Behan bags beauty to save Shillelagh

HOLLYWOOD 0-15 SHILLELAGH 1-12

HOLLYWOOD and Shillelagh played out a tough, entertaining draw in Round 8 of the Murphy’s Hotel Football League in blustery conditions on Sunday morning last.

From the throw-in, Paddy Hennessey won possession and soloed through the home side defence and laid the ball off to fellow midfielder Brendan Behan who pointed for the opening score of the match in the opening minute.

Ross Tyrell fielded a kick out for a mark and delivered a sublime pass into full-forward James Mooney who dispatched the ball over the bar for to get the home side of the mark in the fourth minute.

Keith Peppard put the hone side in front moments later after good work by Joe Glennon. Both sides missed a number of chances before Noel Murphy levelled the game after some good work by Daniel Behan and Stephen Byrne.

Laurie Cullen brought off a fine save from a Brian Flynn effort as the home side upped the ante. James Mooney tapped over two points without reply for the home side to close out the first quarter. Shillelagh applied pressure for the next period with some fine points from Brendan Behan who covering every blade of grass on the pitch tagging on a brace of points to eat into the lead.

Colin Tutty parried a goalbound shot by Robert Elliot out for a 45 which Brendan Behan superbly pointed to level the match. Wing back Kevin Cullen broke down the next Shillelagh attack and soloed up the field playing a nice one-two with Joe Glennon and Cullen passed to Rob Houlihan who pointed to round of a great passage of play.

Cathal Murphy added on appoint for the Blues after some good interlink play with Keith Collins. The visitors applied a lot of pressure in the closing minutes of the first half, however Connor Callanan and Rob Houlihan were in fine form in the Hollywood rear guard and broke down and cleared plenty of work by Shillelagh.

Noel Murphy pointed before Ross Tyrell pointed to bring the first half to conclusion with the score 0-08 to 0-09 in favour of Shillelagh.

Hollywood manager Paul Clarke made some super tactical changes for the restart and hit the ground running with Dan Burke pointing to level the game after 23 seconds. Colin Tutty who moved from goals to full-forward put the home side in front moments later with a point.

Sean Carroll at full-back was having a solid game and broke down a number of Hollywood attacks. Yet again, Hollywood could not live with the pace do Brendan Behan who was having a powerful game for Shillelagh landed his fifth point of the game.

Each side traded a couple of wides each as a strong wind now aided the home side. Declan Nolan responded with for a point for Shillelagh as they battled again a strong wind now. Ross Tyrell added his second point to close out the third quarter in this nip and tuck game.

The tackles were flying in at this stage as things intensified. Keith Traynor won the ball and found James Mooney who hit another point with his right boot to put the home side in front. Shillelagh hit two more bad wides taking long range shots into the wind while having teammates in better position’s.

Ian Burke brought of a point blank save from David Cullen after great build up play by Brendan Behan. Brian Flynn and Rob Houlihan added points to put the home side two up with 58 minutes played. Wing back Kevin Cullen made a fantastic burst up the field, played a great one-two with Kevin Pat Clarke and Cullen pointed what looked the insurance score for the home side going into injury time.

However, Daire Foley won the resultant kick out and split through the Hollywood rearguard and passed to Brendan Behan who was running of his shoulder and Behan finished low to the back of the net to level the game in the 62nd minute.

Hollywood got one final effort, when John Mooney sent a long ball into Colin Tutty on the 14m line in front of the scoring space, Tutty won possession of the ball in the air and landed and was met by a ferocious shoulder by Sean Carroll who floored Tutty legally, and Carroll cleared the ball as the full-time whistle sounded to bring an end to proceedings.

Scorers - Hollywood: James Mooney 0-05, Ross Tyrrell 0-03, Keith Peppard 0-02, Dan Burke 0-01, Colin Tutty 0-01, Kevin Cullen 0-01, Robert Houlihan 0-01, Brian Flynn 0-01.

Shillelagh: Brendan Behan 1-06, Noel Murphy 0-02, Cathal Murphy 0-02, Dan Behan 0-01, Declan Nolan 0-01

Hollywood: Colin Tutty; Conor Callanan, Andrew Corrigan, Kevin Cullen; Robert Houlihan, John Mooney, Keith Traynor; Joe Glennon, Gary Tutty; Ross Tyrrell, Keith Peppard, Dan Burke; Alan Roddy, Brian Flynn, James Mooney. Subs Ian Burke, Thomas Burke, KevinPat Clarke, Thomas Kelly.

Shillelagh: Laurie Cullen; Karl Dagge, Sean Carroll, Enda Foley; Jim O’Brien, Daire Foley, Ger O’Brien; Brendan Behan, Paddy Hennessy; Keith Collins, Cathal Murphy, Robert Elliot; Daniel Behan, Noel Murphy, Stephen Byrne. Subs: Declan Nolan, Owen Byrne, David Cullen.