Valleymount send out clear message to all
BOOM PLATFORM HIRE JUNIOR ‘A’ FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
at Blessington
posts with ten minutes left in the opening half.
Stephen Byrne pointed before Michael Richardson landed another beast of a point.
Barndarrig introduced a couple of subs to try and stifle the wave after wave of the lakesiders’ attack. Mark Carroll went off injured with Brian Flynn replacing him.
Jamie Miley landed his second point of the evening. Michael Murphy was fouled going through and pointed the resultant free kick for Barndarrig’s last score of the half. James Fitzpatrick closed out the first half with a pointed free to leave it 0-12 to 0-2 in favour of Valleymount at the break.
Both defences were called into action early on with some powerful blocking by each side. Michael Cullen landed a smashing point in the fourth minute but Valleymount responded immediately with Michael Richardson pointing after good work by Jamie Miley.
Steven Byrne smashed an effort of the foot of the post, as Valleymount went for the jugular. Declan Cahill and Jack Miley pointed to put the score 0-15 to 0-3.
Jamie Roe drew a powerful save from the boot of James Fitzpatrick as Valleymount went for the knockout blow.
Full-forward Martin Cullen split the posts from a 45 in the next play after good work by Paul Ryan and Jacques McCall.
However, a brace of points by Valleymount closed out the third quarter leaving the Reds leading by 14 points and they seemed home and dry going into the final quarter.
Barndarrig moved Michael Murphy into full-forward and what an effect it caused. Barndarrig started to settle into the game and pointed from the next two attacks, from the accurate boot of Murphy. Ben Quinn and Michael Cullen found a bit of momentum for the N11 men and when Jeff Kemmy fouled Michael Murphy in the box, a penalty was signaled.
Michael Murphy dusted himself off and found the bottom corner of Paul Miley’s net to reduce the lead to 1-7 to 0-17 going into the final ten minutes.
It was all Barndarrig now at this stage and a brace of points by Michael Cullen and Michael Murphy reduced it to a five-point game.
A shell-shocked Valleymount seemed out on their feet on this big pitch with three minutes left and they introduced a couple of subs but could not add to their tally with a couple of wides going into injury time.
James Fitzpatrick pointed a free for Valleymount in the second and final minute of injury time to close out the game.
Worryingly for Valleymount, this was their first point since the 45th minute, but they will be delighted to have two points on the board, with Knockananna up next in line for the Reds, as Éire Óg Greystones seemingly have withdrawn from the JAFC after giving Newcastle a walk-over.
Barndarrig will regroup with both Newcastle and Knockananna to play to progress to the latter stages.
- Valleymount: James Fitzpatrick 0-4 (2f), Michael Richardson 0-3, Jamie Miley 0-2, Declan Cahill 0-2, Steven Byrne 0-2, Jeff Kemmy 0-1, Jack Miley 0-1, Liam Miley 0-1, Gary Walshe 0-1, Brian Flynn 0-1.
Barndarrig: Michael Murphy 1-5 (p, 2f), Martin Cullen 0-2, Micheal Cullen 0-2.
Scorers
Paul Miley; Robbie Behan, Steven Cahill, Jeff Kemmy; Mark Carroll, Stephen Flanagan; Liam Miley, Declan Cahill; Gary Walshe, Jamie Miley, William Kavanagh; James Fitzpatrick, Steven Byrne, Michael Richardson. Subs: Brian Flynn, Darragh Browne, Shay Geoghegan.
Jamie Roe; Joesph Toomey, James Quinn, Kevin Cullen; Cahaill Keegan, James Cullen, Pat Redmond; Ben Quinn, Michael Cullen; Philip Kinsella, Michael Murphy, Paul Ryan; Jacques McCall, Martin Cullen, Andrew P. Kavanagh. Subs: E. Ver Veen, John Kennedy.
Darragh Byrne (Bally-
Valleymount: Barndarrig: Referee:
manus)