Castletown secure Laois SHC quarter-final spot following victory over Borris-Kilcotton
Castletown sealed their spot in the quarter finals of the Senior Hurling Championship after a brilliant second half display to overcome Borris-Kilcotton in O’Moore Park on Sunday afternoon.
The loss sees Borris-Kilcotton facing a relegation play off against The Harps as they can’t move up from the bottom of Group B regardless of the outcome in their Round 3 fixture against Camross, having now lost to Castletown and Abbeyleix.
CASTLETOWN 0-21
BORRIS-KILCOTTON 1-14
Castletown led from very early in the first half and kept their noses in front as the sides went score for score until PJ Scully won and scored a penalty for Borris-Kilcotton on 19 minutes. A couple of points from Scully and Jer Quinlan late in the half kept them ahead by a point at the break.
After a slow start to the second half from both sides Castletown found their stride and hit five points in a 16 minute scoreless period for Borris-Kilcotton.
Ryan Mullaney was outstanding at centre back for the victors, clearing countless balls from his own half and hitting two vital scores in each half.
Ciaran McKelvey was electric up from for Castletown both from play and on frees, finishing with nine points.
Scully put Borris-Kilcotton into an early lead with a free but it was shortlived as Jack Breen levelled with a great point before McKelvey launched over a long range free.
Breen was on the spot again to slot from the toughest of angles and Conor Doran added a good score in response to a pair of frees from Scully.
Borris-Kilcotton started to find their feet in the game as Jer Quinlan landed their first two scores from play in the 9th and 11th minute, either side of a McKelvey free.
Doran produced a magnificent catch on the 45 before turning and striking over the bar for Castletown before Mullaney matched him with a fabulous point and Scully and McKelvey traded frees.
Scully put a point between the teams with a free before being fouled in the square and awarded a penalty, which he himself drove straight into the bottom left corner of the net to take the lead.
McKelvey pointed a free in response but Borris-Kilcotton were awake and they hit two from Jer Quinlan and Stephen Dunphy.
Scully added another to his total but Castletown finished the half on the upslope as McKelvey slotted two frees and added one from play at the death after Brendan Reddin did brilliantly to save the ball going out over the endline and pass it back inside. They trailed 1-10 to 0-12 at the break.
The second half began with a monster point from midfield by Dylan Conroy to level things up but Stephen Dunphy fired his side back ahead minutes later.
That would be the last Borris-Kilcotton score for 16 minutes and Castletown took advantage by raising five white flags in a row.
McKelvey won a free and slotted it himself before Tadgh Cuddy finished wonderfully in a quick move to put his side in front.
Martin Phelan doubled the lead to two within seconds of his introduction and Castletown were rolling as McKelvey popped over another free followed by a huge score by John Gaughan on his own 65.
Scully pointed a free for Borris-Kilcotton after they saw numerous shots drill wide.
As the game began to get scrappy towards the end Ryan Mullaney burst out from the 45 with the ball in hand and launched it between the posts with five minutes left to put Castletown four ahead again and McKevey added a free to make it five.
Borris-Kilcotton went goal chasing and a point from Emmet Jones reduced the gap to four once again but Brendan Reddin gave Castletown a bit of breathing room with an excellent point in response.
PJ Scully and Borris-Kilcotton couldn’t find the all elusive goal they needed and he had to settle for a pointed free late in the game before the final whistle shrieked.
Next up for Borris-Kilcotton is the unenviable task of facing Camross, although they already know their fate of a relegation play off against The Harps, whilst Castletown will take on Abbeyleix to determine who finishes second in Group B.