Aughrim vs Blessington Junior A Championship

 

Aughrim 2-9

Blessington 1-15

An Tóchar Gaa Club

Eoin Horkan

 

Aughrim couldn’t get there second win in two weeks in the Junior A championship against Blessington on Saturday evening.

Both defences came out on top in what was a cagy opening couple of attacks from both sides. With scores from play at a premium, frees were the only way either side could get on the board. Sean Price opened Blessington tally with a dead ball before Conor Phelan responded with two dead balls for Aughrim. The ref then awarded a penalty to Aughrim, it was duly dispatched into the net by wing back Dan O’ Hare. Blessington responded with two points from play through Jordan Nolan and wing back Ethan Cotter to narrow the gap before the first water break.

After the break Blessington went on a scoring spree up until half time notching five points in a row. The scores coming from Jordan Nolan, full back Ciaran Mescall Price with another dead ball before Ruairi Finan fired over a great team play. Centre back Aaron Curran made his way up the field to slot over another point. Aughrim solitary response was another free from Phelan just before the half time whistle.

Both sides traded scores after the break. Adam Keegan opened Aughrim account from play, before Cotter added his second score. Conor Lambert kept up Aughrim scoring from play with another white flag, Michael O’ Toole added two dead balls in response.  With the forwards from both sides starting to get on top of their opponents Keegan added another point with Fisher doing the same for Blessington. With the game heading towards the 2^nd water break Aughrim piled forward, the ball landed in the hands of Dean Newsome who fired high into the roof of the net.

Directly after the final break Michael O’ Toole managed to evade his marker and bury the ball low into the corner of the Aughrim net. Sub Bryan Carroll extended the lead for Blessington.  With the game heading towards the final whistle Conor Lambert added three more points for Aughrim with O Toole replying every time for Blessington whether from dead balls or play.

These responses endure that Blessington would come out on top in this classic championship encounter.

 Aughrim: Cillian Donegan; Dean Newsome (1-0), Alan Cotton, Jason Doyle; Dan O’ Hare (1-0 pen), Ian Clancy, Robert Lambert; Eoin Forsyth, Pierce Lawlor; Adam Rochford, Conor Lambert (0-4), Shane McGuckian; Adam Keegan (0-2), Conor Phelan (0-3 fs), Michael Brennan

Sub: Paul Lacey for S McGuickian,

 

Blessington: Stephen Kitt; Luke O’ Brien, Ciaran Mescall, (0-1), Eoin Howlin; Barry Murphy, Aaron Curran (0-1), Ethan Cotter (0-2); James Kearns, Gavin Murray; Ruairi Finan (0-1), Thomas Fisher (0-1), Sean Mescall; Sean Pierce (0-2 fs), Jordan Nolan (0-2), Michael O’ Toole (1-4 3f)

Sub; Cillian Bailey for S Price, Bryan Carroll (0-1) for S Mescall

 

Referee: Ian Culbert (Rathnew)