Graiguecullen at their ease as they cruise past Arles-Killeen

Graiguecullen 1-16 Arles-Killeen 0-6
Laois Shopping Centre SFC Round 1

Graiguecullen cruised to a comfortable opening round victory over Arles-Killeen in this Laois Shopping Centre SFC clash in O’Moore Park tonight.

Despite a closely contested opening 25 minutes or so, once Trevor Collins rounded off a brilliant team move for the only goal of the game, there was only one team in it.

Arles-Killeen had gotten off to a bright start, with Donie Kingston firing over a point with barely ten seconds on the clock. Sadly that didn’t set the tone for a free-scoring first half, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm.

Arles would eventually double their lead thanks to Paul Kingston, who curled over a lovely point from the left wing, but Graiguecullen finally came to life after that. Ross Hennessy got them up and running with a point from close range, and then Lee Timmons capped off a well-worked move with his first point of the day.

Graiguecullen should have had a goal after that, only to be denied by some brilliant goalkeeping by Mick Leigh. Ross Alcock twice had shots at goal in a matter of seconds from inside ten years, but on both occasions Leigh managed to get his body in the way, and Arles eventually cleared.

That was a rare moment of drama in a half sadly lacking it, with Donie Kingston’s reliability from placed balls even failing him when he left a 14 yard free short.

Graiguecullen took the lead for the first time in the 19th minute thanks to a second point from Lee Timmons just before the water break, and when play resumed Danny O’Reilly drilled over another.

Ross Hennessy then put them three clear with a point from the left wing as Graiguecullen threatened to build up a head of steam, but Arles did well to stifle that threat. First Sean O’Shea and then Jason Enright (free) found the target to make it a one-point game, as Graiguecullen looked to have wasted their chance to pull away.

However, late in the half they strung together the best move of the game. Slick passing around the penalty area saw the ball worked to Trevor Collins 10 yards out, and he calmly found the bottom corner for a superb goal. That score saw Graigue lead 1-5 to 0-4 at the break.

That goal clearly did Graiguecullen the world of good, and they were superb on the resumption of play. Brian Byrne got them up and running for the half with a point off his left foot, and Ross Hennessy soon added another.

Lee Timmons and Chris Hurley pushed them eight ahead and even though there was only 38 minutes on the clock, Arles-Killeen already looked a tired team.

Paul Kingston tried to rally his troops with a brilliant point from play, but Graigue hit back with interest. Lee Timmons hit his fourth of the game and then Brian Byrne slotted over a close range free.

There was little Killeen could do to stem the tide, although Jason Enright did manage a free just before the water break, leaving it 1-11 to 0-6 heading into the last 15 minutes.

This represented the last chance for Arles to regroup and finish strongly, but Graiguecullen were just too strong for them. They rattled off four points in as many minutes to kill the game off and set up a well-deserved victory.

 

SCORERS – Graiguecullen: Ross Hennessy 0-5, Brian Byrne 0-4 (0-3 frees), Lee Timmons 0-4, Jamie Sheehan, Chris Hurley, Daniel O’Reilly 0-1 each. Arles-Killeen: Paul Kingston 0-2, Jason Enright 0-2 (frees), Donie Kingston, Sean O’Shea 0-1 each.

GRAIGUECULLEN: Danny Bolger; Eoin Alsybury, Mark Timmons, Martin Doyle; Luke Alsybury, Chris Hurley, Bobby Doyle; Trevor Collins, Danny O’Reilly; Lee Timmons, Ross Alcock, Ross Hennessy; Jamie Sheehan, Brian Byrne, Paul Mulready. Subs: Danny Alsybury for Byrne (57 mins), Conor Smith for Doyle (58 mins), Shane Alward for E Alsybury (59 mins).

ARLES-KILLEEN: Mick Leigh; Dermot Julian, Shane Julian, Niall O’Rourke; James Mahon, John Mahon, Sean O’Shea; Donal Kingston, Joseph Mahon; Oisin Byrne, Jason Enright, Enda O’Rourke; Conor Keightley, Paul Kingston, Donal Brennan. Subs: Ian Scully for Brennan (38 mins), Cathal Moran O’Brien for D Julian (42 mins), Paul McDonald for Joe Mahon (48 mins), Gerry McWey for Keightley (54 mins)

REFEREE: Maurice Deegan (Stradbally)

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