Ballinlough 5-03-10 (31)

Walterstown 0-03-04 (10)

Ballinlough made the trip to Walterstown on a dry but Baltic cold May evening for Round 5 of the Division 7 League, and despite losing the toss the visitors had the wind advantage as Walterstown elected to play against the breeze in the opening 30 minutes.

Ballinlough started very lively with two early points from Benji Smith, before excellent defending from Conor Rennicks in the sixth minute released Smith again and he found Jamie Casserly in space as he fired over a lovely two-pointer to extend Ballinlough’s lead to four points.

A goal chance for Ballinlough was squandered in the eighth minute as Jack Connell had to make do with a point instead, before Walterstown finally got their account opened with a point from play in the ninth minute.

Superb work from Eoghan McCabe driving forward gained Ballinlough a free in from just outside the Arc with Jamie Casserly duly dispatching the free over the bar to raise the Orange flag for the second time.

Casserly could have added to his personal tally moments later but his goal effort was well saved by the Walterstown net-minder in the 16th minute.

A pointed free for Walterstown was all they could muster in response to a strong attacking line from Ballinlough, and Jamie Casserly didn’t have long to wait until he raised that green flag as Joshua Lynch was brilliant winning the dirty ball around the middle of the park before feeding Benji Smith who found Jamie Casserly and he fired to the net in the 18th minute.

Ballinlough could have been further in front when Benji Smith had a goal effort seconds later only for him to be denied by the post…had it been an inch or two closer Umpire Seamus McGee might have claimed it had crossed the line !!

Despite that miss from Benji, Ballinlough took the next score as the industrious Jamie Casserly added another two point free in the 21st minute to leave the visitors leading by 11 points.

A third point for Walterstown was quickly ruled out when Casserly landed another from play in the 27th minute and Ballinlough were to take a 14 point lead in at the break when Niall McDonnell kept his cool in front of goal and beat the keeper to add Ballinloughs second goal to their tally just before the half time whistle.

So, when Referee Seamus O'Connor blew the half time whistle Ballinlough led on a scoreline of 2-11 to Walterstown 0-03.

Upon the restart Walterstown started at a blistering pace with an early goal chance just going wide of the posts, before they added two two-pointers, one free and one from play in the opening five minutes to reduce the deficit early on.

Another goal chance for the home side went abegging in the 37th minute, and they were to be punished in the 40th minute when Ballinlough broke forward with excellent defending from Conor Rennicks and Robbie Farrell, with Farrell coming out with the ball and finding Benji Smith, who played a lovely ball across the face of the goal, with Jamie Casserly on hand to flick it to the net with the inside of the boot to extend Ballinloughs lead once more.

That score was followed up by a Jack Connell point from play before another Robbie Farrell interception sent Ballinlough on their way and Luke Harte this time the provider of the pass as Niall McDonnell bagged his second goal of the evening in the 45th minute.

A Jamie Casserly point in the 50th minute was followed up with great work from Shane Lynch, who marked his return to play with a fine individual goal in the 51st minute.

A two-pointer free for Walterstown was scant consolation as Ballinlough were in rampant form and further points were added from Conor Rennicks and James Brooks by the 55th minute.

A Walterstown free in the 57th minute was all that they could add to their tally while Luke Harte got himself in on the scoring act with a well taken point in the 58th minute to conclude the scoring for the evening.

So, when Referee Seamus O’Connor blew the full-time whistle Ballinlough took the win on a scoreline of 5-16 to Walterstown’s 0-10. 

A comprehensive victory for Ballinlough with a number of players returning from injury and a few more on their way back soon will hopefully bode well for Andy McGovern and his Management team.

Ballinlough Team: Senan McDermott, Ryan Kellett, Robbie Farrell, Conor Rennicks(0-01), Eoghan McCabe, Joshua Lynch, Charlie Lynch, Ferghal Gibney, Hugh Briody, Ciaran Ryan, Jack Connell (0-02), N.McDonnell (2-00), Jamie Casserly (2-09(two 2ptF, one 2pt, 1f)), Benji Smith (0-02), Rory Smith

Subs: Shane Lynch (1-00) for J.Lynch H/T, Robert O’Brien for C.Lynch H/T, L.Harte (0-01) for R.O’Brien 45’, Podge Muldoon for J.Connell 49’, Mark Tynan for B.Smith 49’, Dan O’Brien for R.Smith 49’, James Brooks(0-01) for J.Casserly 51’, Peter Downey for R.Kellett 51’, Conor Briody for E.McCabe 51

Referee: Seamus O’Connor

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