Raheens strike late to defeat Eadestown

SFC Group C

Raheens 3-14

Eadestown 2-11

Two second half goals in the space of sixty seconds settled matters for Raheens as they claimed victory in the Joe Mallon Motors SFC Group C tie.

A Cian Bolton point opened the scoring after fifteen seconds of action. A free from Eoin Conneff extended the lead before Raheens got to the pace of the tie. A Paddy Woodgate free was quickly responded to by Cian Boran. This wouldn’t last long as Niall Dolan began to grow into the contest and a brace of points leveled matters on ten minutes.

Eadestown hit back through a Niall Cummins goal before points from Conor McCarthy and Bolton left Raheens five adrift.

Despite this a sense of fear never descended over Raheens as Graham Waters pushed forward calmly before being hauled to the turf. Converting Woodgate had the deficit to four before a Dolan brace left two between the sides.

Trading points Bolton and Sean McLoughlin maintained this deficit before Sergeant's kick-out exposed the poor Eadestown defence. Unable to clear the ball beyond Paul Dolan hit his fifth of the day before more of the same allowed Colm Power to level once more.

With a third kick out going astray in two minutes this way even more harmful to Eadestown as Liam Power gathered on the end line to held off the challenge of Lawlor to net leaving the tone of the Eadestown half time talk drastically changed.

Respond quickly Conor McCarthy narrowed the deficit after the restart. Unable to build on this Dolan and Woodgate pointed before Bolton and Woodgate traded scores again.

With the tie approaching the final ten minutes four points separated the sides as Raheens were looking comfortable in their efforts.

A Bolton free narrowed this to three before disaster happened for Raheens, a poor Declan Campbell kick out found Boran who had Harry Carroll on his shoulder. Bursting forward unmarked, Carroll send his shot into the top left corner of Campbell’s net leveling matters once more.

Paddy Woodgate and Cian Bolton maintained parity into the final five minutes. Bolton struck with his final point of the afternoon to gift Eadestown the lead, but this was to be short lived as confusion among Rian Monohan, Darragh Jameson, Rob Thompson and Woodgate allowed a high ball to bounce among them all and land in the hands of Dolan who found the net.

Paddy Woodgate gained possession from the kick out, sent in a high ball towards goal it diverted at the last second onto the upright falling to McLoughlin found the net.

Eadestown fell victim to these late goals before a stoppage time Woodgate free rounded off matters and leave Raheens with six points to spare.

Scorers: Raheens: Niall Dolan 1-6 (1f); Paddy Woodgate 0-6 (4f); Sean McLoughlin 1-1; Liam Power 1-0; Colm Power 0-1.

Eadestown: Cian Bolton 0-6 (2f); Niall Cummins 1-0; Harry Carroll 1-0; Conor McCarthy 0-2 (1f); Cian Boran 0-2; Eoin Conneff 0-1 (1f).

RAHEENS: Declan Campbell; Shane Crowley, Tom Earley, Colin Ryan; Fionn Tully, David Malone, Graham Waters; Paul Dolan, Daragh Crowley; Sean McLoughlin, Colm Power, David Fitzpatrick; Paddy Woodgate, Liam Power, Niall Dolan. Subs: Killian Thompson for P. Dolan, 30; Shane McSweeney for Tully, 30; Rob Thompson for C. Power, 44; Jason Earley for Waters, 58.

EADESTOWN: Shane Sargent; Rian Monohan, John Lawlor, Darragh Jameson; Harry Carroll, Jack Sargent, Sean Haynes; Niall Cummins, Rian Brian; Conan Brian, Cian Brian, Ben Fitzsimons; Cian Bolton, Conor McCarthy, Eoin Conneff.

REFEREE: Conor Daly.