Late Crettyard goals book final place and break Arles Killeen hearts

Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship ‘B’ s/f 

Crettyard 3-13 

Arles Killeen 2-9 

CRETTYARD are through to the Laois Shopping Centre Senior 'B' final after two late goals from Evan O'Carroll and Cormac Murphy broke the hearts of Arles Killeen in Ballylinan on Saturday afternoon.

Crettyard led at the break by two points, but Arles Killeen roared back at the start of the second half scoring 1-3 without reply to put them in the ascendency, and were looking good for the win, until Evan O'Carroll created a moment of magic with a brilliant individual goal which was followed up by Cormac Murphy to give Crettyard the win.

Ciaran Burke got Crettyard off to a dream start with a well taken goal, but Arles Killeen hit back with points through frees from Oisin Byrne and Paul Kingston.

Evan O'Carroll would get off the mark with two quick frees, which was followed up by a point from Cormac Murphy as Crettyard led in the early stages.

Arles Killeen would find their first goal soon after through Colin Dunne, who left three defenders in his wake and blasted the ball into the net.

Jonah Kelly responded with a point before both teams would trade two pointer frees, one from Colin Dunne and Evan O'Carroll as Crettyard led 1-6 to 1-4 at the break.

Arles Killeen were playing against the wind in the second period, Oisin Byrne and Ennae Byrne got the first two, which was followed by a second goal from Colin Dunne, who dispossessed the keeper and found the back of the net to give his side complete control.

Oisin Byrne put them further ahead with another free, but O'Carroll would finally get Crettyard up and running in the second half.

Kingston would hit the next point for Arles Killeen, but Crettyard started to motor from there on in.

Jack Doyle, Ciaran Burke and O'Carroll pointed to leave it as a one point game going into the last five minutes.

O'Carroll then produced a moment of magic as he glided past five defenders and found the far top corner to give Crettyard a two point lead 2-10 to 2-8 going down the stretch.

Paul Kingston then put one between the teams as the game headed into injury time.

Jonah Kelly added another point, before Cormac Murphy finished the game with another goal in injury time to wrap up the win late on.

O'Carroll landed another two pointer free, before the game ended in a row with Enda O'Rourke getting sent off as Crettyard advance to the final.

SCORERS:

Crettyard: Evan O'Carroll 1-8 (2tpf, 0-4fs), Cormac Murphy and Ciaran Burke 1-1 each, Jonah Kelly 0-2, Jack Doyle 0-1.

Arles Killeen: Colin Dunne 2-2 (1tp), Oisin Byrne 0-3 (fs), Paul Kingston 0-2, Ennae Byrne 0-1.

CRETTYARD: Eoin O'Shea; James Kelly, Pierce Nash, Evan Dunne; Dara Kelly, Jack Brennan, Fionn O'Sullivan; Jack Doyle, Alex Whelan; Jason Carroll, Jonah Kelly, Sean Browne; Cormac Murphy, Ciaran Burke, Evan O'Carroll.

Subs: Michael Nash for Carroll (ht), Tiernan Patterson for Browne (39m), John Brennan for Kelly (47m), Conor Mulhall for Dunne (58m).

ARLES KILLEEN: Jason Enright; Eoin Kelly, Joe Mulhare, Enda O'Rourke; Michael Wall, Noel Gaughan, Adam O'Donoghue; Ben Griffin, Oisin Byrne; John Mahon, Paul Kingston, Sean O'Shea; Ennae Byrne, Colin Dunne, Niall O'Rourke.

Subs: Ger McWey for Mulhare (16m), Conor Keightley for Mahon (45m), Donie Kingston for O'Shea (56m).

Referee: Des Cooney (St Joseph's)