Athy edge Eadestown by a point as both sides progress in Kildare SFC

Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship Group A, Round 3

Athy 0-13

Eadestown 0-12

After the conclusion of this Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship Round 3 game both Athy and Eadestown had qualified for the knockout stages.

However the main talking point was the horrible leg injury suffered by Kevin Feely after only two minutes.
He fielded a long pass from midfield but as he landed he knew his Achilles tendon was in trouble. It was a sad sight to see him been helped off.

Athy had a job to do and it was Niall Kelly, who coincidentally suffered a similar leg injury in the past, that lead the way with an eight point haul in a man of the match performance. Three points in the opening eleven minutes all from Kelly were replied to by Emmet Bolton and a Shane Sargent free.

Kelly pushed the gap out to two with his fourth on 19. He then created a goal chance for James Eaton but Shane Sargent was equal to the shot.

Darren Lawlor came forward from corner to set up Niall Kelly for another goal chance but this time his weak shot was easily saved by Sargent.

Conor McCarthy and Eoin Conneff had Eadestown level on 22 and despite Niall Kelly's fifth and sixth points of the half the Rathmore men lead 0-7 to 0-6 at half time.Conor McCarthy and Emmet Bolton with their second points of the game and a late Ben Fitzsimons effort ensured the one point lead.

Straight from the restart Rian Boran found Cian Bolton and his 30 metre effort opened a two point lead.
With Niall Kelly been the only Athy scorer up to the 32nd minute Paudie Behan and Killian Mulhall broke the trend to draw Athy level.

Eoin Conneff kicked two points either side of a Cian Reynolds point to keep Eadestown noses in front.
Between the 44th and 53rd minutes Athy hit four in a row through Cathal McCarron Paudie Behan and two more Niall Kelly frees to move three clear.

With scores in Newbridge favouring Eadestown they didn't want to concede any unnecessary scores.They held possession well and when Cian Bolton kicked two late frees we were in for a nervy finish.Conor McCarthy got a late black for Eadestown but it mattered little Brendan Cawley sounded the final whistle for a 0-13 to 0-12 Athy victory but both teams were through.
Athy will play Clogherinkoe in the quarter final but the likely absence of Kevin Feely will be missed by Athy.However the return to form of Niall Kelly was the one shining light.

For Eadestown a meeting with St Laurances awaits and based on recent results they will fancy a quarter final meeting with Clane.

St Laurence's through in second place after hard-fought Kilcock draw in Kildare SFC

ATHY: James Rycroft; Sean Moore, Cathal McCarron 0-1, Darren Lawler; James McGrath, Mark Hyland, Killian Mulhall 0-1; Paschal Connell, Kevin Feely; Barry Kelly, Cian Reynolds 0-1, Kieran Farrell; David Hyland, Paudie Behan 0-2, Niall Kelly 0-8 (5 frees,1 mark). Subs: James Eaton for Kevin Feely (2 minutes); Conor Doyle for Barry Kelly (40 minutes); Sean Bride for Sean Moore (42 minutes); Ben Purcell for Kieran Farrell (45 minutes); Barry Kelly for Killian Mulhall (47 minutes).

EADESTOWN: Shane Sargent 0-1 (1 free); Ronan Slattery, Emmet Bolton 0-2, Ben Osborne; Eoin Cummins, Jack Sargent, Conan Boran; Sean O'Sullivan, Rian Boran; Ben Fitzsimons 0-1, Padraig Tuohy, Sean Hynes; Cian Bolton 0-3 (2 frees), Eoin Conneff 0-3 (1 mark), Conor McCarthy 0-2 (1 free). Subs: Eoin Woods for Cian Boran (half-time); Aidan Cassidy for Sean O Sullivan (53 minutes); Adam Fitzsimons for Ben Fitzsimons (59 minutes).

REFEREE: Brendan Cawley.