Kildare GAA: Ballyteague crowned Intermediate Champions with win over Castledermot

The Auld Shebeen Bar Athy Intermediate Football Championship

Ballyteague 2-13

Castldermot 1-12

There was a train of thought before Sunday's Auld Shebeen Pub Athy Intermediate football final that if Castledermot could hold Jimmy Hyland (Ballyteague) to four or five points in the game they (Castledermot) would be in with a right good chance of taking the Hugh Campion Cup home with them.

However the writing was on the wall early (and often) when the county man had four scoring opportunities in the opening ten minutes and raised four white flags.

The early marker was firmly put down and by the time we reached the half-time break the score-line read Ballyteague 1-9 Castledermot 0-4 with Hyland having chalked up no less than seven white flags, a mixture of one mark, two frees and four from open play.

It looked all but done and dusted for the Division 3 side but then again, and no doubt Castledermot manager Anthony Gray told his players they were in a similar situation in their semi-final with something like ten minutes remaining and got out of out but they had 30 minutes plus to perform a similar feat now in the final.

And boys did they give it a go, completely turning the game around drew, level, went ahead and looked to be on their way until The Larks began to sing again and in the end got over the line by a somewhat flattering four points.

A great game of football, thoroughly enjoyed by a very big and enthusiastic attendance on Sunday and with the result in doubt right throughout the six minutes of time added on no one was leaving the ground until that long whistle was sounded by referee Cathal Daly.

Within a minute of the throw-in Castledermot's Emmet O'Keeffe picked up a yellow for a fouled on Gary Nugent but three minutes in a long ball in was brilliantly fetched by Jimmy Hyland who duly took his mark and popped it over for the opening point of the game

Barry Nolan had the sides level but the boys from the south of the county hit three wides before Hyland struck again; the impressive Gavin Keating leveled with a mark; David Keating hit a brilliant point on the run and Castledermot were in front for the first time leading 0-3 to 0-2 with just ten minutes on the clock.

Tommy Callan found Jimmy Hyland and the wing forward did the rest and the county man then capitalised on a miss-placed clearance to give his side the lead on 12 minutes.