Ballymun Kickhams Secure Quarter Final Place With Win Over Whitehall Colmcille

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS 0-27

WHITEHALL COLMCILLE 1-18

Image courtesy Mark McDonagh 

14-man Ballymun Kickhams secured top spot in Group 2 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship when overcoming Whitehall Colmcille by six points at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

The sides entered the break level at 0-9 apiece with Ballymun’s strong start nullified by a quartet of two-pointers from Whitehall, with Cormac Costello kicking two of those early in the second quarter.

An Eoghan O’Donnell goal and the dismissal of Ballymun’s Eamon Hill looked to have swung the tie in Whitehall’s favour after the break but Kickhams regained their composure with three two-pointers by Dean Rock in the final quarter seeing them home.

Ballymun settled into the contest well as they dominated possession with Cathal Tighe punching over the bar to open the scoring in the 2nd minute.

John Small breezed through to kick an excellent point soon after while Davy Leonard showed explosive pace to add a third Kickhams score in the 5th minute, rewarding their impressive start.

Matters looked concerning for Whitehall as Leonard added his second point two minutes later but from nowhere, they kicked two superb two-pointers through Sean Foran and Sean Gannon to level matters by the 10th minute.

Facing into the breeze, Ballymun were forced to work the ball closer to goal as they regained the lead through a fisted Brian Ashton point with a classy Rock point doubling their lead at the start of the second quarter. 

It was at this stage that Costello stamped his class on proceedings as he kicked a brace of two-pointers in as many minutes to hand Colmcille the lead for the first time.

Costello and Paddy Small exchanged frees as the half evolved while Ballymun’s pace was once again in evidence as Jamie Grant burst through for a classy score while Dillon Keating popped over in the 30th minute to leave the teams deadlocked at half-time.

Cameron McCormack edged Kickhams back in front in the opening minute of the second-half and while Costello (free) replied at the opposite end, Carl Keeley was on hand to restore the Ballymun lead in the 35th minute.

The ebb and flow continued as Costello kicked two points by way of riposte before Whitehall struck for the game’s opening goal in the 39th minute as Eoghan O’Donnell punched home on the rebound after his initial shot was brilliantly saved by Evan Comerford onto the crossbar.

Ballymun’s response to this body blow was admirable as they kicked the next three scores through Tighe, Keating and Leonard before Hill received his second caution in the 44th minute following a foul on Costello.

Two pointed scores from Moran and Costello (free) kept Whitehall in front but Rock gradually exerted his influence on matters with a trademark score on the run preceding two further red flags from placed balls.

The momentum was all with Kickhams at this stage with the impressive Grant putting the seal on their success with two late scores.      

Scorers – Ballymun Kickhams: D Rock 0-7 (2 F2, 1 P2); D Keating 0-4 (1 P2); P Small (1f), J Grant, D Leonard 0-3 each; C Tighe, C McCormack 0-2 each; J Small, C Keeley, B Ashton 0-1 apiece. Whitehall Colmcille: C Costello 0-10 (2 F2, 1 P2, 3f); Eoghan O’Donnell 1-2; S Foran 0-4 (2 P2); S Gannon 0-2 (P2).

Ballymun Kickhams: E Comerford; L Young, D Conlon, E Hill; J Grant, J Small, D Leonard; J McCarthy, C McCormack; B Ashton, C Keely, C Tighe; P Small, D Keating, D Rock. Subs: A Elliot for Ashton (42), D Robertson for Tighe (42), A Hubbard for Keating (59).   

Whitehall Colmcille: C Cummins; D Wherley, J Thorp, S Giles; D Scanlon, E Moran, R Kerins; M Moran, O Murray; Enda O’Donnell, T O’Sullivan, S Foran; S Gannon, Eoghan O’Donnell, C Costello. Subs: A McDermott for Scanlon (45), J McDermott for Murray (49), B Cox for Gannon (59), D Ryan for Enda O’Donnell (59). 

Referee: Ian Howley (O’Dwyer’s).