Narrow defeat ends Ellistown's Leinster dreams
Conor O'Loughlin in possession for Ellistown Photo: Martin Rowe
Ballinagar 0-9 Ellistown 0-8
Ellistown went down by the narrowest of margains to Offaly champions Ballinagar as their AIB Leinster Junior Football Championship campaign came to an end in O Connor Park Tullamore earlier this afternoon.
In a titanic battle throughout Ellistown had to overcome four point deficits on two occasions during that second half but despite 12 minutes of injury time it was the clock that eventually beat them despite finishing strongly.
Ballinagar were the more economical with their possession in the opening half as they lead by 0-4 points to 0-2 from their five shots at goal.
Eoin O Loughlin did open the Ellistown account inside two minutes but a Geordi O'Meara free and a mark from Robbie Gallagher swung the tide in the home sides favour.
Ciaran Lindy did level after 13 but Ellistown spurned a great goal chance on 15 when Conor O'Loughlin's shot was brilliantly saved by Ryan Kinahan.
Morgan Tynan and a wonderful point from Aaron Gorman have the Offaly champions the two point half time buffer.
A lengthy stop for a head injury to Ellistown's Darragh Watson saw the influential centre back leave on a stretcher sixty seconds after the restart but despite this setback Ellistown responded to two Shane Dwane efforts. Conor O'Loughlin, David Dunne and Pat Martin all helping to reduce the gap to one.
Adam Strong saw black for Ballinagar after 48 but they hit 3 in a row through Robbie Gallagher (2) and another O'Meara free. It was their last score of the game with 15 to play.
Three late Ellistown points did reduce the gap but with the Kildare champions in the ascendancy time ran out and their season was over.
Ryan Kinahan, Declan Crombie, Diarmuid Finneran, Adam Joyce, Jack Gorry, Brian Malone, Aaron Gorman 0-1, Adam Strong, Morgan Tynan 0-1,Conor McGuinness, Geordi O'Meara 0-2fs,Conor Shiel, Conor Bracken, Robbie Gallagher 0-3 (2ms), Steven Dwane 0-2(1f). SUBS: Jamie Ballesty for Dwane, 61; Jacob Beatty for McGuinness, 66.
Oran Donnelly, Sean Lindy, Andrew McLoughlin, James Neilson, Oisin O'Loughlin, Darragh Watson, Pat Martin 0-1, Conor Lindy 0-1f, Shane Maughan, Evan Donnelly, Ciaran Lindy 0-1, Eoin O'Loughlin 0-2, Tadhg Watson, Conor O Loughlin 0-1 Leo Lennox. SUBS: David Dunne 0-1 for D Watson, 31; James Sutton for C O'Loughlin, 60; Darren Kelly for T Watson, 60; Max Lennox 0-1 for Lindy, 61; Callum Donnelly for O O'Loughlin, 70.
James Foley (Carlow)
