Cushinstown produce a fine performance

R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 1-11 BLACKWATER 1-8

PRODUCING a fine performance, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown held on for a three-point victory, maintaining their unbeaten run in the process at the expense of Blackwater in this Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship Group B game at Bree on Friday evening last.

Having taken the lead as early as the eleventh minute through a Matthew Cody goal, The Cushinstown side never subsequently trailed, but they still had to call on all their defensive qualities during the closing ten minutes to denya spirited Blackwater rally which came ever so close to forcing a draw.

After Denis Carroll and Eoin Porter had exchanged opening points, they sides were still deadlocked at 0-2 each, as both Aaron Ryan and Darragh Doyle, free swapped points, but the opening goal arrived after just eleven minutes. The eventual winners worked the ball in speedily from midfield leaving Cody to easily beat reserve keeper Ger Lynch with a low shot to the corner of the net.

Very little separated the sides for the remainder of the half as they continued to exchange points but it was the New Ross District side who went in leading 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval.

While Eoin Porter with a well struck free within one minute of the restart extended his sides lead, Kerril Sutton gave his side hope as after exchanging points with Peadar Cody, he went on to kick two further points from play, to leave two points, 1-7 to 0-8, separating the sides at the end of the third quarter.

But when Cushinstown landed over three unanswered points through Porter, free, Tadgh Cody and Aaron Ryan to lead 1-10 to 0-8, they looked home with five minutes remaining. But it was Blackwater who put in a storming finish resulting in a Kerril Sutton goal from a penalty, but the eventual winners managed to lift the siege adding an additional time point from Aaron Ryan to secure their quarter-final spot.

Rathgarogue/Cushinstown: Jonathan Kelly; Ollie Bolger, Brian Cody, Patrick Murphy; Peadar Cody (0-1), Brian O’Neill, Jason Dunne; Danny Carroll (0-1), Matthew Cody (1-1); Daire Bolger, Eoin Porter (0-3, 0-1 free), Tadgh Cody (0-1); Aaron Ryan (0-4), Bernard Furlong, Nicky Sinnott. Sub: Eric Cummins for Murphy (Black Card 28).

Blackwater: Robert O’Leary; Aaron Culleton, Eamonn Carroll, Kieran Roche; Kevin O’Brien, Paul O’Leary, Diarmuid Murphy; Denis Carroll (0-1), Richard Blake;Mick Lillis, Darragh Doyle (0-4, 0-3 frees), Ben Redmond; Jake Nobbs, Kerril Sutton (1-3, 1-0 pen), Lar Lacey. Subs: Ger Lynch for Robert O’Leary (inj, 6); Robert McGuinness for O’Brien (inj. 45).

Referee: Philip Murphy (Faythe Harriers).