Keating boys lead the way for Castledermot against Nurney

Castledermot 1-15

Nurney 0-11

Castledermot were full value for their seven point victory over Nurney as they moved into the winners group of the Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate football championship following their win on Saturday in Athy.

Nurney made sure they didn't have it all their own way as they battled hard from start to finish but their cause wasn't helped by an a somewhat needless and harsh red card for Damien Berns after 48 minutes.

Castledermot would be contenders in most people's eyes for outright honours and aided by a strong breeze they showed their quality as they opened up a six point lead after eight minutes.

David Keating got forward from half back to open the scoring after two minutes. Emmet O Keeffe was on the mark twice in those opening minutes with Paddy Whelan, from a mark, Oisin Nolan and Gavin Keating all contributing to the early advantage.

Nurney were struggling against a solid Castledermot defence but good work from Cathal Hagney and Mikey Conway was to lead to two Andrew Behan points on ten and eleven minutes.

Damien Berns called a great mark from a Tadhg Hagney pass and Nurney were back to within four.

Although having plenty of possession Castledermot were wasteful at times l.David Dooley did restore the five point advantage after 12 before Gavin Keating got in on the action with three frees.He made use of the breeze to shoot over two of those from 45 and 55 metres.

As we waited for the half time whistle and with Castledermot seven ahead it was Mikey Conway with two late frees who reduced the gap to five and it also gave Nurney renewed hope as they had the aid of the wind for the second thirty minutes.

At 0-10 to 0-5 they still had work to do.

Castledermot returned to hit a knockout blow to Nurney inside sixty seconds.

The strong running David Keating linked up with Gavin Keating before firing past Darren Byrne in the Nurney goals.

It was a long way back from here for the Kildoon men.Andrew Behan was on the mark after 32 but Castledermot hit back through Gavin Keating and Emmet O Keeffe to open up a nine point gap.

Castledermot then lost David Keating and Oisin Nolan to black cards on 37 and 43 for dissent that referee Kieran Harris didn't take kindly to.

Nurney hit three in a row with the numerical advantage but even at six points you couldn't see a comeback.

As one or Castledermot players tried to waste time and run down the clock Nurney became frustrated, understandably, and

Damien Berns was shown a red card for trying to get Anthony Lawler off the ground.

When the dust settled Castledermot finished out with scores from Emmet O'Keeffe, David Keating and Conor Nolan before Andrew Behan hit two late frees for Nurney to round a 1-15 to 0-11 win for the men in blue.

Castledermot know they will produce better as the championship progresses.

Nurney face into the losers group fresh in the knowledge that they will prove a handful for most.

CASTLEDERMOT: Shane Nolan; David Dooley 0-1, Barry Nolan, Billy O'Gorman; Bryan Nolan, Conor Nolan 0-1, David Keating 1-2; Fionn O'Gorman, Gavin Farrell; Gavin Keating 0-5 (3 frees), Oisin Nolan 0-1, Paddy Whelan 0-1 (1 mark); Anthony Lawler, Thomas Murphy, Emmet O Keeffe 0-4. Subs: Tadhg Phelan for Anthony Lawler (48 minutes); Niall Dooley for Fionn O'Gorman (50 minutes).

NURNEY: Darren Byrne; Neil Kelly, Adam Talbot, Darragh Conway; Owen Sunderland, Tadhg Hagney, Owen Kealey; Michael Conway 0-4 (4 frees), Cathal Hagney; Stephen Conway, Kieran Callan, Jessie Moore; Damien Berns 0-1 (1 mark), Andrew Behan 0-6 (3 frees), Glen Higginbotham. Subs: Kevin Conway for Glen Higginbotham (49 miutes) Brian Conway for Adam Talbot (53).

Referee Kieran Harris.