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Laois Senior Football Championship

Round 2

Friday 10th August 2007

Ballylinan 4-10 Timahoe 1-10

LAOIS are looking for big tough attackers who can score and one to fit that description popped up at Crettyard on Friday evening when rangy corner forward Liam Kealy notched 3-2 as his side crushed Timahoe to book a quarter-final place. While Kealy was the scoring hero of the day it is doubtful if the county selectors will be looking for his phone number just yet as the Timahoe defence will have nightmares about all three goals they gifted the Ballylinan number 13. To cap a great evening for the Kealy family his brother DJ added the fourth and final goal as Timahoe crumbled under the onslaught from a resurgent Ballylinan side (the Kealys are brothers of former county midfielder John who has been domiciled in Australia for a number of years).
Liam may have been handed the scoring opportunities but there is no doubt he was in the right place at the right time and finished all three to the net with conviction and his two points were classic efforts from outfield.
Amazingly while Timahoe had three current county midfielders in their team none of them played in the middle of the field at Crettyard. Brendan Quigley was placed at centre-half back, Padraig Clancy at centre-half forward while Sean Ramsbottom was right-half forward. If it was a case of spreading the talent throughout the field then it didn’t work and David Brennan and DJ Kealy must have been delighted with the freedom they enjoyed in the middle of the field in their absence.
Brennan had a fine game and the former county underage panellist gave a polished display of fielding while his work rate and distribution was first class. Certainly he was a player worth taking a second look after this stylish performance.

The sides were evenly matched for most of the opening half and if anything Timahoe looked the better side in the opening exchanges. While Kieran Kelly opened the scoring with a brace of points Timahoe were back on level terms by the tenth minute with a massive long-range punt from Padraig Clancy and a Willie Lalor free. After Kieran Kelly was fouled and pointed the resultant free the first disaster struck for Timahoe when a high ball that looked like it was going wide was blocked down by goalie Robert Miller and Liam Kealy pounced and punched the ball to an empty net after 16 minutes. Padraig Clancy landed a 45 to narrow the gap and then set up Sean Ramsbottom for an excellent score.
There followed a long scoreless period but there was plenty of activity. After a brief dust up two Timahoe players Clancy and Mike Delaney were flashed yellow cards, Patsy Brandon made a brilliant save from Eoin Culleton while at the other end Liam Kealy was in for another goal but his blistering shot from the side skinned the crossbar and was cleared.
David Brennan landed a fine point and Paudge Leonard added another to give Ballylinan a four-point lead. Deep into injury time a high ball in from DJ Kealy was fumbled to the ground by Kieran Kelly but Liam Kealy was in like a shot to boot the ball to the net for a 2-5 to 0-4 half-time lead.

Kealy extended his side’s lead on the restart with a super point but Willie Lalor kept Timahoe in touch until a minutes later a slick passing move up the left wing ended with a fine cross to the unmarked DJ Kealy and from in front of the posts he crashed the ball to the corner of the net.

Kieran Kelly was causing the Timahoe defence all sorts of problems as he won excellent ball and continually took them on and he extended his side’s lead before a Padraig Clancy pile driver for goal from a 14-metre free was deflected over the bar.
Colm McEvoy brought out the very best again in Ballylinan keeper Patsy Brandon as Clancy hit three points on the trot from placed balls. Timahoe now needed goals to keep their season alive but with seven minutes remaining Liam Kealy pounced for his third and his side’s fourth goal when he raced inside the defence and booted the ball low and hard past a hapless Robert Miller. He added a point minutes later and a superb effort from Kieran Kelly out near the sideline gave Ballylinan a four-goal lead.
Timahoe did find the net through Eoin Culleton but it was too little too late as Ballylinan followed up their first round victory over Emo to book a quarter-final spot while Timahoe will have to go back to the drawing board and see how best they can utilise the talent that they have next season.

SCORERS Ballylinan: Liam Kealy 3-2, Kieran Kelly 0-6 (3f), DJ Kealy 1-0, David Brennan, Paudge Leonard 0-1 each. Timahoe: Padraig Clancy 0-5 (4f), Eoin Culleton 1-0, Mick Doyle 0-2, Willie Lalor 0-2 (2f), Colm McEvoy, Sean Ramsbottom 0-1 each.

BALLYLINAN: Patsy Brandon; Padraig Kaye, Dermot Leonard, Keelan Melaniff; Gary Walsh, Richie Ryan, Cathal Leonard; David Brennan, DJ Kealy; Paudge Leonard, Aidan Walsh, Brian McEvoy; Liam Kealy, Kieran Kelly, Conor Harrington. Subs: PJ Leonard for D Leonard (13mins, inj), Ciaran Farrell for P Leonard (40mins), Paul Julian for Ryan (58mins).

TIMAHOE: Robert Miller; Willie Mangan, Martin Bergin, Joe Conlon; John Lowry, Brendan Quigley, Mick Doyle; Colm McEvoy, Roghan Headen; Sean Ramsbottom, Padraig Clancy, Willie Lalor; Mike Delaney, Eoin Culleton, Padraig Kelly. Subs: Benny O’Connell for Kelly (29mins), PJ Kelly for Headen (45mins), Brian Mangan for PJ Kelly (56mins, inj), Joe O’Connor for Mangan (56mins), Michael Ramsbottom for Lalor (59mins).

REF: Eddie Whelan (Killeshin)

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