Brilliant Baltinglass hit AGB for six in goal-fest
BALTINGLASS AGB 6-15 2-5
AS the scoreline would suggest, Baltinglass had a more than comfortable win over AGB in this U-17 Football Championship game played at Pearse’s Park, Arklow on Monday evening.
The Slaneysiders scored 3-8 in the first half and followed up with another 3-7 in the second period.
Even allowing for their overwhelming superiority in this game, they looked a well drilled and prepared side who carried too many big guns for an AGB team who, for the most part, played the game at a lower level of intensity and only raised their tempo in the final ten minutes, when the game was long lost.
The game started on time but the final quarter was played out in gathering darkness. It’s now the end of August and “evening games are bet”.
Baltinglass had five points on the board by ten minutes.
Jack Hanlon and Tom Keogh were prominent in attack and midfielders Sean Doody and Chris Grimes established an early dominance.
Centre back Johnny Keogh, was cleaning up and even moved into attack to set up a point for Jack Fleming.
AGB seemed to be caught by the intensity of the western side and struggled to compete.
Sean Crowley and Liam Moore tried hard to lift their side. A combined effort from these two put Alan Merrigan through after five minutes but he unfortunately put his shot wide of goal.
Merrigan looked to be a player who could score if given enough supply of ball. AGB did get on the scoreboard after thirteen minutes when they were awarded a penalty which was expertly put away by Sean Crowley.
The Baltinglass reply came in- stantly with Jack Fleming and Evan Frahill scoring two quick goals.
This dampened any AGB revival and Baltinglass owned the second quarter scoring points from Hanlon and Fleming with Hanlon also adding a third goal.
The only AGB response came with points from two frees by Alan Merrigan and Liam Moore. Half time score 3-8 to 1-2.
Sean Doody pointed straight from the start of the second half and Chris Grimes followed immediately with a goal, set up by an attacking run forward by Johnny Keogh. Baltinglass had scored 2-4 (the goal from substitute Conor Flood) before Liam Moore pointed another free for AGB.
The scoring intensity dropped from here on as the Westerners brought on some of their substitutes.
They added 1-3 in the final quarter as the Arklow men finally began to raise their game somewhat.
Liam Moore pointed another free as his side began to come more into the game, running the ball at their opponents more in the style of AGB teams of late.
Alan Merrigan goaled when a Moore “45” came back off the crossbar and Merrigan finished their scoring with a point from a free. The final score of the game came from Sean Doody, when the big midfielder netted Baltinglass goal number six.
The game was played in a fine spirit throughout and was refereed by Robert Roche (Carnew).
Scorers - Baltinglass - Jack Fleming 2-1, Jack Hanlon 0-5,Tom Keogh 0-5, Sean Doody 1-2, Conor Flood 1-0, Evan Frahill 1-0, Chris Grimes 1-0, Alan Barrett 0-2. AGB - Alan Merrigan 1-2, Sean Crowley 1-0, Liam Moore 0-3.