Clinical Mungret St Paul's overpower Ballylanders in Limerick senior football championship

MUNGRET ST PAUL'S have beaten Ballylanders on a scoreline of 5-16 to 3-07 in their Irish Wire Products Limerick senior football championship clash in Bruff on Saturday evening.

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The victory for Kevin O'Hagans charges all but secures them a quarter-final berth as they ruthlessly dispatched of their Ballylanders opponents, who sit at the bottom of group two, still without a point on the board. 

Mungret made their intentions felt from as early as the very first minute. Declan O'Connor had to be on top his game to keep out an Oisín Moss effort.

James Killian got the scoring underway with his pointed effort in the second minute, Darren Frewen replying for Ballylanders moments later. 

A Jimmy Barry Murphy effort put Ballylanders a point to the good after five minutes but the game's first goal came after six minutes when Ciaran Uwatse ghosted in behind the Ballylanders defence, the corner back finishing his chance expertly.

Both sides would trade points for the following ten minutes to leave the sides at 1-3 to 0-3 after a quarter of an hour.

Mungret began to turn the screw for the remainder of the half, O' Hagan's side managing to build a a 1-8 to 0-4 point lead as the half came to a close, largely from the free-taking expertise shown by sharpshooter John Hutton.

Perhaps the most critical score of the game came after 28 minutes when Mungret managed to raise a second green flag of the day.

James Killian found the onrushing Jack McCarthy at the back post after Mungret had held possession smartly for a period of time.

To Ballylanders credit, they responded superbly. Jimmy Barry Murphy's shot from range dropped short and the lively Danny Frewen was alive to the chance, flicking the ball over Ronan McElligot's head and into the back of the net.

There was to be time for one more green flag before referee John O'Halloran blew for half-time, James Killian, who set up Jack McCarthy a few minutes earlier, got his name on the goal sheet with a superb finish. 

O'Halloran blew for half-time moments later, with Mungret holding a commanding 3-9 to 1-4 lead. 

The pattern of the second half continued much the same as the pattern of the opening 30 minutes. 

Mungret netted their fourth goal of the day two minutes into the second half when Diarmuid Hynes rifled home after a neat lay off from midfielder Jack Somers.

Like the first half, Ballylanders managed to muster a goal response through Robbie Downey moments later which left the sides at 4-10 to 2-4. 

Mungret kept the scoreboard ticking over with points from likes of Diarmuid Hynes and Shane Barry before Brendan Giltenane made it a five-star performance, netting yet another goal for his side. 

Again, for the third time in the game, Ballylanders responded with a goal of their own. Robbie Downey carried the ball into a dangerous area before laying it off to substitute Daithí Dennehy, who finished to the back of McElligott's net.

Both teams would tag on points as the game fizzled out to a close. Robbie Downey and Shane O'Donoghue rounded off the scoring for Ballylanders as did Jack McCarthy and Shane Barry for the victors. 

There was to be late penalty drama as the game drew to a close with Ballylanders shot-stopper Declan O'Connor pulling off a fine save from Hutton's placed ball effort, denying Mungret a sixth goal. 

John O'Halloran sounded for full-time and in the end it was a comfortable 16-point win for Mungret against a Ballylanders side, who to their credit, never gave in and kept going right up until the final whistle. 

Next up for Mungret is a clash with St Kieran's in two weeks' time, whilst Ballylanders face table-toppers Newcastle West.

SCORERS:  Mungret St Paul's: John Hutton 0-6 (4f), Jack McCarthy 1-2, Diarmuid Hynes 1-1, James Killian and Brendan Giltenane 1-1 each, Ciaran Uwatse 1-0, Shane Barry and Darragh O'Sullivan 0-2 each, Conor O'Longaigh 0-1. Ballylanders: Robbie Downey 1-1, Daithí Dennehy and Danny Frewen 1-0 each, Jimmy Barry Murphy 0-2 (2f), Shane O'Donoghue 0-2 (2p), Darren Frewen and Steve Fox 0-1 each. 

BALLYLANDERS: Declan O'Brien, Jordan Sheehy, Patrick Holian, Daniel Murphy, Tom O'Dwyer, Steve Fox, Liam Dennnehy, Robbie Downey, Oisín Browne, Thomas McDonnell, Darren Frewen, Danny Frewen, Jimmy Barry Murphy, Jason Leigh, Shane O'Donoghue. SUBS: Ciaran Kelly for Liam Dennehy (HT), Daithí Dennehy for Frewen (37 minutes), Billy Lonergan for Thomas McDonnell (45 minutes).

MUNGRET ST PAUL'S: Ronan McElligot, Frank Corcoran, Robert Hegarty, Ciaran Uwatse, Liam Harrington, Oisín Moss, James Garvey, Jack Somers, Jack McCarthy, James Killian, Darragh O'Sullivan, Diarmuid Hynes, Shane Barry, John Hutton, Brendan Giltenane. SUBS: Killian Ryan for Jack Somers (40 minutes), Conor O'Longaigh for Ciaran Uwatse (40 minutes), Darragh Bridgeman for Diarmuid Hynes (46 minutes), Tom Lloyd for Liam Harrington (52 minutes) 

REFEREE: John O'Halloran (Bruree)