Rathdowney/Errill pull off a big shock in the ACHL Division 2 final
A battle for possession in the ACHL Division 2 final between Rathdowney/Errill and Ballinakill on Friday Photo: Denis Byrne
Rathdowney-Errill's second string pulled off a big shock in the ACHL Division 2 final in the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Friday evening by putting Ballinakill to the sword with a seven point victory.
Ballinakill were a whisker away from getting to last year's Senior Hurling Championship final and they appeared to have carried that form through to this year's league as they seven from seven in the group stage, though it took an injury time for them to overcome Camross in the semi-final before eventually losing out to Rathdowney/Errill's second string this evening.
The evergreen Joe Fitzpatrick was immense at centre-back for the victors, particularly in the closing stages when Ballinakill were throwing everything they could into the mixer in their attempts to claw back the deficit, but Fitzpatrick stifled them time after time.
Rathdowney/Errill's young forwards also impressed with the Jack Dowling perfectly fitting the description of a nippy corner forward and he racked up three points from play while Micheal Cleary impressed also further out the field, matching Dowling's tally.
Seamus Fitzpatrick looked extremely dangerous inside for Ballinakill in the early stages but the wily pair of John Purcell and Brian Campion soon shored up the full back line for Rathdowney/Errill and the deliveries inside slowed up.
Rathdowney/Errill had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half also and they had a nine point lead at half time which proved to be too much for Ballinakill to overcome.
Ballinakill will still be promoted to Division 1 in 2027 for reaching the final, but Rathdowney/Errill travelled home with the cup.
Within six minutes of the start Rathdowney/Errill held a five point lead with an early free from Aaron Costigan followed by an excellent trio of scores from Scott Pearson, Jimmy Corrigan and Jack Dowling before Pearson hit a second.
Their hard work was all but undone in the blink of an eye when a shot from Ethan Drury rebounded back out to Seamus Fitzpatrick who railed it into the net and he added a point moments later after a great pass inside from Cha Dwyer.
Fitzpatrick turned provider for their next score by Ben O'Mara but Rathdowney/Errill maintained control once again with another flurry of scores.
Costigan, Corrigan and Jordie Kavanagh were all on target before the score of the game from John Purcell when he intercepted a Paul Simms puckout in midfield and pinged it back over the black spot to a raucous cheers from his support in the stand.
A quick double from Cleary and a another brace of frees from Costigan increased the lead further despite scores from Cha and Eddie Dwyer sandwiched between, both assisted by Fitzpatrick.
Rathdowney/Errill saw out the half on the upswing with Costigan and Dowling both on target again while Paddy Hassett completed the first half scoring with an outrageous effort from the left wing to make it 0-16 to 1-4.
With the wind behind them for the second half Ballinakill matched Rathdowney/Errill start to the game with five points in a row as they looked to whittle down the gap.
Cha Dwyer and Brian Duggan both landed from distance while Ethan Drury popped over an excellent pair of scores either side of a second from O'Mara.
Another two frees from Costigan settled the ship for Rathdowney/Errill, though they were living on the edge as Harry Wynne was forced to make a brilliant goal line block to deny Fitzpatrick a second green flag.
The pair traded scores before Duggan hit three frees in a row for Ballinakill as the pressure began to increase on the leaders and just three points split them with eight minutes left.
From here however, Ballinakill could not buy a score and the wides were starting to build up and the Rathdowney/Errill backs proved to be impervious in the latter stages.
The constant attacks allowed space for Rathdowney/Errill to tag on a few late scores with Cleary, Costigan, Dowling and Hassett all pointing in the final five minutes to secure the win.
Aaron Costigan 0-9 (fs), Micheal Cleary and Jack Dowling 0-3 each, Scott Pearson, Paddy Hassett and Jimmy Corrigan 0-2 each, John Purcell and Jordie Kavanagh 0-1 each.
Seamus Fitzpatrick 1-1, Brian Duggan 0-4 (0-3fs), Cha Dwyer and Ben O'Mara 0-3 each, Ethan Drury 0-2, Eddie Dwyer 0-1.
Paul Simms; Cathal O'Shaughnessy, Andrew McDonagh, Cian O'Shaughnessy; Lir McDonald, Ian Shanahan, Podge Lawlor; Eddie Dwyer, Dan Bergin; Ben O'Mara, Brian Duggan, Ethan Drury; Dylan Doyle, Cha Dwyer, Seamus Fitzpatrick.
Noel Duggan for C O'Shaughnessy (21m, inj).
Damian Madden; Killian Carroll, Brian Campion, John Purcell; David Poynton, Joe Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Corrigan; Scott Pearson, James Keegan; Harry Campion, Aaron Costigan, Micheal Cleary; Jack Dowling, Paddy Hassett, Jordie Kavanagh.
Harry Wynne for Carroll (33m, inj), Oisin Moore for Corrigan (42m), Dan Bowe for Kavanagh (44m), Darren King for Campion (49m), Oisin Smeaton for Keegan (55m).
Patrick Phelan (Castletown)
