Blackhall Gaels 2-5
Oldcastle 0-6

Blackhall Gaels kept their hoganstand.com SFC campaign alive on Friday night with a five point victory over Colm Coyle's Oldcastle at a chilly Brews Hill.

Blackhall would start the game the brightest with Johnny Meyler kicking the Gaels into the lead inside the first minute. Centre half forward Sean Whelan found his range early with a point from distance and then chalked up another from a placed ball. Oldcastle were struggling to contain the Blackhall running game as full back Declan Dalton worked his way up the field to assist Tadhg Brosnan for a point. Oldcastle had their first chance of a score when a mix up in the Gaels defence allowed Niall Mangan an effort but it was cleared. Two superb frees from the boot of Oldcastle's Alan McCann would close an open first quarter.

Blackhall could have had a goal when Whelan set up Brosnan but the Paddy Coakley dealt with the effort. The Oldcastle net minder could do very little about the next passage of play. A quick free kick from Brosnan would see championship debutant Thomas Coyle finish to the back of the net. It went from bad to worse for Colm Coyle's men as a minute later Alan Nestor got on the end of a measured John Kelly ball to find himself one on one with the keeper and slotted it to the back of net. Blackhall were struck a blow when Sean Whelan was forced to retire from the game. Oldcastle failed to capitalise and would kick two more wides. A McCann free would be the first Oldcastle score for twenty minutes on the stroke of half time to leave the sides 2-4 0-3 at the break.

The second half started with Oldcastle looking the more determined side but Blackhall's defence was withstanding all of Oldcastle's pressure. A lively third quarter started with Tommy Dalton gathering the ball after a scramble in the Blackhall goalmouth on thirty five minutes. Patrick Rahill raised a white flag for Oldcastle a minute later. Another goal chance would be intercepted and cleared by Stephen Morris. Oldcastle were struggling to find scores playing into a testing wind. Dalton again had to be alert when a long range effort bounced off his crossbar. Mark Ferris registered the only score of the second half for the Kilcloon/Batterstown men when he slotted over a free from the ground. Oldcastle worked hard to get anything out of an impressive Blackhall defence. Rory McHugh jumping highest to field a ball on the Blackhall fourteen yard line before he was deemed to have fouled the ball as he went for goal. Alan McCann did his best to keep his side in the game and pointed before the final whistle but it would be Blackhall Gaels who earn the points and keep their hopes of progression from Group C alive.

Blackhall Gaels - T.Dalton, S.Morris, A.Dalton, D.Dalton, J.Kelly, G.Beirne, D.Carty, J.Meyler(0-1), D.Tobin, S.Whelan (0-2), A.Nestor(1-0), P.O'Brien, T.Coyle (1-0), N.O'Hora, T.Brosnan(0-1)

Oldcastle - P.Coakley, S.Farrelly, R.McHugh, P.Lynch, E.Gilsenan, T.Farrelly, B.Curran, S.Tierney, C.McPartland, A.McCann (0-5), P.Gilsenan, P.Rahill (0-1), N.Mangan, R.Farrelly, R.Farrelly.

Referee -James Farrelly Tweet

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