Can Bray secure their SHC three-in-a-row?
BALTINGLASS 1-14 ST PATRICK’S 1-09
SEAN O’BRIEN’S goal in the 18th minute of the first half was a massive moment in this game. It dispelled any lingering doubts or fears that may have lurked in the minds of the Baltinglass players and from this point they grew steadily in confidence while the Pat’s players appeared to doubt themselves and this was massive in the context of the game overall.
The intention to send ball into Eamonn Wolfe was evident early on and for a time the energetic attacker appeared dangerous and he opened the scoring in the first minute with a fine point after a ball from Brian Doyle.
Joey Kelly equalised from play after John Crowe had fired wide at the other end as Wolfe looked like he was in for a superb day at the office.
Stephen Duffy pointed a free after Johnny Delahunt was fouled with eight minutes on the clock but Mark Jackson trotted up from his goal to take a free won by Ian Sheerin and the talented netminder made no mistake as he drilled the ball over the bar to level the scores at 0-02 apiece.
Both sides were lined out traditionally at this stage. John McGrath had taken up position at midfield for the throw in but he had swapped with Kevin Murphy shortly afterwards. Stephen Duffy was manning the centre-half forward position for Pat’s and showing well early on.
Baltinglass were defending well but they were fortunate enough to keep out an early Pat’s goal chance before Paudge McWalter gave the Wicklow Town supporters something to really cheer about when he burst forward from his own half to rifle over a point off the outside of his right boot to make it 0-03 to 0-02 for Pat’s.
A sweet sidestep from Brian Doyle made it double scores soon after but Joey Kelly from a free reduced the lead to one.
And then the goal arrive. A nice one-two between Kevin Murphy and Jason Kennedy got the move started and Henry Sinnott did great work to get the ball in to the danger area and Sean O’Brien made no mistake from close range.
Stephen Duffy lashed over before Joey Kelly replied with a converted free and Robert Hollingsworth sent in Richard Murphy in place of Wayne Doyle.
Duffy and Kelly exchanged points before Henry Sinnott swung one over from play to make it 1-06 to 0-06 and then poor Pat’s defending saw Daniel Kelly notch up a fine score and make it 1-07 to 0-06 at the break.
Things got better for Baltinglass after the re-start when Sinnott fired over from the edge of the ‘D’ but then Paul Garrigan’s men recorded their third and fourth wides of the day off the boots of Daniel Kelly and Sean O’Brien before Ian Sheerin profited from clever John McGrath play to make it 1-09 to 0-06 in favour of the men from the west.
And then came the penalty. Johnny Delahunt was fouled by John Murray for which the corner-back received a yellow card and up stepped Stephen Duffy. Penalty takes across the country should be shown Duffy’s strike as an example of exactly how a penalty should be struck. The talented Pat’s man sent a rocket to the bottom right hand corner of Mark Jackson’s net leaving the young Baltinglass keeper with absolutely no hope of stopping it. It was a missile of a shot and it brought Pat’s right back into the game.
Joey Kelly responded superbly with a tremendously well struck free from well outside the Pat’s 45 before Stephen Duffy struck back with a converted free of his own after a foul that earned Billy Cullen a yellow card.
Duffy and McGrath coughed up wides and then John Crowe charged in along the end line but his shot for goal found only the side netting. A goal here would have drastically changed the landscape of this game.
From here Baltinglass seemed to gorw in confidence. Robert Hollingsworth sent in Cieran McGettigan and then Tommy Kelly and in between those two substitutions Ian Sheerin pointed thanks to the hard work of John McGrath.
Kelly won his first ball but his lifted effort found the welcoming arms of Mark Jackson. Lying on the ball cost John Murray dear when Kieron Kenny awarded Pat’s a free and moved it forward for lip and Stephen Duffy does not miss those chances, 1-11 to 1-08.
Garrigan sent in Chris Heaslip and Brian Nolan as Robert Hollingsworth introduced Donie Fitzgerald and Stephen Duffy notched up Pat’s’ fourth wide of the day.
On came Baltinglass and they’re blood was up. Joey Kelly from play was answered by a point from Tommy Kelly after good play from Fitzgerald. Kelly went wide a moment later before Joey Kelly made it 1-13 to 1-09 and then Kevin Murphy fired over to make it 1-14 to 1-09.
Back came Pat’s desperately seeking to rescue their championship ambitions but they could only register wides from Richard Murphy and Fitzgerald and thanks to the tenacious defending or the Baltinglass brigade, Paul Garrigan’s men played out the game until the final whistle sounded. Miley was heading west. Baltinglass are back.