Second-half scoring spree sees Ballyroan-Abbey defeat The Heath

Ballyroan-Abbey have safely navigated past the challenge of The Heath in the opening game of this year's Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship in Ratheniska this evening.

The Heath were the better side in the first-half but Ballyroan-Abbey really turned the screw in the second period and registered a seven-point victory in the end.

Ballyroan-Abbey 0-15

The Heath 1-5

It didn’t take long for the opening score of this year’s Senior Football Championship as Jimmy Nerney pointed for The Heath inside the opening minute. There was a lull of seven minutes without a score but when Ballyroan-Abbey pointed in the seventh minute, they scored four points in four minutes.

Davin McEvoy and Colm Walsh hand-passed the ball over the bar with the former getting the next scores, one coming from a free. The Heath replied with two superb scores back-to-back as PJ Daly and Paddy Fitzpatrick raised white flags. Brian Whelan made it five points to three points in favour of Ballyroan-Abbey after 18 minutes.

Daithi Carroll opened his tally for the game with a score from play before he also got the game’s first goal after a long ball in from Colm Nestor was broken down and landed in the square where Carroll was on hand to blast the ball into the roof of the net. Brian Whelan kicked the final score of the half for Ballyroan-Abbey as his side trailed by a single point, 1-4 to 0-6.

The second-half was dominated by Ballyroan-Abbey as they were first to every ball and never gave The Heath any time on the ball to pick a score. They also dominated The Heath's kick-outs too. Ballyroan-Abbey almost had a goal early into the half as Padraig McMahon's ball in found Brian Whelan but his palmed effort hit the crossbar. Two points from Diarmuid Whelan and David McEvoy was followed up with scores from Colm Walsh, who got his second of the evening and Conaire Gee.

Five points now separated the sides with The Heath having failed to register a score for almost 25 minutes. Their only white flag of the second period came courtesy of a Paddy Fitzpatrick free. MJ Tierney was sprung from the bench in the 47th minute and ended up scoring three points, two from 45's. His score from play was a well-taken score on the left-hand side which Tierney kicked over off his trusty left boot.

The win sees Martin Murphy get off to a great start as manager of Ballyroan-Abbey while for The Heath they'll be hopeful of a more complete performance next time around as a spell without a score in 25 minutes won't win many matches in the Senior Championship.