spell, a point by Rioghan Doran, followed by a well taken goal by Ciaran Fitzgerald.
Once again David Donohue was top scorer for the hosts with six points and behind him was Cormac Deegan.
The result means both teams remain in contention. The champions Stradbally Parish Gaels claim a place in the semi-final with a bonus of home venue awaiting. Killeshin awaited results elsewhere, Portlaoise, Portarlington and Na Fianna Og, that would be decided on Sunday last.
David Donohue 0-6 (0-3fs), Cormac Deegan 0-2 (0-1 45), Ronan Creery, Kevin Fennelly and Fionn McEvoy (0-1 each).
Ciaran Fitzgerald 1-0, Rioghan Doran 0-1.
Anthony Skelly; Liam Woulfe, David Miller, Conor McDonald; James Devoy, Jake Darcy, Kevin Fennelly; Enda Shortall, Cormac Deegan; Pauric Ramsbottom, David Donohue, Cathal Buggie; Ronan Creery, Fionn McEvoy, Oran Darcy.
Joe Larkin for Creery (36m), Eoghan Deegan for Shortall (43m), PJ Daly for Fennelly (47m), Sean Maher for Woulfe (54m), Ben Dillon for Devoy (59m).
Ben Fitzgerald; Pauric Moore, Jack Brennan, Danny Malone; Killian McCutcheon, Pa Fitzgerald, Chris Fitzgerald; Michael Gaffney, Jack Milton; Adam Farrell, Evan English, Evan Askins; Rioghan Doran, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Blake Rice.
Eoin Pender for Malone 42m, Sean Barr for Farrell (53m).
Padraig Whelan (Barrowhouse)
