On the 4th March 2017, we welcomed Ardclough GAA Club from Co Kildare to Piltown for round 2 of the Leinster Hurling League on a cold, wet March afternoon.
Ardclough opened the scoring with a lovely goal in the third minute from their centre forward whose accuracy throughout the afternoon was a pleasure to watch. Neil Kelly found the posts in the fourth minute and Philly Kenny’s shot at goal on the rebound was well saved by the Ardclough goalie before Ian Long sent it over the bar to open Piltown’s scoring. Kevin Walsh opened his scoring with a point from a converted free in the fifth minute. Mixer O’ Dwyer, defending well, sent a long diagonal ball into his brother Shane in the corner and Shane sent the ball high over the bar for his first score of the afternoon. Another point from Ardclough’s centre forward in the seventh minute preceded a period of domination by Piltown and there was some great defending from the Piltown backs, in particular, Seamus Norris and Darragh Walsh.
A long sideline ball from Ian Long in the tenth minute found Martin Power who scored his first point of the day which was followed by a point from a converted free by the ever accurate Kevin Walsh. An Ardclough puck out saw David Kinsella bat the ball down to Darragh Walsh and Darragh sent a lovely ball into Philly Kenny in the corner and Philly wasted no time in sending the ball over the bar. Darragh Walsh was instrumental in the next play also, finding Shane O’Dwyer who passed the ball to Neil Kelly and Neil sent the ball over the bar for a lovely point. Two more great points from Martin Power and Neil Kelly and a point from a converted free from Kevin Walsh took us to the seventeenth minute. Ian Long won an Ardclough puckout and sent the ball into Ronan Ryan who found the open Shane O’Dwyer who scored a fine point in the eighteenth minute. Kevin Walsh added another three points to his tally, two from converted frees and one following a great pass from Aaron Gallagher. Seamus Norris sent another great diagonal ball to Shane O’Dwyer in the corner and Shane found Neil Kelly in the centre who tapped it over the bar in the twenty ninth minute. Ardclough’s centre forward closed out the first half with a point from a converted free. HT score Piltown 0-15 Ardclough 1-2.
Piltown’s discipline slipped in the second half and Ardclough took advantage and dominated for the first fifteen minutes or so. Ardclough’s centre forward opened the second half scoring with a point from a 65 in the 31st minute, following by a great point a mere thirty seconds later and then four points from converted frees. Darragh Walsh then found Aidan Nugent who scored a great point from an acute angle in the thirty ninth minute. Another converted free from Ardclough’s centre forward was followed by a lovely point from their full forward and a long-range point from their half-back line. Another two points from Ardclough’s centre forward, both 65’s, took us to the fiftieth minute. Kevin Walsh added another two to his tally, one from a converted free. Winning a breaking ball in mid-field in the fifty fifth minute, Martin Power took off with speed and was headed for goal and drawing the Ardclough defenders out and away from the goal, Martin spotted the open John Kenny and with a quick hand pass to John, John made certain the ball found the back of the net. The final point of the afternoon, in the sixty first minute, came from a lovely passage of play from Neil Kelly to Martin Power to Shane O’Dwyer who tapped the ball over the bar with ease. FT score Piltown 1-19 Ardclough 1-13.
Piltown panel: James Norris, Thomas Murray, Seamus Norris, Mixer O’Dwyer, Shane Walsh, Darragh Walsh, David Kinsella, Martin Power (0-2), Aaron Gallagher, Ian Long (0-1), Kevin Walsh (0-8, 0-3f), Neil Kelly (0-3), Philly Kenny (0-1), Ronan Ryan, Shane O’Dwyer (0-3). Subs: Conor Friend, Aidan Nugent (0-1), John Kenny (1-0), Tom Kenny, MF Farrelly.
Ref: Paul Cahill
