On Friday night last, Graigue Ballycallan intermediate team travelled to Tullaroan hoping to improve on their draw against St. Lachtain’s in the previous match. This time Emeralds provided the opposition.
In the third minute, Willie O’Connor burst through the Emerald’s defence for a fine individual goal. Points followed in quick succession from Gearoid Cleere, Billy Ryan and Niall Millea, leaving the score GBC 1-4, Emeralds 0-4 after ten minutes. GBC were well ahead in the possession stakes with Jimmy Murphy, Dermot Ryall and Darragh Walton clearing their lines impressively.
Eddie Brennan scored the point of the game from the sideline, before Billy Ryan banged over his second from the 21′. Emeralds were keeping in touch only from frees, while GBC were flying at this point. Eddie added two points, Billy got another and Niall Millea was steady on the frees to leave the half time score GBC 1-14, Emeralds 0-9.
In the second half, the sides traded points from frees until Willie O’Connor worked very hard for a point from play on twelve minutes; GBC 1-17, Emeralds 0-15. The GBC backs were under sustained pressure and fouls were duly punished. With only minutes left on the clock the scoreboard read GBC 1-20, Emeralds 0-21 and that had danger written all over it.
A good low ball was delivered into the Emeralds forwards and ‘Taggy’ Fogarty latched onto it to coax it to the back of the net, in the last minute of the match. A cruel blow for GBC, but in fairness Emeralds owned the second half and managed to claw back an eight point half-time lead.
Full-time score GBC 1-20, Emeralds 1-21.
GBC: PJ Trant, E Corcoran, J Murphy, J Cleere, D Walton, D Ryall, S Butler, J Ryall, A Bourke, E Brennan (0-3), N Millea (0-9), G Teehan (0-2), W O’ Connor (1-1), G Cleere (0-2), B Ryan (0-3).
Subs: J Smith, P Kennedy, C Murphy.