Ellistown walking in a Watson wonderland
Darragh and Tadhg Watson came up with crucial scores for Ellistown in Kinnegad today Photo: Sean Brilly
Ellistown are through to the quarter final of the AIB Leinster Junior Football Championship after they enjoyed a slender one point win over Westmeath campions Castletown Finea Coole Whitehall (CFCW).
The win sets up a home tie with Longford champions Gratton Óg next weekend.
The opening minutes were tight and tense with both sets of defences on top. CFCW opened the scoring after four minutes through a Joe Rabbit free and the same player, again from a free extended the lead to two with 12 minutes on the clock.
Ellistown were yet to make any great in roads on a tight home rearguard and took a 40 metre effort from Ciaran Lindy on 13 to get the Kildare champions on the board.
CFCW would go the remaining 18 minutes of the half without another score as Ellistown started get more of a foot hold in the game.
Tadhg Watson added two points from play on 25 and 28 and despite five first half wides Ellistown lead 0-3 to 0-2 at the break.
Tadhg Watson extended the Ellistown lead to two five minutes after the restart, Evan Donnelly drawing the foul 30 metres from goal.
CFCW were awarded a fortunate free on 40 and as the ball was brought forward for dissent Joe Rabbit easily added his third free.
CFCW were on the back foot from the kickout and a good move involving Evan Donnelly, Eoin Donnelly and Darragh Watson saw the latter open a two point buffer again.
Ellistown would go the closing 17 minutes without a score as they squandered plenty of chances. Substitute Ryan Plunkett set up a grandstand finish with a 60th minute free but Ellistown reduced the Westmeath men to one shot over the closing 4 minutes of injury time to see out the 0-5 to 0-4 victory.
Oran Donnelly, Sean Lindy, Andrew McLoughlin, James Neilson, Oisin O’Loughlin, Darragh Watson 0-1, Pat Martin, Conor Lindy 0-1, Shane Maughan, Evan Donnelly, Ciaran Lindy, Eoin O’Loughlin, Tadhg Watson 0-3 (1f), Conor O'Loughlin, Callum Donnelly. Subs: Leo Lennox for C Donnelly, 36; Max Lennox for Lindy, 45; James Sutton for T Watson, 54; Darren Kelly for O O’Loughlin 55.
Gary Sullivan, Oisin Gaffney, Darragh O’Reilly, Conor O’Grady, Emmet Corrigan, Ryan Moore, Conor Gaffney, Luke Moore, Darren Kilcoyne, Darragh McCormack, John McCarthy, Mark Cunningham, Glen Plunkett, Joe Rabbit 0-3fs,Alan Devine. Subs: Ryan Plunkett 0-1f for McCarthy.
Colm McCullough (Louth).
