Kerry SHC: Boyles deliver as Ballyduff outlast resilient Lixnaw

Ultimately, it was the experience of Podge Boyle, Paud Costelloe and late substitute Mikey Boyle, along with young guns Evan Boyle and Luke Rochford that saw the Ballyduff get over the line.

Sat, 13 Jul, 2024 - 17:40

Murt Murphy

Kerry SHC quarter-final: Ballyduff 3-15 Lixnaw 1-16

Ballyduff will join Abbeydorney in the last four of the Garveys Supervalu Kerry SHC after defeating Lixnaw.

Ultimately, it was the experience of Podge Boyle, Paud Costelloe and late substitute Mikey Boyle, along with young guns Evan Boyle and Luke Rochford that saw the Ballyduff get over the line.

Full marks must go to Lixnaw, who welcomed Shane Conway and Conor O’Keeffe back, but the positioning of the latter at full forward was a surprise. It led to a great duel between O'Keeffe and Ballyduff fullback Costelloe.

Ballyduff made an explosive start in the opening ten minutes as they went 2-2 to 0-0 clear, thanks to goals from Podge Boyle and his nephew Evan.

Lixnaw look all at sea but eventually settled when their talisman Shane Conway converted a free.

Darragh Slattery responded from long range for Ballyduff in the 14th minute but they didn’t score again for the next twelve minutes.

Lixnaw - with Darragh Shanahan, Ricky Heffernan, Darragh McElligott and Shane Conway driving them forward - took over and added four unanswered points from Ricky Heffernan and Colin Sheehy grabbing a brace each before Podge Boyle fired over a superb effort from play in the 26th minute.

But a minute later, a long Jeremy McKenna effort for a point was not dealt with by the Ballyduff 'keeper and Conor O’Keeffe stroked the ball to the net.

Lixnaw now had the bit between the teeth and points from Darragh Conway, Shane McElligott and Jack Brosnan saw them hit the front in added time.

Ballyduff's Luke Rochford had the final say of the half, however, when he levelled proceedings 2-5 to 1-8 at the break.

Ballyduff made their move in the third quarter, outscoring Lixnaw 1-4 to 0-2, with Dylan Moriarty getting the crucial goal after Podge Boyle caught a great ball.

After a fumble, the ball fell into the patch of Moriarty who scooped to the net.

This saw Ballyduff move 3-9 to 1-9 clear at the end of the third quarter but Lixnaw rallied and Shane Conway scored the next four points and suddenly it was a two-point game (3-10 to 1-14).

Podge Boyle restored the three-point lead as Ricky Heffernan was almost through for a goal a minute later.

Ballyduff then introduced a half-fit Mikey Boyle and with brother Podge converting two frees and Mikey scoring one over his head, Ballyduff held on despite late Conway and Heffernan points.

Scorers for Ballyduff: P Boyle (1-7, 3fs), D Moriarty (1-1), E Boyle (1-0), J O’Sullivan and L Rochford (0-2 each), D Slattery, D O’Carroll and M Boyle (0-1 each)

Scorers for Lixnaw: S Conway (0-7, 6fs), C O’Keeffe (1-0), R Heffernan (0-3,2fs), C Sheehy (0-2), D Conway, J Brosnan, E Stack, and S McElligott (0-1 each)

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

Subs: J P O’Carroll for D Slattery (inj 30), J Enright for Mangan (55), M Boyle for E Boyle (58), J Bowler for Moriarty (63).

LIXNAW: M Stackpoole; C O’Sullivan, D Shanahan, D McElligott; A Shanahan, G Stackpoole, J McKenna; R Heffernan 0-3, S Conway; D Conway, J Brosnan, E Stack; C Sheehy, C O’Keeffe, S McElligott.

Subs: R Galvin for S McElligott, inj (41), J Galvin for Brosnan (52).

Referee: K Jordan (Tipperary).