Clough/Ballacolla hit top gear to knock out Mountmellick

Laois Shopping Centre Premier IHC q/f 

Clough/Ballacolla 2-25 

Mountmellick 1-16 

CLOUGH/Ballacolla have a Premier Intermediate semi-final to look forward to after they ended Mountmellick’s season in Colt on Saturday afternoon.

There was little to separate the sides at half time with a flicked goal from Clough/Ballacolla’s CJ Brennan the difference between them at the break. Clough/Ballacolla went on to dominate the second half, outscoring Mountmellick 13 points to four to win by 12 points in the end.

Kevin Hyland, who finished with 12 white flags, opened the scoring after just 45 seconds. Clough/Ballacolla got in for their first goal with two minutes played. It was a great team score that saw Gary Whelan pass the ball to John Dwyer and he squared it to John Coonan, who flicked it into the net at the back post.

From the puck-out, Mountmellick got the goal back as Finn Culleton ran straight at the Clough/Ballacolla defence before smashing the ball low and hard past Peter Rafter. Podge Brennan opened his account in reply as Clough/Ballacolla went two points ahead early on.

Pete Culleton was Mountmellick’s top-scorer with 13 points, and he opened his account. Clough/Ballacolla went three points up thanks to a 65’ from Hyland and the same player then scored from play. The 65 came after Sean Corby took a shot for goal and Jimmy Hilliard saved the ball with his hand instead of his hurl.

The next four points were traded as Jake Colbert and Oisin Hade scored for Mountmellick, while CJ Brennan and Hyland scored down the other end. Mountmellick drew level after nine minutes thanks to points from Culleton (two frees) and an Eli Colbert score sandwiched in between.

That would be the only time the game ended up level as Clough/Ballacolla scored 1-2 without reply to take the lead again. Hyland pointed two frees before CJ Brennan flicked his sideline cut into the net. Three Culleton frees were Mountmellick’s response, but Brennan replied with three scores from play to maintain Clough/Ballacolla’s five-point advantage.

Mountmellick ended the half with two more scores from Culleton; his second was an outrageous point from out near the sideline. Clough/Ballacolla led 2-12 to 1-12 at the sounding of Brian Farrell’s whistle for half-time.

Ben Delaney and a second Peter Rafter free from his own 45 stretched their lead even further. Mountmellick struggled big time for scores and could only muster up points from frees. Culleton got his and Mountmellick’s first of four second half points soon after.

Coonan almost had a second goal, only for Redmond McEvoy to clear his effort off the line. Hyland added another free and a second 65, while CJ Brennan scored his second point of the game. Culleton’s second point of the half with 15 minutes to play still had Mountmellick down by six points and they’d need one if not two goals to get back into the contest.

Those goals never came and Clough/Ballacolla increased their lead further thanks to two points from Hyland. Culleton and Hyland then traded frees before a fourth score of the half for Culleton ended up being Mountmellick’s final score with five minutes to play.

There was still time for Clough/Ballacolla to add five more white flags to their tally from five different scorers. Hyland (free), Coonan, Padraigh Brennan, Rafter (free) and substitute Jim Hyland all raised white flags to see Clough/Ballacolla into a semi-final.

SCORERS:

Clough/Ballacolla: Kevin Hyland 0-12 (0-7fs, 0-2 65s), Padraigh Brennan 0-5, CJ Brennan 1-2, John Coonan 1-1, Peter Rafter 0-3 (fs), Ben Delaney and Jim Hyland 0-1 each.

Mountmellick: Pete Culleton 0-13 (0-11fs), Finn Culleton 1-0, Jake Colbert, Eli Colbert and Oisin Hade 0-1 each.

CLOUGH/BALLACOLLA: Peter Rafter; Eoin Duggan, Evan Cassin, Sean Hayes; Paddy Meade, Kyle Handcock, Emmet Saunders; Padraigh Brennan, Ben Delaney; John Coonan, Sean Corby, Kevin Hyland; Gary Whelan, John Dwyer, CJ Brennan.

Subs: Jim Hyland for Delaney (35m, inj) MOUNTMELLICK: Jimmy Hilliard; Rory Culleton, Redmond McEvoy, Aidan Byrne; Liam Connolly, Jack Gorman; Jake Colbert, Jack Weston; Eli Colbert, Finn Culleton, Oisín Hade; Ja Connolly, Finn Lyons, Pete Culleton.

Subs: John Connolly for F Culleton (35m, inj), Tadhg Culliton for Byrne (Blood 41-48m), Jack Mahon for Hade (51m), Tadhg Culliton for E Colbert (58m), Kevin Scott for L Connolly (59m).

Referee: Brian Farrell (The Harps)