Grangenolvin cruise into quarters with nine-point win over Ballytague
Grangenolvin are through to the quarter-finals of the National Electrical Wholesalers Intermediate Football Championship as Group C runners up thanks to a nine-point victory over Ballyteague on Sunday afternoon in Kilcullen.
Nathan Doyle looked certain to open the scoring for Grange with a goal inside two minutes, only to be denied by an outstanding save from Ballyteague goalkeeper, James Walsh.
Both sides were sloppy in front of goal in the early stages, with the first score coming in the eighth minute courtesy of Conall Bergin, with Stephen Ennis equalising for Ballyteague 60 seconds later.
Grange regained the lead thanks to a lovely curled effort from Tomas Cullen, but Ballyteague again responded within 60 seconds, somehow hitting the net twice in the 13th minute.
Jimmy Hyland raised the first green flag at the second time of asking after a goal-mouth scramble and from there, Ballyteague claimed the resulting kick-out and rippled the Grangenolvin net a second time, with Stephen Ennis wheeling away in celebration. Glen Thorpe then landed a point to leave his side six up midway through the half.
Grange almost hit back with a goal of their own, but James Walsh continued to impress with another excellent save to deny Bergin.
Grange played with a ferocious breeze in the first half and Fionn Bergin made it count with a couple of quick-fire frees, one from outside the arc, before Brian Cullen added his name to the scoresheet to reduce the deficit to just two points.
It was then Grangenolvin's turn to ripple the net twice in a minute. The first came when James Gannon palmed the ball home after a lovely cross from Lee Doyle, followed by a wonderful low finish seconds later from Conall Bergin.
The same player landed a point with the final kick of the half to leave Grange five up at the interval. Ballyteague never troubled the scoreboard in the second quarter and trailed 2-7 to 2-2 heading into the changing rooms - an 11-point turnaround from Grange.
It was all too easy for Grangenolvin after the break, with Conall Bergin and Lee Doyle extending the lead, although they were soon wiped out with a two-point free from Jimmy Hyland. It has been quite a few weeks for Hyland, who came into the game as the top scorer across the entire Intermediate Championship despite Ballyteague losing both opening games; and the clinical corner forward added 1-6 to his Championship tally here.
Grange kept the scoreboard ticking over with a pair of frees from Fionn Bergin and a lovely score from Nathan Doyle to leave seven points between the sides midway through the half.
Hyland pulled one back for Ballyteague, but Grange came back again and found a fortuitous third goal in the 49th minute, with Tomas Cullen gathering a stray ball that came back off the upright before steering his shot into the net.
Fionn Bergin with another free and one final score courtesy of Keith Holligan up from the back brought the curtain down on a dominant Grangenolvin victory.
Ballyteague finished with a couple of frees from Hyland, one from outside the arc, as they finished bottom of Group C. They now move down to the Intermediate 'B' Championship.
Timmy Doyle; Gavin Ivory, Paul Huntingdon, Keith Holligan 0-1; Lewis Gannon, Dylan Costigan, Brian Cullen 0-1; Keith McGloin, Cillan Bergin; Fionn Bergin 0-6 (1tpf, 4f), Lee Doyle 0-1, Conall Bergin 1-3; Nathan Doyle 0-1, Tomas Cullen 1-1, James Gannon 1-0.
Nicky Bowens for Gannon (50), Johnny Lawlor for Costigan (56), Conor McMahon for T Doyle and Luke Thornton for F Bergin (both 59).
James Walsh; Daniel Grogan, Ryan Webb, Luke Jacob; Conor Somers, Paraic Hanley, Fionn Murphy; Gerry Melia, Thomas Callan; Darragh Kearns, Brian McGrath, Glen Thorpe 0-1; Stephen Ennis 1-1, Cathal Hanifin, Jimmy Hyland 1-6 (2tpf, 0-1f).
Fionn Gallagher for Jacob (35), Donal Dempsey for Thorpe (47).
Jamie Lyons
