Callum Barrett stars as Ballymore defeat Suncroft

IFC Group D

Ballymore Eustace 2-17

Suncroft 1-14

Group D of the Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate football championship will come down to round 3 in two weeks to decide the final placings.

Monasterevin are guaranteed a quarter final but Kilcullen Suncroft and Ballymore Eustace must wait to learn their fate.
A six point victory, their first of the year saw Ballymore Eustace overcome Suncroft in Round 2 and in doing so pushed Suncroft perilously close to a relegation play-off.

The Ballymore victory was built on a superb full forward line of Callum Barrett, Niall and Simon Murphy who contributed 2-14 of the 2-17 total.Suncroft never came to terms with their pace and accuracy and after sixteen years their Intermediate status is hanging by a thread.

Suncroft started the brightest and Fionn Dowling had them in front after three. Niall Murphy levelled it after five. Dowling and Eoghan Lawless pushed the Croft two ahead as they were dominating possession. Callum Barrett and Tom Martin swapped points before the eleventh minute as Suncroft held onto the advantage. The complexion of the game changed on a bizarre refereeing decision on twelve minutes.

Suncroft won possession at midfield and after a move involving Fionn Dowling Eoghan Lawless and Tom Martin, Lawless found himself in on goal only for referee Ken Doyle to halt play for a Ballymore injury that had happened twenty seconds earlier.
Ballymore greatfully accepted the lifeline and they outscored Suncroft by 0-7 to 0-2 over the closing fifteen minutes of the half.

Niall Murphy from a free and Simon Murphy from play levelled matters on fourteen before Fionn Dowling pushed Suncroft ahead again sixty seconds later.Ballymore then hit five in a row to open a decisive advantage before the interval.Two Simon

Murphy points,one from a mark two Caolan Halpin frees and a Niall Murphy free pushed Ballymore Eustace onto nine points.
Fionn Dowling added another free right on the 30 min mark but Ballymore were well on top.

Turning to play with the breeze Suncroft were entitled to feel they had a chance.but within three minutes Ballymore put the game to bed.Two Niall Murphy points were quickly followed by the opening goal of the game.It was Niall Murphy again who turned Conor Smith before firing low into the Suncroft net.Eoghan Lawless and two Fionn Dowling points jept Suncroft hopes alive but at seven points it was always going to be to much.

Suncroft did close the gap to four courtesy of an Eoghan Lawless goal and again it was Fionn Dowling who was the provider.A well worked move involving Niall Murphy and Callum Barrett saw Barrett palm into an empty Suncroft net.Dowling hit three late points but Ballymore were out of sight.

Ballymore can claim a knockout place with a win over neighbours Kilcullen but Suncroft may still be depending on scoring difference depending on other results to avoid a relegation final.Its all to play for in Round 3.

BALLYMORE EUSTACE: Tommy Archbold, Des Horan, Kevin Kelleher, Joe Broderick, Daniel Conway, Ben Noone, Callum McClintock,Caolan Halpin 0-3 (3 frees), Mark Barrett,Tadhg Barrett, Gareth Clarke,Eoin Clarke,Callum Barrett 1-1 Niall Murphy 1-9 (6 frees), Simon Murphy 0-4 (1 mark). Subs: Enda Stewart for Callum McClintock H/T.

SUNCROFT: David Sutton, Mikey Troy, Conor Smyth, Ethan Duignan, Jack Setright, Sean Browne, Sam Murphy, Conn Kehoe, Maurice Moran, Chris Phillips, Eoghan Lawless 1-3,Cormac Linnane,Ciaran Troy, Fionn Dowling 0-10 (6 frees),Tom Martin 0-1. Subs: Senan Brannock for Tom Martin H/T; Mark Brown for Maurice Moran H/T; Harry Dillon for Mikey Troy 42.

REFEREE: Ken Doyle.