Fethard thriller ends in a draw

Ballingarry 1-19 Killenaule 1-19

This was a hectic, pulsating contest, Killenaule dominating the early exchanges with right half-forward Joe Ceaser pointing three frees and their captain Tony Doyle grabbing an early goal to leave Ballingarry trailing 1-5 to 0-4 after 15 minutes.

Top scorer Liam Cahill, who had landed three points for Ballingarry, drilled home a penalty goal in the 25th minute to tie the game and a late surge by Killenaule saw Declan Fanning, Ceaser and Kieran Bergin give them a 1-8 to 1-6 interval lead.

Killenaule looked to be on their winning way when they led 1-16 to 1-11 on 46 minutes but Ballingarry, with points from Cahill (3), Donal Shelley and Philip Ivors, tied the game on 1-17 apiece with two minutes to go.

A late, late exchange of points between Killenaule’s top scorer Ceaser and Kenneth Browne and Ballingarry’s Cahill and Trevor Ivors then left the game deadlocked when referee Johnny Ryan from Boherlahan ended the game.

Scorers: Ballingarry: L Cahill 1-13 (0-2 from play), D Shelley 0-2, A Cleere, Philip Ivors, Paddy Ivors, T Ivors 0-1 each. Killenaule: J Ceaser 0-9 (0-8 frees), T Doyle 1-1, K Bergin 0-4, D Fanning 0-2, M Farrell, R Maher, K Browne 0-1 each.

BALLINGARRY: S. Ivors; M. Ivors, D. Norton, B. Cooney; G. Ivors, W. Maher, E. Cahill; P. Ivors, D. Shelley; T. Ivors, L. Croke, L. Cahill; J. Holohan, D. Lyons, A. Cleere. Subs: P. ‘Blondie’ Ivors for Croke, K. O’Donnell for Cooney.

KILLENAULE: G. Kennedy; K. Cleary, J. O’Dwyer, I. Murphy; K. Kennedy, D. Gleeson, P. Kennedy; R. Maher, J. Grace; J. Ceaser, D. Fanning, T. Doyle; M. Farrell, K. Bergin, J. Gleeson. Subs: K. Browne for J. Gleeson, V. Hannigan for K. Kennedy.

Referee: J. Ryan (Boherlahan).