Boyle and Ballyduff stage remarkable late fightback to edge out Causeway

True to form, Ballyduff talisman Podge Boyle delivered in spades when needed most.

Pádraig Boyle of Ballyduff. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry SHC quarter-final: Ballyduff 0-22 Causeway 1-17 

Last year's beaten finalists, Ballyduff, looked to be making an early exit when they trailed by four on the fifty-minute mark at Austin Stack Park, just before the downpour came.

Causeway used the wind to telling effect and with Keith Carmody keeping them in front, Ballyduff carried little threat up front without their talisman Podge Boyle, who was unable to start due to a calf injury.

A desperate situation required desperate action, and Podge limped onto the pitch to try and perform a rescue act.

True to form, Podge delivered in spades as he caused the Causeway defence to change their match-ups, and he fired over a point before he was fouled and Dylan Moriarty closed the gap to a point from the resultant free.

Momentum changed as Ballyduff's Kyle O’Connor Evan Boyle and PJ O’Carroll hoovered up every Causeway attack.

Young Kerry senior Adam Segal leveled the contest at 0-19 to 1-16 in the 56th minute after an Evan Boyle assist.

Another Kerry senior defender, O’Connor, fired Ballyduff in front for the first time since the 18th minute.

Ballyduff were now rampant as Jack Enright and Dylan Moriarty pushed the Duffers closer to the semis and, though Keith Carmody converted two late Causeway 65s, Ballyduff snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with Podge Boyle's introduction the key momentum changer.

Ballyduff wasted far too many scoring chances in the opening half with the wind but raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the end of the opening quarter, thanks to points Kyle O’Connor, Dylan Moriarty (2), Killian Boyle and Evan Boyle.

Keith Carmody and Gavin Dooley replied for Causeway.

But another Carmody point and a goal from Dylan Legg after a goalkeeping error saw them go in front.

Ballyduff continued to hit wides (11 in total for the half) and Causeway, thanks to scores from Dooley, Billy Lyons and Colum Harty, edged in front, and a misfiring Ballyduff side trailed 1-9 to 0-10 at half time.

Causeway fired over five points in the third quarter with Carmody not in the mood to miss from placed balls and they looked to be heading for the semis.

Ballyduff and Podge Boyle had other ideas.

Scorers for Ballyduff: D Moriarty (0-8, 7fs), K O’Connor and K Boyle (0-3 each), E Boyle and J Enright (0-2 each), A Segal, D O’Carroll, L Rochford and P Boyle (0-1 each).

Scorers for Causeway: K Carmody (0-10, 5 65’s, 4fs), B Barrett (1-0), G Dooley (0-3), C Harty and B Lyons (0-2 each), B Barrett (0-1),

CAUSEWAY: S Murphy; G Carey, A Fealy, K Leahy; D O’Mahoney, J Diggins, J Leahy; K Carmody, B Barrett; A White, D Legg, B Lyons: C Harty, G Mahoney, G Dooley.

Subs: M Lynch for M Murphy (40), M Murphy for D O’Mahoney (60).

BALLYDUFF: D Quinlan; J P O’Carroll, P Costello, K O’Connorl; D O’Carroll, D Slattery, E Boyle; A Segal, J Segal; A Kavanagh, J Enright, D Moriarty; A O’Connor, L Rochford, K Boyle.

Subs: K O’Carroll for L Rochford (49), N Mangan for P Costello (49), P Boyle for K Boyle (52).

Referee: J O’Halloran (Limerick).