Leixlip shade it over Sallins in excellent Kildare IFC clash
The Auld Shebeen Bar Intermediate Football Championship Group A, Round 3
Leixlip 2-17
Sallins 2-14
Another excellent game in the IFC played at St Conleth's Park on Sunday with Leixlip, having trailed for long periods came good in the end, especially when Sallins lost a man to a black already on a yellow. In the end there was three points separating the sides, which in fairness is somewhat harsh on Sallins.
Leixlip top the group and with Castledermot second and Sallins making it into the pre-quarter finals on the head-to-head.
It was Leixlip who opened the scoring with a fine point from Rory Lavin but Sallins soon got into their stride with points from Ben Caulfield and an excellent free from Cian Grimes; Paddy Meagher leveled up matters on seven, 0-2 apiece.
The impressive Colm Dalton opened his account two minutes later before an excellent move involving Luke Killian and Conor Dalton whose shot came off the upright to Jamie Cox who fired to the net to make it Sallins 1-3 Leixlip 0-2.
Mark O'Toole reduced the deficit before Luke Killian found Alan Marshall, who did a bit of a twirl before firing over to leave it 1-4 to 0-3.
Jack Barrett converted a Leixlip free before two excellent points from Colm Dalton made it 1-6 to 0-4, 20 minutes on the clock.
Leixlip enjoyed their best period of the half, Ronan Fitzsimons hit a point before three on the trot from Luke Mahon, Conor Lawlor and Mark O'Toole cut it back to a single point.
Mark O'Toole (Leixlip) picked up a black on 26 minutes and Sallins certainly made the extra man count, hitting three points from Jamie Cox, Cian Grimes (free) and Colm Dalton — his fourth point from play — to leave the half-time score reading Sallins 1-9 Leixlip 0-8.
Cian Grimes and Conor Dalton extended the Sallins lead; Conor Lawler, Jack Barrett and Tommy Moolick replying to leave a goal in it after 39 minutes.
A trip by Conor Dalton on Paddy Meagher saw Dalton giving a black and red plus a penalty for Leixlip which Tommy Moolick duly converted to tie it up at 1-11 apiece.
Lawlor edged Leixlip ahead before Jack Barrett, set up by Brian Claffey, found the Sallins net. Back came Sallins with a Paul Farrelly goal on 49 minutes to level it again.
Leixlip kicked on with points from Paddy Meagher and Jack Barrett.
Sallins failed to fold and leveled with points from Colm Dalton and Paul Farrelly but there was no denying Leixlip, Jack Barrett (free), Tommy Moolick point and a 45 from Barrett saw Leixlip over the line 2-17 to 2-14.
Scorers: Leixlip, Jack Barrett 1-5 (3 frees, 45), Tommy Moolick 1-2 (free, penalty), Conor Lawlor 0-3, Mark O'Toole 0-2, Paddy Meagher 0-2, Luke Mahon 0-1, Ronan Fitzsimons 0-1, Rory Flynn 0-1
Sallins, Colm Dalton 0-6, Jamie Cox 1-1, Paul Farrelly 1-1, Cian Grimes 0-4 (4 frees), Ben Caulfield 0-1, Alan Marshall 0-1.
LEIXLIP: Niall McDonnell; Ollie Birch, Liam Mahon, Sean O'Connor; Darren O'Connor, Ronan Fitzsimons, Rory Flynn; Darren McDermott, Tommy Moolick; Luke Mahon, Jack Barrett, Paddy Meagher; Conor Lawlor, Brian Claffey, Mark O'Toole. Subs: Jack Quinn for Sean O'Connor (37 minutes).
SALLINS: Ryan Herbert; Conor McElroy, Darren Keane, Aaron Carney; Luke Kelly, Ben Caulfield, Conor Dalton; Luke Killian, Emmett Ralph; Alan Marshall, Daragh Mangan, Cian Grimes; Rory Gavin, Jamie Cox, Colm Dalton. Subs: Paul Farrelly for Emmet Ralph (half time); James Dalton for Jamie Cox (39 minutes); Kevin Foley for Cian Grimes (57 minutes).
REFEREE: Ken Doyle.