Castledermot pip Sallins to claim huge victory in Kildare IFC
The Auld Shebeen Bar Athy Intermediate Football Championship Group A, round two
Castldermot 2-13
Sallins 0-18
Castledermot and Sallins were last up in a ten match programme in Manguard Plus Hawkfield over the weekend and this Group A encounter in the Auld Shebeen Athy IFC was certainly worth waiting for.
Castledermot won out by the minimum after a hugely entertaining game that ebbed and flowed for the hour.
Paddy Whelan and Conor Dalton exchanged early points and after eight minutes a Gavin Keating free had Castledermot back in front.
Two Cian Grimes points and a Colm Dalton effort swung the scoreboard back in Sallins's favour.
Jamie Cox and Alan Marshall replied to an Emmet O Keeffe white flag and at the end of the opening quarter the Sallins lead was three.
Castledermot were enjoying plenty of possession but found scores hard to come by against a resolute Sallins defence. Gavin Keating pointed a free on 17 after Dan Gray was fouled and from the kickout Gray got on the end of the breaking ball to get in on goals and he duly delivered the opening goal of the game.David Keating quickly opened up a two point lead.
This was a game not to take an eye off and no sooner had Castledermot looked like they were in control Sallins outscored them by five points to two to take the lead by half time.0-11 to 1-7.
Three points from the Daltons Colm and Conor,two from Rory Gavin were replied to by two late scores from Gavin Keating.
The '45 in the 30th minute came after Ryan Herbert denied Dan Gray a second goal with a point blank save.
Sallins extended the lead to three after early points from Grimes and Colm Dalton. Dan Gray and Jamie Cox were both on the scoreboard to keep the Sallins advantage at three.
Sallins did have chances to extend the lead but poor shooting would cost them.In the 35th minute Dan Gray and Emmet O'Keeffe combined for Gray's second goal and we were level for the fifth time.
Nothing to separate two well matched sides. Paddy Whelan and James O'Reilly put Castledermot two up as we entered the final quarter.Colm Dalton reduced it to one with his fifth of the game.
Two pointed frees from Cian Grimes in response to an Emmet O'Keeffe point meant we were level again with nine to play.Neither side wanted a share of the spoils and Castledermot, despite been relegated last year, showed their championship tradition with a spirited closing few minutes.Dan Gray and O'Keeffe pushed them two ahead as we approached injury time.
As we entered six minutes of injury time Sean Conway reduced the gap to one but despite two golden chances for Cian Grimes from frees Castledermot held on.
They will now play Two Mile House for a quarter final place and on this evidence you wouldn't bet against them.
After an opening day victory Sallins know a victory may be needed to stay alive.
SALLINS: Ryan Herbert; Ruairi O Domhnaill, Darren Keane, Aaron Carney; Luke Kelly, Conor McElroy, Alan Marshall 0-1,; Luke Killian, Emmet Ralph; Conor Dalton 0-2, Sean Conway 0-1, Cian Grimes 0-5 (3 frees); Rory Gavin 0-2, Jamie Cox 0-2, Colm Dalton 0-5. Subs: Darragh Mangan for Ruairi O Domhnaill (13 minutes); Paul Clifford for Emmet Ralph (57 minutes); Kevin Foley for Alan Marshall (59 minutes).
CASTLEDERMOT: Shane Nolan; Billy O'Gorman, Pauric Murphy, Barry Nolan; David Dooley, Oisin Nolan, William Kelly; David Keating 0-1, John Joe Mahon; Gavin Farrell, Dan Gray 2-2, Gavin Keating 0-4 (3 Frees, 45); Paddy Whelan 0-1, Emmet O Keeffe 0-2,Aaron Murphy. Subs: James O Reilly 0-1 for Aaron Murphy (36 minutes); Anthony Lawler for David Dooley (36 minutes); Niall Dooley for Billy O'Gorman (50 minutes).
REFEREE: Colm Kearney.