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Mike O’Halloran was in Austin Stack Park on Saturday night for a Kerry Senior Hurling Championship Round 1 double header…
Ballyheigue 0-13
Lixnaw 3-25
Action from the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw game. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
An easy win for the county champions over Ballyheigue, in round one of the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship last night.
Ballyheigue battled to the end, but Lixnaw were better than them all and were finding it easier to come by scores. Ballyheigue were reduced to 14 in the first half for a challenge that resulted in a very harsh red card.
Michael Leane opened the scoring for Ballyheigue, Lixnaw were ahead by two on eight minutes with points from Shane McElligott, Raymond Galvin and Ricky Heffernan, Lixnaw were never behind from then to the end.
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Lixnaw at halftime led on a scoreline of 2-11 to 0-6.
Action from the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw game. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
Ballyheigue did have a small goal chance on 25 minutes when they hit the post. Nine minutes into the second half, Daragh Shanahan prevented another Ballyheigue goal chance with a brilliant block on Jason Casey’s shot with the score at 0-06 to 2-14.
Lixnaw played well within themselves and cruised to the end adding another goal from Shane Conway.
Action from the Ballyheigue v Lixnaw game. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
An easy opener for the county champions, but credit Ballyheigue who have had a difficult time preparing for the game and had a few injuries and a suspension from last season to contend with.
The Ballyheigue team. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
The Lixnaw team. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
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Abbeydorney 1-19
St Brendans 1-21 (AET)
St Brendans came back from the brink to snatch victory from Abbeydorney after the game ended in a draw in ordinary time seventeen points all.
Abbeydorney raced into a six point lead with points from PJ Keane 2, Steve O’Sullivan and James O’Connor one each with Michael O’Leary adding two.
It was seventeen minutes before Kevin Hannafin pointed for St Brendans John Egan added another one, Steve O’Sullivan and James O’Connor had a point each.
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Tim Hannafin had St Brendans third point and they were showing signs of improvement, David Griffin had a goal chance out for a 65, Tim Hannafin pointed one.
Keith O’Connor, Brian O’Leary, Michael O’Leary and Steve O’Sullivan had a point each before halftime to leave the score Abbeydorney 0-12 St Brendans 0-04.
Action from the Abbeydorney v St Brendan’s game. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
John Egan had the first score of the second half but Keith O’Connor replied, Nathan O’Driscoll sent a goal chance screaming over the bar a minute later he repeated the dose.
PJ Keane added another for O’Dorney, Adam Maunsell squandered a goal chance and Tim Hannafin and David Griffin reduced the margin to five with a point each.
PJ Keane put it out to six, but the next four points came from St Brendans from the sticks of Tim Hannafin, Kevin Hannafin, Brendain O’Connor and Darren Dineen.
Action from the Abbeydorney v St Brendan’s game. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
PJ Keane and Michael Slattery added one each, 17 to 14 now with 26 minutes gone in the second half.
Tim Hannafin pointed a free before super sub Seamus O’Halloran drove over two in a row to level the game, 0-17 each at full time.
So to extra time and O’Halloran drove over another, but PJ Keane pulled on a ball that came off the post to bulge the net with Abbeydorney leading now 1-17 to 0-18 at halftime in extra time.
Action from the Abbeydorney v St Brendan’s game. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
St Brendans John Egan was the man of the extra time period. He opened the scoring but PJ Keane replied for Abbeydorney. In between Darren Delaney pulled off a great save from from Michael Slattery.
Abbeydorney had two for wides from PJ and Mike Hannafin, before PJ pointed a free to put O’Dorney ahead by one 1-19 to 0-21.
With 12 minutes and 46 seconds on the clock, the ball stuck to Egan’s hand, he took a step or two and blasted St Brendans into the next round with a splendid goal. Final score St Brendans 1-21 Abbeydorney 1-19.
The Abbeydorney team. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
The St Brendan’s team. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
