Byrne kicks late leveller

FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP

A HUGE injury-time point from Shane Byrne earned Ballyhogue a draw with Kilanerin in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B tie in Bellefield on Saturday.

The result was Ballyhogue’s first point of the campaign and brings Kilanerin’s tally to three. This was a closely-fought contest throughout, but Ballyhogue will probably feel more content to come away with a result after trailing Kilanerin for most of the second-half.

The sides went in at the break with six points apiece after a cagey enough opening period, with Niall and Bobby Hughes leading the way for the Gorey District team along with Dean O’Toole and Denis Jones.

Ballyhogue kept up to the pace thanks to some impressive point-taking from Mick Condon, Seán Ring and Eddie Galavan, the latter taking a point seconds after Conor Byrne’s effort on goal was well kept out by Tom Hughes between the Kilanerin posts.

Galavan and Hughie O’Neill resumed the scoring immediately after the throw-in, giving their side a promising start to the new half.

But Kilanerin still looked as though they hadn’t found their stride just yet, and that proved to be the case when Niall and Bobby Hughes got them back level, shortly before Tommy Boland was set up nicely by Mark Boland for an easy finish to the net.

When Bobby Hughes converted a free midway through the half it looked as though his side would finish the game strongly, but a resolute Ballyhogue continued to work hard and were level with ten minutes remaining thanks to a Shane Byrne point and a great goal by Ring.

Further points were exchanged before Byrne found himself in possession on the ‘40 from where he launched a monster to level matters, with no time for a Kilanerin reply.

Ballyhogue: Myles Roche; Graham Parker, Seán Rochford, James Parle; Shane Murphy, Shane Doyle, Liam Kelly (0-1); Hughie O’Neill (0-1), Shane Byrne (0-2); Conor Byrne, Jim Bob Levingstone, Tony Ryan; Seán Ring (1-3, 0-1 free), Eddie Galavan (0-3), Mick Condon (0-2). Subs. - Dean Doyle for Levingstone, Enda Minogue for Condon, black card.

Kilanerin: Tom Hughes; Aidan Jones, Tomás Owley, Reece Owley; Cathal O’Reilly, Colm Kavanagh, Gavin O’Toole; Niall Breen, Niall Hughes (0-3, 1 free, 1 ’45); Gearóid O Súilleabháin, Bobby Hughes (04, 2 frees), Denis Jones (0-2); Tommy Boland (1-0), Dean O’Toole (0-2), Mark Boland.

Referee: Damien Donovan (Volunteers).