U-16s no match for Kiltimagh

County U-16 League
Division 2
Kiltimagh 2-12
Ballinrobe 1-7

Billy Horan

A BALLINROBE resurgence after the resumption of the action didn’t deter Kiltimagh from gaining the points when the sides met last Tuesday evening.
Kiltimagh, facing a stiff breeze, were clearly the better team in the first half and deservedly led, 0-8 to 0-4 at the interval. The locals were actually a point clear in the opening minutes, thanks to a brace of points kicked by Stephen Burke, but Kiltimagh gradually gained the upper hand outfield.
TJ Byrne balanced matters from a free, and points followed from Cillian Finn and Shane Byrne.
Ballinrobe’s wing-forward Joseph Burke was unlucky when his shot rebounded off the upright, though Stephen Burke was on target from a free after 20 minutes.
Shane Byrne and TJ Byrne added two more points to the Kiltimagh tally in the dying minutes of the half, while Joseph Burke, placed by Edward Sweeney, countered with a point for the home side.
Only superb goalkeeping by Sean Shaughnessy prevented Shane Byrne and Shane Ruane from registering Kiltimagh goals in the opening minutes of the second half.
Connell Mooney kicked a point in the 34th minute, but the locals, despite having to cope with the wind disadvantage, were much more forecful in the ensuing exchanges.
After 40 minutes, a surging run by Joseph Burke had a fruitful ending in the shape of a Stephen Burke goal, and Darren McDonnell’s point two minutes later reduced the opposition’s lead to a solitary point, 0-9 to 1-5. TJ Byrne’s pointed free in the 49th minute, checked the Ballinrobe momentum and further points from Shane Ruane and Byrne helped Kiltimagh regain control.
Ballinrobe’s prospects were dampened further when Shane Byrne cleverly angled the ball into the left corner of the net after 57 minutes, while Sean Shaughnessy’s bid for a Ballinrobe goal, a minute later, was denied by Kevin Mulderrig.
Stephen Burke pointed two Ballinrobe frees in injury time before the elusive Shane Byrne struck for a second Kiltimagh goal.
Stephen Burke, who resgistered 1-5, Patrick Daly, Jonathan Lawrence, Ronan O’Reilly, Matthew Burke and Sean Shaughnessy were prominent for Ballinrobe.

Ballinrobe
Sean Shaughnessy; Damien Joyce, Philip McGreal; Matthew Burke; Ronan O’Reilly, Darren McDonnell (0-1); James Murphy, Patrick Daly; Joseph Burke (0-1), Mark Biggins, Edward Sweeney; Jonathan Lawrence, Stephen Burke (1-5, 5fs).