Ellistown record another narrow win in Leinster
Ellistown's Andrew McLoughlin Photo: Sean Brilly
AIB Leinster Junior Football Championship
Ellistown are through to the semi final of the AIB Leinster Junior Football Championship after they had to overcome a late late Grattan Óg challenge, before holding on for the 0-12 to 0-11 victory.
It was real backs to the wall for the Kilare champions as they failed to score over the closing 16 minutes of play.
Ellistown held a slender half time lead 0-6 to 0-5 after a tight encounter.
Pat Martin had the home side up and running inside 30 seconds as he latched on to Shane Maughans pass. Eoin O'Loughlin and Tadhg Watson from a free helped open a three point advantage after 8 minutes.
Grattan Óg's early minute nerves slowly disappeared and by the 24th minute the sides were level at 0-4 each. Eoin Kinlan with three from play and a John Hand free helping restore parity.
Points from Evan Donnelly and Pat Martin were enough to see the slender half time lead.
Grattan Óg levelled through a Kinlan free inside a minute of the restart but four in a row from Ellistown pushed them into a 0-10 to 0-6 lead with 46 on the clock.
Ellistown could only had two more scores before full time and despite points from Nerney, Hand, Willie Stokes and Ruben Murray Ellistown held on for the narrow 0-12 to 0-11 victory.
A semi final meeting away to Offaly champions Ballinagar awaits.
Oran Donnelly, Sean Lindy, Andrew McLoughlin, James Neilson, Oisin O'Loughlin, Darragh Watson 0-1, Pat Martin 0-3, Conor Lindy 0-1, Shane Maughan, Evan Donnelly 0-2, Ciaran Lindy 0-1, Eoin O'Loughlin 0-2,Tadhg Watson 0-2 (1f), Conor O'Loughlin, Leo Lennox. Subs: James Sutton for Maughan, 42; Max Lennox for L Lennox, 43; David Dunne for C O'Loughlin, 48; Callum Donnelly for T Watson 48.
Tom Byrne for Ciaran Lindy 55.
Ruben Murray 0-1f, Jack Tiernan, James Moran, David Trappe, Niall Nerney, Eoin Farrell, Emmet Clarke, Beau O'Connor, David Bermingham, Rory Howlin, Harry Mulvihill, Eoin Kinlan 0-6 (3fs)Gary Hand, John Hand 0-2fs,Stephen Oates. Subs: Tadhg Nerney 0-1 for Howlin. h/t; Willie Stokes 0-1 for Trappe, 54; Matthew Hawes for Moran, 60.
Stephen Fagan
