SWEET WIN FOR HOLLYWOOD
Mick Murray’s men see off Blessington with solid display
HOLLYWOOD BLESSINGTON 1-10 0-09
THE men of Hollywood recorded a sweet victory over Blessington in the Arklow Bay Hotel Division 1 football league last Saturday evening on their home patch.
In beautiful, spring sunshine and on a very heavy pitch, Mick Murray’s men showed true grit and no shortage of ambition to come with a late 1-02 to secure the points at the expense of last year’s beaten county finalists.
New Blessington manager Paddy O’Connor had to start without the significant figures of Anthony McLoughlin and Mikey O’Connor, although both featured strongly in the second half, while Hollywood were without the talented Tony Hannon for the entire game.
This was a tightly contested clash throughout, with the halftime score reading 0-05 to 0-05 and a goal was always going to be a massive factor. And when Matthew Kelly made a nuisance of himself under a Kevin Cullen floated ball, and despite Barry Behan looking to have gathered under pressure, the ball spilled out of his grasp and over the line for a goal at a vital juncture in the game to put Hollywood up by 1-10 to 0-08.
Blessington appealed to referee Garreth Whelan, but the Kiltegan official ruled that the goal would stand, and Hollywood were home and dry after 31 minutes of the second half with five between the teams.
It was a stunning evening in Hollywood as the action got underway in the 4pm throw-in. Blessington’s Curtis Geraghty was looking very useful early on and he swung over the opening score off his right from an early free before adding a wide from play off the left moments later.
Blessington’s Kevin Hanlon was found guilty of fouling Ciaran Tyrrell as Hollywood probed the Blessington rearguard for gaps and Garrett Bell hoisted over a beauty from the placed ball to level matters with six gone.
Two of the county’s top fullbacks were on display in this game with Harry Wilson on patrol for Hollywood and Stephen Bohan manning the square for Blessington and both defences were very miserly when it came to giving away scores.
It was Wilson who fouled Michael Nugent to allow Mick McLoughlin the chance to drill over a fine effort off his left with 12 on the clock and Paddy O’Connor’s men opened a two-point lead when Nugent got in on the action himself when he profited from a poor short kick-out.
A wide from Garrett Bell was followed by the loss of Bryan Carroll for Blessington as the center half-forward left the field due to injury and was replaced by Conor Ryan.
A humdinger of a point from Gavin Murray followed before Hlolywood hit four on the trot through Bell (free), Patrick O’Keeffe, Conor Burke and one from the excellent Stephen Kearney who showed superbly well on the day.
Blessington had the last say of the half when Patrick O’Connor walloped over to leave the half-time score at 0-05 apiece. O’Connor had switched from corner-forward to center half-forward when Carroll left the field.
Paddy O’Connor sent in Anto McLoughlin and David Bootman after the break and they took an early lead through Curtis Geraghty from a free after Murray had been fouled.
It was nip and tuck from here on in with the decent support enjoying the exchanges. Points from Matthew Kelly, Peadar Traynor, and Garrett Bell (free) were answered by fine scores from Anto McLoughlin and Kevin Hanlon to leave the sides tied at 0-08 apiece with 20 gone in the second half.
Hollywood’s best spell followed, testament perhaps to their superb fitness levels. Garrett Bell swung over a free to push them one ahead before Ciaran Tyrrell dropped over a pure bomb of a point that brought the biggest roar of the day from the home supporters.
Hollywood attacked again. They could small blood on the evening air. Kevin Cullen hung a dangerous ball up into the west Wicklow sky and down it plummeted on top of Barry Behan.
In went Kelly to contest, the men collided, the ball spilled and over the line it rolled.
Blessington tried to rally. Mikey O’Connor danced this way and that before splitting the posts with a fine score, but time was against them and the final whistle sounded before they could get within a sniff of Ian Burke’s goal.
A tasty win for Hollwood. They travel to Dunbur Park next weekend to face St Pat’s. Blessington welcome Baltinglass for what should be a very interesting battle after both sides suffered defeat on their first day out.
Scorers – Hollywood: Garrett Bell 0-04 (4f), Matthew Kelly 1-01, Patrick O’Keeffe 0-02, Peadar Traynor 0-01, Ciaran Tyrrell 0-01, Conor Burke 0-01.
Blessington: Curtis Geraghty 0-02 (1f), Michael McLoughlin 0-01 (f), Michael Nugent 0-01, Gavin Murray 0-01, Patrick O’Connor 0-01, Anto McLoughlin 0-01, Kevin Hanlon 0-01, Mikey O’Connor 0-01.
Ian Burke; Keith Traynor, Harry Wilson, Eoin Burke; Kevin Cullen, Shane Kelly, Conor Burke; Cian Tyrrell, Ciaran Tyrrell; Peadar Traynor, Patrick O’Keeffe, Robert Houlihan; Garrett Bell, Stephen Kearney, Matthew Kelly. Subs: Robert Kelly for K Cullen (46min).
Barry Behan; Barry Murphy, Stephen Bohan, Aaron Curran; Caolan McGorman, Paul McLoughlin, Conor Ryan; Gavin Murray, Martin Shannon; Kevin Hanlon, Bryan Carroll, Michael McLoughlin; Curtis Geraghty, Michael Nugent, Patrick O’Connor. Subs: Conor Ryan for B Carroll (17min, inj); David Boothman for M Shannon (H/T); Anto McLoughlin for A Curran (H/T); Mikey O’Connor for K Hanlon (44min), Barry Finan for C Ryan (44min); Peter Manning for D Boothman (47min, BC).
Garreth Whelan (Kiltegan)