Deadlock in local derby
BLACKWATER AND Buffers Alley will have to do it all over again after they shared the spoils in the New Ross Standard Under-13 football Division 2 shield final in St. Patrick’s Park on Friday.
The game was never more open than it was in the first-half as both teams played their best, most attacking, football. However, the longer things went on the tighter and better both defences played, and in the end a draw was undoubtedly a fair result.
Tomás Walsh and Brian O’Meara swapped early points with Blackwater’s Jamie Lambert as the sides stayed level though the first eight minutes.
However, when Ciarán Byrne’s shot was blocked, Aidan Malanouski turned in the rebound to send his club ahead.
Points from Ultan O’Reilly and Joe Rossiter made it 1-4 to 0-3 but the Alley responded before the break.
Ben Fanning poked home a 25th-minute major, and points from Brian Doran and Cian Dobbs ensured the Monamolin side led by 1-5 to 1-4 at the interval.
Rossiter equalised six minutes after the re-start, only for a Dobbs free to ease Buffers Alley one clear again.
Rossiter again levelled with eleven minutes left and the sides played out the scoreless remaining exchanges to send the game to overtime (1-6 each).
Blackwater led after the first ten minutes of extra-time thanks to Lambert, and they doubled that advantage when Rossiter made it 1-8 to 1-6.
Cian Dobbs saw a goal disallowed with a minute left but flashed a free-kick past a crowded goal-line to give the Alley the lead in added time.
However, there was still time for Blackwater to attack and win several frees, culminating in Adam O’Connor holding his nerve with the second-last kick of the game to send the Division 2 shield to a replay.
Blackwater: Nathan Moran; Seán O’Brien, Adam O’Connor (0-1 free), Tristan Cashe; Ultan O’Reilly (0-1), Ronan Malanouski, Callum Mooney; Eugene Clarke, Joe Rossiter (0-4, 1 free); Jamie Lambert (0-3), Caolán Sammon (capt.), Darragh Byrne; Ciarán Byrne, Barry Whelan, Aidan Malanouski (1-0). Subs. (rolling) - Callum Byrne, Callum Corrigan, Dennis Dempsey, Philip Byrne.
Buffers Alley: Callum WhelanByrne; Rioch Fortune, Tom Fanning, Brandon Murphy; M.J. Fox, Dan Doyle, Kevin Doran; Cian Dobbs (1-2, 1-1 frees), D.J. Cullen (capt.); Niall Furlong, Brian O’Meara (0-1), Tomás Walsh (0-2); Ben Fanning (1-0), Brian Doran (0-1), Eoin Fenlon. Subs. (rolling) - D.J. Donnelly, Seán Kavanagh, Sebastian Veale, James Kavanagh, Jason Hearne, Ciarán Murphy, Liam Hendrick, Pádraig Kirwan, Evan Tyrell.
Referee: Aidan Foley (Shelmaliers).