REPORT: St Joseph's come alive in second half to claim Kelly cup

St Joseph's continued their impressive pre-season form and came alive in the second half to power over the line and defeat Ballyroan-Abbey in the Kelly cup final on Tuesday night.

Played under the lights in Crettyard, two second half goals in the space of three minutes proved the catalyst for the men from Kellyville after they had rode their luck somewhat in the opening half. Ballyroan-Abbey led by four points at half time and missed two glorious goal chances in the early in the game before drifting out of it in the second half.

ST JOSEPH'S 2-11

BALLYROAN-ABBEY 2-7

KELLY CUP FINAL

The opening half was a low scoring affair but Ballyroan did squander two early goal chances after St Joseph's keeper Aaron Cooney saw two short kickouts go astray.

Brian Daly opened the scoring on seven minutes to put St Joseph's into the lead against the run of play but a minute later, Diarmuid Whelan kicked the first score of his 2-6 haul to draw the teams level.

Dylan Doyle restored the St Joseph's lead on nine minutes but they wouldn't score again until the 20th minute and during that time, Ballyroan tagged on three points to go 0-4 to 0-2 in front.

All three came from Diarmuid Whelan, two from frees (one of which was promoted from a mark) and a mark to edge his side in front. Josh Lacey raided up from wing back to narrow the gap but on 22 minutes the final score of the half landed and it was a well taken goal for Ballyroan.

Padraig McMahon sent a stinging ball across the box into the hands of Diarmuid Whelan and the ace attacker made no mistake in finding the net to give his side a 1-4 to 0-3 half time lead.

Ballyroan looked like they would kick on in the second half and kicked the opening two scores of the half. Centre forward Shaun Murphy scored a peach before another Diarmuid Whelan score from distance left them 1-6 to 0-3 up with 25 minutes to play.

St Joseph's then clicked into gear and began to eat away at the lead. Dylan Doyle nailed his second score before points from Eoghan O'Flaherty and substitute Josh O'Brien left it 1-6 to 0-6 with 13 minutes to play.

Ballyroan were then stung with two goals in the space of three minutes. Cathal Doyle gave the ball away in the middle of the field and St Joseph's took the opportunity with both hands. Eoghan O'Flaherty fed an onrushing Cormac Murphy and the pacey wing back fired a bullet to the roof of the net to level the game.

Josh O'Brien then put them ahead with the next attack before good work from O'Brien and O'Flaherty saw the ball present itself in front of goals for Mikie Dempsey to palm to the net from close range as St Joseph's now went into a four point lead with 10 minutes to play.

O'Flaherty added two more scores to push them into a six point lead before Whelan found the net for the second time for Ballyroan to give them a late lifeline.

St Joseph's didn't wilt though and points from Sean Brennan and O'Flaherty sealed the deal for the Kellyville men. Diarmuid Whelan kicked his sixth point with the last action of the game but it was only a consolation for Padraig Clancy's men.

ST JOSEPHS

Scorers: Eoghan O’Flaherty 0-4 (0-2 frees), Cormac Murphy and Mikie Dempsey 1-0 each, Dylan Doyle and Josh O’Brien 0-2 each, Brian Daly, Josh Lacey, Sean Brennan 0-1 each.

Team: Aaron Cooney; Niall Brennan, Tom Dunne, Aidan Brennan; Josh Lacey, Jack Lacey, Cormac Murphy; Mikie Dempsey, Brian Daly; Danny Hickey, Dylan Doyle, Sean Brennan; Eoghan O’Flaherty, Matthew Campion, Conor Kealy. Subs: Josh O’Brien for Campion (39), Adam Benson for Kealy (39), Eoin Cahill for Hickey (55)

BALLYROAN ABBEY

Scorers: Diarmuid Whelan 2-6 (0-3 frees, 0-1 mark), Shaun Murphy 0-1

Team: Mark McDonald; Sam Quinn, Aaron Carroll, Aaron McEvoy; Conor McWey, Conor Brennan, Evan McEvoy; Cathal Doyle, Marty Scully; Ben McDonald, Shaun Murphy, Enda McWey; Padraig McMahon, Diarmuid Whelan, Stephen Thompson. Subs: Odhran Dempsey for Stephen Thompson (ht), Alan McWey for Padraig McMahon (50)