Kehoe and Jordan shine
GAELIC FOOTBALL INTERMEDIATE 'B' CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINAL
Marshalstown- Castledockrell 1-13, Shamrocks 0-8: Marshalstown-Castledockrell's deadly duo of Michael Kehoe and Micheál Jordan were the shining lights in this victory over Shamrocks in an otherwise dour Jack O'Leary Intermediate football 'B' championship quarter-final at Killurin on Saturday last.
With the losers facing the possibility of relegation, the victors were clearly the team more interested in retaining their place at this level as their effort and energy comfortably exceeded that of their opponents. It was only sloppy finishing that kept the game close as the side from north of Enniscorthy saw a multitude of opportunities go awry.
The Enniscorthy town club kept in touch in the first-half, predominantly due to the efforts of midfielder Colin Sheehan. Playing with a real hunger for the cause, Sheehan's drive produced almost all that was good for his side, whether that be picking up points or producing them for his team-mates.
The first-half did, however, belong to Kehoe, including a 14-minute spell in the middle when he slotted his six points and had a penalty brilliantly pushed around the post by Shamrocks 'keeper John Thorpe. It was enough to open up a two-point lead at the interval (08 to 0-6) after a couple of late Shamrocks overs kept the contest alive.
Marshalstown-Castledockrell increased the pressure in the second period as the goal that would seal their victory continued to elude them. Jordan began to shine as his pace cut Shamrocks open down the middle and produced a multitude of goal chances for the wasteful John Kinsella.
Shamrocks scored their final point 15 minutes into the half which left them three points down, yet when Jordan and Kehoe combined for the game's only goal just a few minutes later, the latter finding the net with a composed finish over Thorpe, the writing was on the wall.
All the forwards began to get in on the act of scoring as the Shamrocks defence began to tire. That tiredness got the better of Colin Ruth as a barrage of vitriol towards referee John Rossiter saw him receive his marching orders as his team succumbed to an eight-point defeat.
Marshalstown-Castledockrell: Eoin Bennett; Tom Bennett, Declan Byrne, Michael Hughes; James Nolan, Michael Kinsella, John Ormonde; Pat Kinsella, Michael Morris; James Byrne (0-2 frees), Micheál Jordan (0-2), Frank Kelly; Michael Kehoe (1-6, 0-2 frees), John Kinsella (0-2), Shane Jordan (0-1). Subs. - Joe Kelly for T. Bennett, John Cullen for J. Kinsella, James Finn for F. Kelly, Jack Bolger for Nolan.
Shamrocks: John Thorpe; Dwayne Kelly, Colin Ruth, Alan Freeman; Maurice Casey (0-1), Adrian Maher, Glen Fortune; Colin Sheehan (0-3, 2 frees), Daithí Whelan; Mick Dobbs, Anthony Wallace, James Carthy (0-1); John Dobbs (0-1 free), David Carney (0-1), Eamonn O'Brien (0-1).
Referee: John Mary's, Rosslare).
Rossiter
( St.
- Dean GOODISON
