Poor fare as Dalton goal sets Kilbeggan up for victory over Moate All Whites

A truly dull game brought the curtain up on this intermediate championship double-header at Cusack Park last Sunday evening as Kilbeggan got the better of Moate All-Whites. In a game of little incident as well as being riddled with wides and all-round general poor play from both teams, Kilbeggan were able to get the vital scores when they needed them in order to keep their opponents at arm"s reach. Moate, by contrast, were forced to work considerably harder for their scores and, despite some late opportunities, never really looked like overturning Kilbeggan"s lead. Two Kilbeggan wides preceded the opening score of the game, an Emmett Dalton point after three minutes of play. Dalton repeated the trick after a further three minutes, this time following a clever pass from full-forward David Keenan to give Kilbeggan an early two-point lead. The lead was halved when Moate"s full-forward, Eoin Dalton, received a ball on the "D" before turning and curling the ball over the bar in one swift movement. Aiden Gorry restored Kilbeggan"s two-point lead with a converted free on fifteen minutes, but, by the 28th minute, Moate had pulled back and levelled the game with two further points. The first came from Paul McLoughlin who punched the ball over the bar when perhaps he could have goaled. The second was made by Eoin Dalton, who fetched a high ball before laying it off to Lar Gillivan who raised the white flag. But just as it looked as though the sides would go in for half-time all square, Kilbeggan corner-forward Keith Gorry embarked on a solo run before splitting the posts with a well taken score. After a dull first half, the Cusack Park attendance could only hope and pray that things would liven up a small bit in the second half. And after just two minutes their prayers were answered when finally we got some excitement. A flowing Kilbeggan move resulted in Emmet Dalton finding himself clean through on goal. He delayed his hot, however, and this allowed Moate "keeper David Mackey to spring from his line and smother the danger and the ball was cleared out for a line ball. The resulting kick was launched back toward the Moate goal where Dalton, no doubt delighted to get a second bite of the cherry, gathered in possession before placing a shot to the top corner of the Moate net via the post. This would prove to be the decisive score and after this Kilbeggan neither looked like surrendering their lead or indeed losing the game. A further point, this time from Keith Gorry, put Kilbeggan further ahead although it could have been worse for Moate as Gorry"s shot was for a goal and only went over via the crossbar. But Moate plugged away and responded by bringing on both Eric Molloy and Jimmy Gillivan to immediate effect as the two combined in a move that saw the latter point with his first touch of the game. Aidan Gorry tapped over his second point of the game to keep Kilbeggan"s 6 point lead intact with fifteen minutes remaining. But points from Jimmy Gillivan, who was superb after coming on, and Eoin Dalton reduced the deficit to just four with ten minutes left but, unfortunately for Moate, that was to be the games last score. There was some late drama when Moate"s Niall Mackey was denied a clear penalty after being dragged down in the area and then when Lar Gillivan blazed wide a clear opportunity for goal. But aside from those late scares, this was a relatively comfortable win for Kilbeggan. SCORERS - Kilbeggan Shamrocks: Emmett Dalton (1-3), Aiden Gorry (0-2, 1f), Simon O"Neill (0-1), Keith Gorry (0-1). Moate All-Whites: Eoin Dalton (0-2 ~ 1f), Jimmy Gillivan (0-2), Paul McLoughlin (0-1), Lar Gillivan (0-1). Kilbeggan Shamrocks: Mal Guilfoyle, Shaunie Pidgeon, Fergal Scally, Niall O"Brien, Paul Maloney, Alan Fennell, Colin Draper, James Brennan, Mel Kiernan, Aidan Gorry, Emmet Dalton, Jason O"Neill, Simon O"Neill, David Keenan, Keith Gorry. SUBS USED: Craig Arthurs for Mel Kiernan (59 mins), Finbar Coffey for Simon O"Neill (60 mins). Moate All-Whites: David Mackey, Declan Whelan, Michael Broder, Eamon McDermott, Damien Keenaghan, Alan Claffey, Paul McLoughlin, Lar Gillivan, Conor Costello, Michael Heavin, Nigel Adamson, Keith Ennis, Mark Ennis, Eoin Dalton, Damien Phelan. SUBS USED: Eric Molloy for Michael Broder (37 mins), Jimmy Gillivan for Michael Heavin (39 mins), Declan Costello for Keith Ennis (48 mins), Niall Mackey for Mark Ennis (55 mins). Referee: Padraig Greene (Tubberclair).