White’s Cross played their opening Junior 1 football game out in The Green on a cold but dry March Sunday morning. This was the first game under new rules for both of these sides. There was some confusion at times due to pitch markings but, in general, the game passed without major incident.
It was the home side that opened the score with a pointed free after 1 minute. White’s Cross equalised with a free of their own in the fifth minute following a superb catch from Ballyphehane kick-out by PJ O’Donovan. This would be White’s Cross last score for 16 minutes when PJ O’Donovan scored their first point from play followed immediately when John McElhinney scored another point from play to leave the sides level at 0-03 points apiece.
A minute later, the same player scored the crucial goal of the game when he palmed to the net from close range following great work by Aidan Docherty who set him up. Conor Docherty added two more points from frees to extend the lead to 1-05 to 0-03. Ballyphehane did pull one back from a free just before the break.
The home side dominated the opening quarter of the second half and they narrowed the gap to two points. Scores from play from PJ O’Donovan and John McElhinney had extended the lead back out to a goal (1-08 to 0-08) after twenty minutes. The home side pulled it back again with the next two points to leave one between them. They were never able to get level, however, and points from Sean Delaney and John McElhinney ensured that White’s Cross would win on a 1-10 to 0-11 scoreline.
Team
1 – Rory Teehan
2 – Senan Ryan
3 – Barry Prendergast
4 – Max Philpott
5 – Aidan Docherty
6 – Gearoid Fleming
7 – Seamus Quinlan
8 – PJ O’Donovan (0-02)
9 – Killian Ryan
10 – Patrick Harrington
11 – Conor Docherty (0-04 – all frees)
12 – Bobby O’Riordan
13 – John McElhinney (1-03)
14 – Tom Casey
15 – Daniel Kelleher
SUBS:
08 mins 2nd half off: Patrick Harrington on: Stephen Whooley
16 mins 2nd half off: Daniel Kelleher on: Sean Delaney (0-01)