Rathdowney/Errill stand strong to hold off a late Ballinakill rally

Rathdowney/Errill 1-24 

Ballinakill 2-18 

THE second of Saturday evening's Laois Shopping Centre SHC double header in Laois Hire O'Moore Park also provided a huge amount of entertainment as Ballinakill and Rathdowney/Errill went to battle.

Despite both sides reaching the semi-final stage of last year's championship, Rathdowney/Errill came into the game as strong favourites, but they were made to work hard for their three-point win.

Tadgh Dowling and Jack Kelly were both in fine fettle for the victors as they each raised five white flags from play, while James Ryan was just as effective in scoring 1-2.

The game went to and fro for the whole of the second half with both sides having their periods of dominance, once they emerged for the second half Rathdowney/Errill looked much more composed than their counterparts and racked up a good lead in the early stages that ensured they were enough in front to hold off a late Ballinakill comeback.

The first score of the game came from Ben O'Mara, a first of five points in the opening 30 minutes for him, and it took mere seconds for one of Rathdowney/Errill's rising stars Eoin Bracken to hit back.

Despite a couple of good scores from Mark Kavanagh in the opening five minutes, Ballinakill were getting the better of Rathdowney/Errill as Cha Dwyer fired over from long range and O'Mara slotted his second and third scores.

Eddie Dwyer and Podge Lawlor both registered scores for Ballinakill, but Rathdowney/Errill began to find their stride as the game progressed with Jack Kelly landed two over the black spot while Paddy Purcell and James Ryan were both successful from the right wing.

Momentum shifts were strong early in the game and Ballinakill took full advantage after that Rathdowney/Errill purple patch to take a commanding six point lead by the 23rd minute.

Duggan notched two scores from frees, Cha Dwyer bombed another one over from way out the field and O'Mara slotted excellently, but the killer blow came when Kevin O'Dea was adjudged to have fouled Eddie Dwyer as they wrestled for the ball inside after a rebounded shot and a penalty was awarded.

Brian Duggan made no mistake from the effort as he lashed it into the net past Damien Madden.

Rathdowney/Errill reacted impeccably to the Ballinakill surge as they had the ball in the net at the other end within minutes when Tadgh Dowling found James Ryan running inside from the right and Ryan somehow managed to get the ball over the line.

Mark Kavanagh slotted a free while points from Dowling and Kelly saw the sides back level once again.

Another from Dowling and a good score by Micheal Cleary put two between them, but as one could have predicted Ballinakill drew back level by half time with O'Mara and Duggan on target to make it 1-12 apiece.

Rathdowney/Errill took an extra few minutes to arrive out for the second half and it appeared to do them the world of good as they completely dominated the opening ten minutes after the restart, outscoring Ballinakill by seven points to one in the process.

Tadgh Dowling and Eoin Bracken each hit from play and Kavanagh struck a free before uncharacteristically missing two placed balls in a row, as was the deceptive nature of the wind.

Brian Duggan hit back with a good effort under the stand but Rathdowney/Errill stayed coming with Jack Kelly and Shane Bracken on target along with an excellent brace by Dowling.

Ballinakill did find another gear after the slow start and got the scoreboard ticking over once again from Brian Duggan and Seamus Fitzpatrick before Cian O'Shaughnessy pointed with his first possession after coming on.

Paddy McCane got Rathdowney/Errill back on track from a free in the absence of Kavanagh while Ryan, Kelly and Dowling all struck from play and it appeared as though Rathdowney/Errill had the game in the bag with a six point lead and five minutes remaining, as Ballinakill didn't appear to be able to muster up the energy needed to battle back.

That all changed when Cha Dwyer pointed a brilliant effort and he followed up with a long ball inside that was batted into the grasp of his elder brother Eddie who bore a hole in the net from close range to put three between the teams.

Paul Simms increased the pressure even further on Rathdowney/Errill with an excellent free over the bar from deep inside his own half, Rathdowney/Errill did very well to repel the advances of Ballinakill as they chased down the equalising goal after Micheal Cleary had edged the gap back out to three.

Ballinakill had a couple of Hail Mary efforts late on but the defence held strong and Rathdowney/Errill took the spoils.

SCORERS:

Rathdowney/Errill: Mark Kavanagh (0-3fs), Jack Kelly and Tadgh Dowling 0-5 each, James Ryan 1-2, Eoin Bracken and Micheal Cleary 0-2 each, Paddy McCane 0-1 (f), Paddy Purcell and Shane Bracken 0-1 each.

Ballinakill: Brian Duggan 1-5 (0-3fs, 1-0 pen), Ben O'Mara 0-5, Eddie Dwyer 1-1, Cha Dwyer 0-3, Seamus Fitzpatrick, Cian O'Shaughnessy, Paul Simms (f) and Podge Lawlor 0-1 each.

RATHDOWNEY/ERRILL: Damien Madden; Shane Madden, David Poynton, Kevin O'Dea; Shane Bracken, Dylan Carroll, Thep Fitzpatrick; Eoin Bracken, Paddy Purcell; Jack Kelly, Mark Kavanagh, James Ryan; Micheal Cleary, Tadhg Dowling, Ray Bowe.

Subs: Paddy McCane for Kavanagh (41m), Padraig Rafter for Fitzpatrick (44m), Jack Dowling for E Bracken (50m).

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

Subs: Cian O'Shaughnessy for N Duggan (49m).

REFEREE: Alan Doheny (Castletown)