2024 Carlow JFC Round 2 recap & Round 3 permutations
By Kevin Regan
The Talbot Hotel Junior A Football Championship has thrown up some highly entertaining contests after 2 rounds and everything is far from sewn up ahead of this weekends last round of group contests.
However, Kilbride know that they are safely into the semi finals courtesy of their 1-7 to 1-4 win over Asca.
In a match that could have gone either way, Asca fell short after a gallant effort in the second half.
Both sides missed penalties in the first half, and the second half was a tough physical contest with last years JFC ‘B’ champions fighting to the end.
Asca’s game with O’Hanrahans this weekend will decide second place. A draw would be good enough for Asca, but this all town encounter will be really intriguing with the Blues coming in off the back of a high scoring win by 4-7 to 1-7 over Palatine at the weekend.
The O’Hanrahan’s goals came from Danny Thompson, Dan Core and a brace from Joe Doran.
Asca team v Kilbride: Willie Long, Andre Carvalho, Stephen Fennell, Brian Hosey, Evan McAteer, Danny Quigley, Andrew Vint, John Phiri(0-1), Bryan Jackson, James Ingram, john Dwyer(0-1) Jack Phelan(1-0), Ben Doorley, Conor Byrne(0-01), Mark O’Brien, Aaron Bowden for Brian Hosey, Conor O’Brien for Bryan Jackson, Leo Hurley for Conor Byrne, Dylan Reams for John Dwyer(injury)
Palatine’s clash with Kilbride this weekend is a dead rubber with both knowing their fate. The latter in a far more promising position than the former in this instance.
GROUP 1 Round 3 Fixtures
O’Hanrahans v Asca 6pm Saturday 7th Sept
Palatine v Kilbride 12pm Sunday 8th Sept
Group 2 is far from straight forward.
Despite racking up a 5-10 to 3-9 win over Tinryland in what was their second victory in a row, Leighlinbridge are still not guaranteed top spot.
On Sunday evening the crowds flocked to Ballon GFC for the local derby on as the hosts took on the Fighting Cocks in round 2. It was game that had a slow start for both teams but it was Ballon who dominated the majority of possession.
As a free dropped short, a goal from DJ Sinnott late in the first half for the visiting side brought them back into the game at half time. As the half time whistle blew Ballon were leading 1-7 to 1-3.
It was the Cocks who seemed to have the second half fire for the first few minutes where their only second half score came from.
They were unlucky with a number of wides for the rest of the half. However, it was still Ballon who dominated the second half of the game even with 14 men as Myles Hutton was shown a straight red.
Ballon held most of the possession and Jimmie Carroll was on hand to bury their second goal which was set up by wing back Johnny Maher.
Full Time – Ballon 2-12, Fighting Cocks 1-4
Scorers for Ballon: Evan Corr (0-5), Peter Zerafa (0-1), Shane Duffy (1-1), Jimmie Carroll (1-0), Fionn McCaffrey (0-1), Jim Nolan (0-3), Brendan Fanning (0-1).
Scorers for the Fighting Cocks: Rory Nevin (0-3), DJ Sinnott (1-0), Billy Nolan (0-1)
With Leighlinbridge sitting on 4 points, a win for Fighting Cocks over them would put the latter through on head to head if Ballon were to draw or lose to Tinryland.
If Tinryland were to beat Ballon and Fighting Cocks beat Leighlinbridge then Tinryland would qualify for a quarter final and Ballon would be out on head to head.
A draw or better for Leighlinbridge would see them straight into the semi finals with a quarter final already guaranteed at the minimum.
If Ballon and Fighting Cocks both draw then Ballon finish second on head to head but both go through to quarter finals.
If Ballon and Fighting Cocks both win then it leaves both of them on 4 points with Leighlinbridge and score difference would come into play.
Leighlin and Ballon both have +9 score difference with Fighting Cocks -1
Score Difference with 3 teams tied generally is decided by the score difference in the games involving the 3 teams only.
GROUP 2 Round 3 Fixtures
Ballon v Tinryland 7.15pm Friday 6th Sept
Fighting Cocks v Leighlinbridge 6pm Saturday 7th Sept
JUNIOR B
GROUP 1 – Rathvilly are guaranteed a semi final as wins over Eire Og and Clonmore give them head to head advantage. The latter two teams face off for second and third this weekend where a draw would favour Eire Og on score difference. Naomh Eoin are out of the equation.
GROUP 2
Old Leighlin 1-12 Ballinabranna 3-6
Old Leighlin and Ballinabranna shared the spoils in an entertaining JFC B clash in Molaise Park on Saturday evening. Ballinabranna made a bright start scoring their first goal after two minutes. OL replied with good points from Derek Butler and Michael Meaney.
BB hit back scoring 1.1 without reply to leave them 5 points up with 10 minutes gone. OL dominated the next fifteen minutes and points from Derek Butler (2) , Michael Meaney (2) and Liam Coughlan had the teams level. A BB point just before the halftime whistle left the score , OL 0.7 BB 2.2 , at the break.
OL started the second half brightly with a great goal from Derek Butler putting them ahead for the first time. This was quickly followed by points from Michael Meaney and Declan Gough to put OL in control, but back came BB again scoring their third goal followed by three quick points.
OL finished strongly and points from Eoin Bambrick, Sean Whelan and James McDonald looked to have secured the win for OL but with the game in injury time BB made one last attack and Brian Kinsella was on hand to slot the equalising point. The full time whistle sounded shortly after.
OL Scorers: Derek Butler 1.3, Michael Meaney (BB) 0.4 , Declan Gough, James McDonald, Eoin Bambrick, Sean Whelan and Liam Coughlan 0.1 (f) each. OL Team: Aaron McDonald, Darren Hayden, Kevin Carpenter, Matt Burke, Daniel Roche, Declan Kelly, Evan Callaghan, Ben Stanley, James McDonald, Declan Gough, Derek Butler, Eoin Bambrick, Liam Coughlan, Michael Meaney (BB) , Richie Burke. Subs : Sean Whelan, Thomas Lynch, John Hayden and Eoghan Carpenter.
If Ballinabranna were to beat Kildavin/Clonegal then they would progress to the Semi Final on head to head. Avoiding defeat would see K/C straight into the Semi’s.
If Fenagh and Old Leighin were to draw and Ballinabranna were to lose then we would have 3 teams on 2 points here.
If Ballinabranna did indeed lose this weekend, they have also drawn with both Old Leighlin and Fenagh which would render their score difference at zero in the 3 way score difference affair (game v K/C won’t count).
So we could have Ballinabranna, Old Leighlin and Fenagh all level on points and score difference (only score difference between 3 tied teams counts)
This writer is unsure how it’s figured out after that!
JUNIOR C
Bagenalstown, Grange, Asca and MLR all enjoyed wins last week.
This week its as follows:
Ballon GFC vs Asca
04-09-2024 / 7 30 PM / Ballon GFC
St Patrick’s vs O’Hanrahans/Ó Hanracháin
04-09-2024 / 8 00 PM / Br. Leo Park
Palatine G.A.A. Club vs FIGHTING COCKS GFC
04-09-2024 / 8 00 PM / Palatine GAA Club
Mt Leinster Rangers vs Grange
04-09-2024 / 8 15 PM / Pitch 1 Training Centre
Footnote: Thanks to Sharon O’Brien, Eva Kealy & Brian Roche for additional reporting!
Listen to this week’s podcast HERE
