A brace of Alban Crosbie goals from penalties ensured Walterstown earned an unlikely draw with Blackhall Gaels in this Commons Hardware Group B SFC fixture at Dunsany on Sunday. Walterstown 2-6 Blackhall Gaels 1-9 Crosbie's second goal arrived in stoppage time at the end of a mediocre encounter and ensured that Brendan Murray's men are in second spot in what is proving to be a very competitive section. Having trailed by 1-1 to 1-4 at half-time, Blackhall Gaels upped their game from the restart but wastefulness in front of goal ensured they never went more than three points ahead of their opponents. As things stand, Eamonn Barry's men top the group on points difference from Walterstown but it was very much a case point lost for the Batterstown/Kilcloon outfit. Scores were scarce in the opening quarter and nearly 12 minutes passed before Walterstown's John Geoghegan raised the first flag of the contest. Blackhall responded positively with a Tadhg Brosnan point and an Andy Brady goal, but didn't register for the remainder of the half. With Geoghegan playing an influential role on the '40' and eclipsing Anthony Moyles, who was making his first start of the campaign for the 'Gaels, Walterstown finished the half with a flourish. Points from Ronan Barry (two) and Alban Crosbie levelled matters before Anwar Khan was fouled by Blackhall 'keeper Martin Whelan. Crosbie dispatched the resultant penalty kick to the net, but Walterstown's hopes of posting a second SFC win on the spin were undermined when Geoghegan pulled up with a hamstring injury. Shortly after the restart, corner-back Donal Kennedy departed with a similar complaint. Around this time a double save - by 'keeper Ciaran Lydon from Mark Ferris and by full-back Gareth McGuinness from Sean Whelan's follow-up at the expense of a '45' - prevented the favourites from getting in for a second goal Tadhg Brosnan landed the subsequent '45' and Blackhall - who by this stage had Moyles operating to greater effect at midfield went three points clear on as many occasions. A brace of pointed frees kept Waltertown in touch until Whelan conceded a second penalty which Crosbie netted. The Blacks spurned a chance to grab both points when Charles McCarthy sent wide in the last action of the game. Walterstown - C. Lydon; B. McGrane, G. McGuinness, D. Kennedy; Peter Reynolds, P. Murray, D. Reynolds; A. Crosbie (2-1, 2-0 pens, 0-1 free), C. McCarthy; K. Reynolds, J. Geoghegan (0-1), Paddy Reynolds; S. Callaghan, R. Barry (0-4, 3 frees), A. Khan. Subs - C. O'Sullivan for Geoghegan (half-time), D. Maguire for Kennedy (34 mins), R. Reynolds for Khan (50 mins). Blackhall Gaels - M. Whelan; A. Dalton, D. Dalton, D. O'Brien; G. Beirne, A. Moyles (0-1), N. O'Hora; P. O'Brien (0-1), M. Mullally; M. Ferris, A. Nestor (0-1), J. Callanan; A. Brady (1-0), T. Brosnan (0-3, 1 free, 1 '45'), S. Whelan (0-2). Subs - C. McElligott (0-1) for Callanan (44 mins), M. Crampton for Ferris (47 mins), D. Carty for Mullally (58 mins). Referee - Cormac Reilly (St Mary's). Tweet

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