Newtown win convincingly
Luke’s 1-3 key for Magpies
NEWTOWN led from pillar to post in their Junior ‘B’ quarter-final encounter with Baltinglass played at Ballinakill on Friday night last, September 25.
Conditions for football were good on a cold autumn night and the game was played in good dry conditions.
Newtown settled down quickly to their task and had the opening score from Barry Davis in the second minute. Davis, wearing number 11 but operating at wing forward, was a problem for the Baltinglass defence all through.
As the game developed, he was pulling many of the strings in the middle third of the field and varying the play between short passing and early kick passes to the inside forwards Luke Martin and John Halpin. Martin scored the second Newtown point in the ninth minute and Halpin the third two minutes later.
Baltinglass were enjoying plenty of possession out field but were finding it difficult to make progress up front where the Newtown defence were solid.
Justin Owens went forward from wing back and kicked Newtown’s fourth point. Just before the water break Ciaran McGuirl appeared to miskick a 45 for Newtown but the low kick came straight to Barry Davis who turned and popped over point number five.
We stopped for the break with Baltinglass still scoreless. However, that changed early in the second period when a high ball was landed in on Jack Hanlon, now operating at corner-forward.
Hanlon won the ball well behind his marker, turned and headed for goal. He briefly lost control of the ball forward but calmly slotted home a ground shot past the advancing goalkeeper, Trevor O’Brien.
Baltinglass were now only two points in arrears despite the dominance of Newtown up to this point. The Slaneysiders continued to enjoy an abundance of possession with Brian Nolan, Mark O’Shaughnessy, Alan Nolan and Adam Fleming pushing forward but the attack as a whole were unable to get any further change out of the Newtown last line of defence.
There was no further score from either side until the game was about to enter the time added period just before the half-time break. The outcome of the game was probably decided in this two-minute period.
Firstly, Luke Martin gained possession on the 20-metre line close to the side line on the left wing. He headed for goal, outpacing the pursuing defenders. Electing to pass the ball rather than shoot, the goal chance appeared to have been squandered as the Baltinglass defence had the danger closed down. However, the ball broke back to Martin who netted from close in.
Straight from the kick out Dylan Carty raced through the middle and buried goal number two. 2-5 to 1-0 at half-time and Baltinglass had a long way to come back.
Luke Martin had the opening point of the second half and Adam Fleming responded with one for Baltinglass. Barry Davis pointed again and Luke Martin rattled the crossbar with a goal effort a minute later.
Baltinglass were trying hard to get back but the Newtown defence were dealing comfortably with anything coming their way. Adam Fleming pulled back a point for the Slaneysiders but once again Luke Martin responded with a point, this one off his right foot.
John Hanlon gave Baltinglass a lift when he shot home his second goal and an exchange of points from frees between Mark O’Shaughnessy and Barry Davis left six points between the sides 2-9 to 2-3 at the water break.
Things needed to happen for Baltinglass now but Newtown took control when play restarted and managed the remainder of the game comfortably. Barry Davis pointed again, having received from Justin Owens.
A Luke Martin goal effort was saved by Robert Brien at the expense of a 45 which was converted by Ciaran Doherty. Newtown did not score again in the final eight or nine minutes as they continued to hold possession for long periods.
Their main aim was not to give the ball away as the full time approached. Baltinglass had one further point when Mark O’Shaughnessy dropped a free in on the square where substitute Alan Barrett punched over the final point of the game.
Final score was 2-11 to 2-4.
Trevor O’Brien; James Lennox, Tom Nolan, Stuart Synnott; Ciaran Doherty (0-1, 45), Michael Heffernan, Justin Owens (0-1); Aaron Toner, Ciaran McGuirl; Barry Davis (0-5, 1f), Con Callanan, Dylan Carty (1-0); Luke Martin (1-3), John Halpin (0-1), Wayne Hamilton. Subs: Sean Odlum for Wayne Hamilton, Tom Maher for John Halpin, Andrew McMahon for Aaron Toner.
Robert Brien; James Kirwan, John Timmons, Sean Parke; Will Brien, Brian Nolan, Ross Nolan; Mark O’Shaughnessy (0-1, f), Alan Nolan; Will Langrell, Adam Fleming (0-2), Eddie Gorman; Fabian Dunne, Jack Hanlon (2-0), Conor Flood. Subs: Alan Barrett for Will Langrell, Paudie Swinburn for Conor Flood, James McTiernan for Eddie Gorman.