Group A of Division 1B was decided this evening as Arles-Killeen and Killeshin enjoyed big home victories over Stradbally and Arles-Kilcruise respectively.
Below, we have reports on both games:
Arles-Killeen 4-16 Stradbally 4-9
ACFL Division 1B Group A Round 3
Arles-Killeen laid down an early championship marker with a big win over Stradbally in Mageny this evening.
These two will meet in Round 1 of the senior championship in six weeks time but it was Killeen who came out on top tonight to advance to play The Heath in the semi finals.
Stradbally got off to a flying start when Ciaran O’Neill placed the ball over the bar.
Arles-Killeen replied emphatically with 1-1 in five minutes to give them a four point lead over their opponents.
Donie and Paul Kingston combined for Killeen’s first goal of the game before Donie dispatched a free to extend their lead.
Stradbally battled back and scored two points in a row through Keiran Delaney and Conor Goode to reduce the deficit to one.
However, Arles-Killeen continued to threaten the Stradbally goal and they were soon rewarded with their second of the game before the first water break.
Paul Kingston completed a brilliant team move with a goal when Colin Dunne and Donie Brennan worked the ball between them to find Paul in space and he placed the ball home.
Sean O’Shea then scored a point to give Killeen at five point lead at the water break – 2-2 to 0-3.
But that lead was soon reduced after the interval when Benny Lawlor scored Stradbally’s first goal of the game.
But Stradbally’s resurgence was short lived when Killeen struck with two goals in as many minutes via Jason Enright and Donie Kingston.
Killeen continued their domination with points from Sean O’Shea Paul and Donie Kingston.
But Stradbally never gave in and they finished the half with a goal and a point from Keiran Delaney to leave it 4-8 to 3-4 at half time.
Stradbally dropped Conor Goode back as a sweeper for the second half and his presence helped nullify the goal threat that Killeen carry.
Nevertheless, Paul Kingston and Colin Dunne pointed on the resumption to give them a nine point lead.
The sides then traded points through Eoin Buggie and Jason Enright. But Killeen continued to dominate the game during the end of the third quarter and they pointed through Donie Brennan, Paul Kingston and Donie Kingston (2).
After the final water break, Stradbally had their best period in the game and scored two points in a row before Darren Maher reduced the deficit with a goal.
Podge Fitzpatrick and Charlie O’Brien converted their efforts to make it a six point game with minutes remaining.
But Killeen managed the game out well and Paul Kingston dispatched a 45 to confirm their place in this year’s semi-final.
SCORERS – Arles-Killeen: Paul Kingston 2-7 (one 45), Donie Kingston 1-5 (one free), Jason Enright 1-1, Billy O’Loughlin, Colin Dunne and Donie Brennan 0-1 each Stradbally: Keiran Delaney 1-3, Eoin Buggie 1-1, Benny Lawlor and Darren Maher 1-0 each, Ciaran O’Neill 0-2, Podge Fitzpatrick, Charlie O’Brien and Conor Goode 0-1 each
ARLES-KILLEEN: Ciaran Bizzell; Cathal Moran O’Brien, James Mahon, Dermot Julian; Michael Wall, Niall O’Rourke, Conor Keightley; John Mahon, Donie Kingston; Jason Enright, Sean O’Shea, Billy O’Loughlin; Colin Dunne, Paul Kingston, Donie Brennan Subs: Shane Julian for O’Loughlin (42), Aidan O’Rourke for Brennan (52)
STRADBALLY: Wayne Comerford; Damien Murphy, Eamonn Conlon, Liam Clancy; Kilian mcGannon, Liam Knowles, Ciaran O’Neill; Eoin Buggie, David Maher; Podge Fitzpatrick, Keiran Delaney, Conor Goode; Benny Lawlor, Darren Maher, John Clancy Subs: Colm Clancy for Liam Clancy (HT), Charlie O’Brien for John Clancy (57)
Referee: Eric Ward (Portarlington)
Killeshin 3-10 Arles Kilcruise 0-10
ACFL Division 1B Group A Round 3
A goal in each half from promising young gun Conor Heffernan provided the platform for home side Killeshin to progress to the Divsion 1B league semi finals after a 3-10 to 0-10 victory over an Arles-Kilcruise side who in truth were probably fortunate not to lose by a lot more.
Killeshin kicked 14 wides in total over the hour and missed four clear goal scoring opportunities and from the get go the visitors were under real pressure.
The platform for this victory came from some exceptional defending by Killeshin and it took 14 minutes for Kilcruise to get their very first shot away which did end in a score from Patrick Fenney after Killeshin had blocked down and turned over multiple previous attempts.
Despite these endeavours it was 1-3 to 0-1 at the first water break, with Heffernan tucking away the goal after good inter play by David Aston, with points coming from Evan Lowry, Ross Bolger and Eoin Lowry.
In this period Eoin Lowry and Adam Deering saw goal attempts fail to hit the target while Ciaran Lawlor stopped another attempt from Ross Bolger.
Kilcruise did establish a foothold briefly in the second quarter with a brace of points from Ross Munnelly (one off each foot from play) and two David Conway frees, but crucially just before time Killeshin took control once more with Eoin Lowry slotting home their second goal and Adam Deering’s point on the stroke of half time left it at Killeshin 2-5, Arles Kilcruise 0-5.
After the break Munnelly and Aston traded points and on 37 minutes it was pretty much game over as a beautiful move involving the Lowry brothers saw Heffernan dispatch his second goal, with this composed finish coming off the left foot this time around.
Further points from Aston and Deering were responded to with a solitary Munnelly free and at the second water break it was 3-8 to 0-7.
The final quarter was lacklustre to say the least, but one of the few things of note was an Eoin Lowry effort which came back off the crossbar.
In the closing stages Arles Kilcruise knocked over the last two points of the game from David Conway which were mere consolation scores for the visitors who know they have a bit of work to do.
SCORERS: Killeshin – Conor Heffernan (2-0), Eoin Lowry (1-2), Ross Bolger (0-2), Adam Deering (0-2) David Aston (0-2) Evan Lowry (0-1), Adam O’Connor (0-1) Arles Kilcruise – Ross Munnelly (0-4, 0-2f), (David Connway (0-4, 0-3f) Patrick Feeney (0-1), PJ Lawlor (0-1)
KILLESHIN: Killian Roche; Brendan McDonald, Jeremy Mahon, Kevin Ryan; Mark McDermott, Adam O’Connor, David McDermott; Luke Attride, Cathal Byrne; Conor Heffernan, Adam Deering, David Aston; Ross Bolger, Eoin Lowry, Evan Lowry Subs: Paddy Doyle for Aston, James Davis for Mark McDermott and Arnie Mahon for David McDermott (all 46 mins), Leeson Hughes for Brendan McDonald and Paddy Walsh for Eoin Lowry (Both 52 mins)
ARLES-KILCRUISE: Ciaran Lawlor; Cialann Mulhall, Sean Meaney, Shane Creed; Darragh Murphy, Conal Brennan, Colm Munnelly; Fran Egan, Alan McLoughlin; Ross Munnelly, PJ Lawlor, Patrick Feeney; Aaron Moore, David Conway, Dermot Nolan Subs: JP Conway for Moore and Anthony McIlroy for Creed (Both 47 mins), Jordan Donohue for Dermot Nolan (54mins)
Referee: Des Cooney
The post Big wins for Arles-Killeen and Killeshin to secure Division 1B semi-finals places appeared first on Laois Today.
source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/07/17/big-wins-for-arles-killeen-and-killeshin-to-secure-division-1b-semi-finals-places/
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