Scully stars as Borris-Kilcotton power past Ballinakill in Laois SHC

Borris-Kilcotton have their second win and remain unbeaten in this year’s Laois Shopping Centre SHC after a superb second half of shooting saw them past the challenge of Ballinakill in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday evening.

Ballinakill had started like a house on fire and led by five points and four points on two separate occasions. However, once Borris-Kilcotton went ahead in the 33rd minute, there was no looking back as they won by eight points, with PJ Scully finishing with 1-14 to his name.

Last year’s semi-finalists are yet to register a win from their first three games and will now have to win their last two fixtures if they’re to have any chance of reaching a quarter-final.

Ballinakill came out and blitzed Borris-Kilcotton early on with five points in the first three minutes. Ben O’Mara scored one of the quickest points you’ll see when he pointed after just eight seconds. Eddid Dwyer and Seamus Fitzpatrick added a point each as they led 0-3 to no score inside the first minute. Ryan Quinlan and Brian Duggan (free) both raised white flags with Borris-Kilcotton struggling to get their hands on the ball.

Stephen Dunphy got Borris-Kilcotton up and running after three minutes before they cut the deficit to two points when Dean Carey’s long ball in was caught by PJ Scully, who made no mistake with his finish. Fitzpatrick added his second point with Eoin Fleming getting a hurl on it to divert it over the crossbar. Scully’s first point along with a score from Joe Campion levelled the sides 1-3 to 0-6 after barely six minutes played.

Ballinakill got the next four scores and when Ethan Drury pointed, all six of their forwards had scored. O’Mara, Fitzpatrick and Lir McDonald got the other points as Borris-Kilcotton were forced to go chasing them again. Jer Quinlan traded points with his namesake Ryan before Cha Dwyer pointed to put Ballinakill five points up after 15 minutes.

Scully (free) and Dylan Doyle swapped points before Scully fired over four frees in a row to get back Borris-Kilcotton back to within two points approaching half-time. Duggan pointed his second free of the half and that proved to be the final score of the half. Ballinakill went into the dressing rooms leading 0-14 to 1-9.

The second half began with two frees from Duggan as well as Eoin Fleming denying Fitzpatrick a goal. Quinlan got Borris-Kilcotton back to within three points and then the game was all square when Connor Kilbane put Aaron Dunphy through and he smashed it past Paul Simms. Ryan Quinlan became the next player to be denied by Fleming before another Scully free put them ahead for the very first time after 33 minutes.

Gearoid Lynch got a point back for Ballinakill, but Scully’s first from play and a second score from Stephen Dunphy put them two points up. Cha Dwyer cut the gap to one again, but Ballinakill would go the next 11 minutes without scoring and in that time, Borris-Kilcotton raised nine white flags.

Five of those came from Scully frees, Aaron Dunphy added three points to his earlier goal and Quinlan also scored as they coasted to the finish line. Substitute Dan Bergin finally broke Ballinakill’s long spell without a score, but Borris-Kilcotton kept firing over scores with Scully getting his second point from play to finish with 1-14. Cha Dwyer tapped over two late scores, but the result was well beyond doubt by then.

FINAL SCORE

Borris-Kilcotton 2-23

Ballinakill 0-21

SCORERS— Borris-Kilcotton: PJ Scully 1-14 (0-12 frees), Aaron Dunphy 1-3, Jer Quinlan 0-3, Stephen Dunphy 0-2, Joe Campion 0-1. Ballinakill: Brian Duggan (frees) and Cha Dwyer (0-1 free) 0-4 each, Seamus Fitzpatrick 0-3, Ryan Quinlan and Ben O’Mara 0-2 each, Dylan Doyle, Ethan Drury, Lir McDonald, Dan Bergin, Eddie Dwyer, and Gearoid Lynch 0-1 each.

BALLINAKILL: Paul Simms; Cathal O’Shaughnessy, Ian Shanahan, Andrew McDonagh; Lir McDonald, Podge Lawlor, Ethan Drury; Gearoid Lynch, Dylan Doyle; Ben O’Mara, Cha Dwyer, Seamus Fitzpatrick; Brian Duggan, Eddie Dwyer, Ryan Quinlan. Subs: Noel Duggan for Drury (17 mins), Ethan Drury for Duggan (Blood 35-44 mins), Brian Duggan for N Duggan (45 mins), Conor McDonagh for Doyle (52 mins), Noel Duggan for A McDonagh (53 mins), Dan Bergin for B Duggan (55 mins)

BORRIS-KILCOTTON: Eoin Fleming; Philip Tynan, Enda Parlon, Stephen Finan; Evan Quinlan, Connor Kilbane, Niall Coss; Eoin Fitzpatrick, Colm Stapleton; Aaron Dunphy, Joe Campion, Jer Quinlan; PJ Scully, Dean Carey, Stephen Dunphy. Subs: Matthew Whelan for Stapleton (Blood 24 mins-HT), Eoghain Coss for Stapleton (43 mins), Neil Foyle for Carey (44 mins), Matthew Whelan for Fitzpatrick (59 mins)

Referee: Alan Doheny (Castletown)