Goulding brothers inspire Ballyduff to hard-earned win over Causeway

It was an ill-tempered local derby in Tralee.

ON THE MARK: County star Jack Goulding led the way for Ballyduff.  Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry SHC Group A – RD 2: Ballyduff 2-17 Causeway 1-17 

Ballyduff made it two wins from two in the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship, prevailing by three points in their ill-tempered local derby with Causeway in Tralee. Jack Goulding struck 1-7 for Ballyduff, who were missing both Mikey and Podge Boyle.

A quarter-final spot now secured for Ballyduff, both sides finished with 14 men as Kieran Leahy got sent off early in the opening half and Kyle O’Connor was shown a second yellow late in the second. Causeway will take a lot from this ahead of their final tie next Friday.

Despite Causeway having the wind advantage and racing into an early two-point lead, Ballyduff found their feet to lead 1-2 to 0-3 after a four-minute blitz. Neal Mangan fired a long ball in which Jack Goulding latched onto having evaded the Causeway cover, shortly before rifling a shot into the top right corner.

Another Goulding effort coming from a free and a Jack Sullivan effort had Ballyduff with a four point buffer by the 11th minute. Soon the red mist would descend in this heated rivalry, referee Ciaran O’Regan had a chat with his linesman Shane Scanlon and brandished a red card to Causeway’s Kieran Leahy for an off the ball incident.

With the numerical disadvantage Causeway did grab the next two scores to half the deficit, past the midway point just that goal separated the two. The Duffers would utilise that man advantage to build a cushion late in the half, Luke Rochford and Sullivan added points before Jack Goulding fired a ball crossfield to Rochford which landed in the top corner of the Ballyduff net.

That red card certainly altered the dynamic of the opening half, Ballyduff would take a 2-9 to 0-9 lead to the break, Brandon Barrett slotted two frees to cut the deficit to six at the interval. Ballyduff continued to be a lot brighter early in the second half, with ten minutes elapsed Barrett struck a close range free that needed Quinlan and Kyle O’Connor to save on the line to deny Causeway a three pointer.

By quarters end the scoreboard read 2-13 to 0-13, Causeway were producing a noble showing down to 14 men and just as the clock ticked into the final ten minutes they had their goal. Colum Harty fired long to Keith Carmody and with a flicked hand pass Billy Lyons gathered and took aim to ripple the Ballyduff net.

Barrett (free) and a point from Carmody soon made it a one point game and the tension was palpable in Austin Stack Park. Ballyduff would hold their nerve in those final minutes, Kevin Goulding and brother Jack firing them to their second win in the end.

Scorers for Ballyduff: J Goulding 1-7, (6fs), L Rochford 1-1, K Goulding, J Sullivan 0-3 each, E Boyle, D Moriarty, D Carroll 0-1 each 

Scorers for Causeway: B Barrett 0-10 (8fs, 1 ‘65), B Lyons 1-0, D Goggin 0-3, C Harty 0-2, K Carmody, E Murphy (f) 0-1 each 

BALLYDUFF: D Quinlan; N Mangan, A Kavanagh, K O’Connor; D Slattery, JP O’Carroll, D Carroll; A Segal, J Sullivan; L Rochford, J Goulding, A O’Connor; K Goulding, E Boyle, D Moriarty.

Subs: J Enright for Slattery (49), T Slattery for N Mangan and K Boyle for L Rochford (Both 53), D Goulding for A O’Connor (60), J Bowler for J Sullivan (60+2) 

CAUSEWAY: S Murphy; K Leahy, S Sheehan, T Barrett, E Murphy, B Lyons, T Casey; G Carey, B Barrett; J Diggins, C Harty, D Mahony; P McGrath, D Goggin, K Carmody.

Subs: G Leen for D Mahony (h/t), A Whyte for B Lyons (60+1) 

Referee: C O’Regan (Cork)