Ballinlough 2-03-06 (18) Walterstown 0-00-08 (8)

Ballinlough welcomed Walterstown to the Park for Round 2 of the All-County Junior Football Championship, and with both sides tasting defeat in Round 1, it was a chance to get back on track, and for Ballinlough they took that chance with aplomb, despite being somewhat under strength this evening.

The visitors opened the scoring with a point from play in the fifth minute, but it didn’t take Ballinlough long to settle with Jamie Casserly sending over a fine two point free in the 10th minute, before a short kick out from stand in keeper Podge Muldoon, found Robert O’Brien and he did exceptionally well to evade his marker and power forward before picking out an eye of the needle pass to Luke Harte who gathered possession on the run and fired to the net in the 14th minute.

From that kick-out Sean Tunney did very well to pressurise the Walterstown defence and gather possession before tapping over a moment later.

The home side took full control of proceedings with another point for Luke Harte, a second two point free from Jamie Casserly, and a superb score for Sean Tunney in the 29th minute to leave them leading by nine points.

The half wasn’t complete just yet though as Robert O’Brien did ever so well to win the kick out and bear down on goal, before very unselfishly laying the ball over to Ciaran Ryan, and with just the keeper to beat, he sent a lovely outside of the boot shot past the keeper and into the bottom left corner of the net to boost Ballinlough once more.

So when Referee Peter Skelly blew the half time whistle Ballinlough lead by twelve on a scoreline of 2-07 to Walterstown’s solitary point.

Upon the restart Ballinlough started as brightly as they finished the first with Jamie Casserly pointing from play before Walterstown got their second point of the evening a moment later.

Casserly added another brilliant two point score from play to extend their lead before veteran Lorcan Maguire rolled back the years and added a super point from play in the 35th minute.

Another Walterstown point from play was soon cancelled out when Benji Smith used some basketball skills we didn’t know he had to control a bouncing ball along the sideline before finding Peter Downey, and he did exceptionally well to take the ball on the move and round his man before working it forward once more where Mick Geraghty fed Sean Tunney and he fired over in the 38th minute, an excellent team score from Ballinlough.

Speaking of rolling back the years, a lack of options in the goal-keeper position this evening led to Club stalwart Podge Muldoon answering the call and donning the gloves once more, and he pulled off a fine save in the 42nd minute to deny Walterstown a shot at goal.

Podge was called was called into action once more in the 46th minute when he pulled off a massive double save to deny what looked a certain goal and the visitors had to make do with a point from play in the 47th minute

With Walterstown attacking more in the second half Ballinlough had to have their wits about them and there was no one more alive to the danger than Podge Muldoon as he made this second half all about him as he pulled off yet another super save in the 50th minute after a loose pass from a defensive colleague left Podgie one v one with the attacker but there was only ever going to be one winner as Muldoon stood big and strong to deny the chance!

To their credit Walterstown kept knocking on the door and added a pointed free in the 52nd minute before a point from play in the 54th minute.

Further points by the 58th minute reduced the deficit, and despite Ballinlough not scoring for twelve minutes in the second half, they had their hard work done and ran out convincing winners when Referee Peter Skelly blew the full time whistle on a scoreline of 2-12 to Walterstown’s 0-08.

Ballinlough Team: Podge Muldoon, Ryan Kellett, Lorcan Maguire(0-01), Robert O’Brien, Eoghan McCabe, Benji Smith, Luke Harte(1-01), Mick Geraghty, Hugh Briody, Niall McDonnell, Jamie Casserly(0-07(two 2ptF, one 2pt)), Sean Tunney(0-03), Ciaran Ryan(1-00) Tommy McCullen, Mark Tynan 

Subs: James Brooks for T.McCullen 26’, Peter Downey for L.Harte H/T, Rory Smith for R.O’Brien H/T, L.Harte for L.Maguire 45’

Referee: Peter Skelly

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