Report by Martin Delahunty
Graigue Ballycallan 1-13 Lisdowney 0-10
Graigue Ballycallan U16s travelled north on Bank holiday Monday evening to play Lisdowney in Round 4 of their league campaign. The players knew what was in store as they had competed in some classic encounters in years gone by and were well prepared for the challenge ahead. Quick to start we created some impressive plays and opened up a five point advantage with 15 mins played, thanks to tidy shooting from Scott Lawlor, Jack Butler and Oisín Egan.
Lisdowney got to grips for a spell late in the first half and the backs were doing their job keeping the Lisdowney centre forward at bay. Half time arrived and the lads had an 8 point cushion with the scores at 1- 8 to 3 points thanks to an unstoppable strike from Finn Lanigan to get the game’s first 3 pointer.
Lisdowney got to grips for a spell late in the first half and the backs were doing their job keeping the Lisdowney centre forward at bay. Half time arrived and the lads had an 8 point cushion with the scores at 1- 8 to 3 points thanks to an unstoppable strike from Finn Lanigan to get the game’s first 3 pointer.
The break suited the Lisdowney lads and they emerged in the second half to put 4 quick points on the board, mostly from frees. The lads needed to settle and get a hold in the centre of the park, thankfully Paddy Brennan and Eamon Corcoran were up to the task. 3 unanswered points from Eamon, Scotty and Oisín quickly restored their lead to 7 and they kept up the workrate to the final whistle holding out for another league victory on a score line of 1-13 to 10 points. A classic encounter it certainly was not but these lads could not be faulted for effort and the pure desire to win. They sit pretty as table leaders but with 2 games against serious outfits in Danesfort and Mullinavat they absolutely know that they will have to play a lot better to get anything from the last two league games. Impressive on the night were Simon O’Dwyer, (Capt) Eamon Corcoran, Stephen Keoghan, Scotty Lawlor and John Muldowney.
Panel on night: Jack Walton, JJ Ryan, Stephen Keoghan, Dan Cahill, Simon O’Dwyer, Eoin Delahunty, Jason O’Brien, Paddy Brennan, Eamon Corcoran, Scott Lawlor, Oisín Egan, Tom Brennan, John Muldowney, Finn Lanigan, Jack Butler, Euan McLoughlin, Sam Jackson, Bill Jackson, Craig Lawlor, Mark Brennan.