Late goals put Graiguecullen into the winners section over spirited Ballyfin

With ten minutes to go, this game was all square and looked to go down to the wire. However, Graiguecullen got in for two avoidable goals from a Ballyfin perpective, and that put Kevin Doogue’s side into the winners section of the draw.

Graiguecullen 2 - 11

Ballyfin 0 - 7

Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship Round 1

Graiguecullen started off brightly, opening their account for this year’s championship with a close-range free from Jamie Parr, and then Ross Hennessy kicked over a lovely effort to see them go two ahead.

After Jamie Parr saw his effort blocked out for a 45’, but Graiguecullen goalkeeper Danny Bolger proved his accuracy from placed balls with a fine 45’. Ballyfin got up and running through James Moore, and the same man doubled their account shortly after with an even better point than his first.

Allan Connolly then burst forward from corner-back to land a superb long-range effort to level proceedings for Ballyfin. They were getting their reward for some strong pressure up in the forwards and also defending well in numbers at the back.

Ballyfin missed a few chances to take the lead after, with Jack Priestley, James Moore and James Finn all hitting inaccurately. Graiguecullen went back into the lead thanks to Luke Alysbury who burst through the Ballyfin cover at pace and pointed, something Graiguecullen didn’t do much of in the first half.

Sean Moore leveled it again though with a free for Ballyfin. They then went back in front, with the live-wire Jack Priestley, a soccer player who was on the books with Shamrock Rovers a few seasons ago, sending one over with the outside of his boot with precision.

Ian Fleming responded with a beautiful curling effort from a ways out, but Ballyfin would kick the final score of the half with Sean Moore sending his man onto the ground with a bit of skill.

Graiguecullen registered poor wides through Eoin Alsybury and Aaron Forbes, and that resulted in them trailing the underdogs Ballyfin 0-5 to 0-6 at half-time.

Kevin Doogue’s Graiguecullen began the second-half on the front foot, holding most of the possession, but failing to make it count. Ross Hennessy and Bobby Doyle both fired futher wides for them.

Ballyfin actually grabbed the opening score of the half through Darragh Connolly, as he showed a big burst of pace on the counter-attack to fire between the posts.

Graiguecullen kicked further poor wides through Parr and Mark Timmons, who only recently returned from injury, before finally Parr got Graiguecullen on the board for the second-half with a free.

With fifteen minutes left, Ross Hennessy burst in from the wing and ran right at the Ballyfin defence, and was subsequently brought down. Parr converted the close-range free to level the teams.

Sean Moore had a chance to put Ballyfin back ahead, but his free fell just wide. Down the other end, Robert Foran’s kick-out went straight into the arms of Danny Doogue, but he failed to punish Ballyfin, slicing wide.

Parr eventually got Graiguecullen into the lead, as after a bit of confusion between the umpires, his free was waved over after it went in off the post.

Graiguecullen then hit Ballyfin hard with the first goal of the game. Mark Timmons robbed Ballyfin of possession in their own half, picked out Danny Doogue all on his own in the square, and he jinked right and left before firing into the net.

Any doubt about the result was put to bed when Graiguecullen followed that up with a second goal. Parr’s effort was fumbled by Robert Foran in goals for Ballyfin, and Aaron Forbes was there to poke home the rebound.

Parr ended the game with two frees for Graiguecullen, as they advanced to round two but huge improvements are required for them.

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*See Tuesday's Leinster Express Sport for full coverage

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GRAIGUECULLEN

Scorers: Jamie Parr 0-6 frees, Aaron Forbes and Danny Doogue 1-0 each, Ian Fleming, Trevor Collins, Danny Bolger (45’), Ross Hennessy and Luke Alsybury 0-1 each

Team: Daniel Bolger; Eoin Alysbury, Ross Alcock, Martin Doyle; Luke Alysbury, Mark Timmons, Bobby Doyle; Shane O’Neill, Jamie Sheehan; Ross Hennessy, Jamie Parr, Trevor Collins; Danny Doogue, Aaron Forbes, Ian Fleming. Subs: James Doogue for Sheehan (HT), Michael Hand for Hennessy (52 mins), Shane Aylward for E Alsybury (57 mins).

BALLYFIN

Scorers: Sean Moore (0-1 free) and James Moore 0-2 each, Darragh Connolly, Jack Priestley and Allan Connolly 0-1 each

Team: Robert Foran; Jack Cleary, David Connolly, Allan Connolly; Darragh Connolly, Ciaran Fingleton, Max Connolly; Kevin O’Rourke, James Finn; Dan Molloy, Jack Priestley, Nick Cosgrove; Sean Moore, Louis Duff, Jack Priestley. Subs: Shane Conroy for Cosgrove (57 mins).

REFEREE: Clifford Ward (Portarlington)