Goals prove the difference for Tracton in their win over Ballygarvan in the SHL

Tracton 3-16 

Ballygarvan 0-16 

A Tracton hat-trick of goals in this Red FM Hurling League Division Five game proved decisive on Sunday morning in Minane Bridge as they powered past Ballygarvan.

It was a dream start for the home side as Alan Kiely opened the scoring in the first minute with a goal.

Mark Byrne followed up with a quick point, as Tracton made the early running.

Ballygarvan finally got their house in order as Mark Kennifick landed their first point.

He then added another two to his tally as Ronan Walsh and Joe Kingston raised flags as the score read 1-03 to 0-03 after 10 minutes.

Bally then took control of this game for the following ten minutes as Sean Brady, Kennefick, Cillian O'Regan and Michael Cussen all scored points.

With Tracton needing to take the initiative, Kiely grabbed his second goal in twenty minutes.

Kennefick up the other end should have goaled a moment later, but the Tracton keeper was equal to the shot.

Spurred on by the goal, Tracton's Robin O'Donovan, Mark Byrne and Ronan Walsh all added points to leave a yawning gap of 2-06 to 0-07 on 26 minutes before Cussen and Piaras O'Halloran added a point each to leave the halftime score at 2-06 to 0-09.

The opening minutes of the second half had Ballygarvan hunting for that all elusive goal but the Tracton defence marshalled by Kelvin Healy snapped shut as Kennefick looked to score a goal.

While Cussen sought to keep Ballygarvan in the contest, a third goal from David Byrne put an end to the contest on ten minutes as Tracton led 3-09 to 0-12.

As Tracton took over, landing seven points to Ballygarvans two, three of which were claimed by the Minane Bridge outfit's ace marksman Ronan Walsh, the gap between the sides was now stretched to 3-16 to 0-14 after 25 minutes.

Two late Cussen points from the dead ball put a shine on the score, but in truth Tracton were cantering over the final ten minutes.

TRACTON: Alan Kiely 2-2, Ronan Walsh 0-07 (2f), Mark Byrne 0-4(1f), D Byrne 1-00, Joe Kingston, Robin O'Donovan, Dan O Flaherty (0-01 each).

BALLYGARVAN: Michael Cussen 0-9 (8f), Mark Kennefick 0-4 (1F), Sean Brady, Cillian O'Regan, Piaras O Halloran (0-01each) Tracton: E O Donoghue; J Kingston, K Healy, D Good; J Good, R Sinclair, E Kingston; T McGuinness, D Flaherty; D Byrne, J Kingston, R Walsh; A Kiely, D Harrington, M Byrne. 

Subs: Robin O'Donovan for Mark Byrne (blood sub), K Corrigan for E Kingston, R O'Donovan for T McGuiness, S Noonan for Kiely.

Ballygarvan: D Mackey; P Ryan, T O'Sullivan, C Murphy; C McIntrye, P O, Halloran, S Fenton; C O'Regan, S Brady; N Dowd. M Cussen, Colum Mackey, Dylan O'Connor, Kennefick, and O'Hallaran. 

Subs: Conor Mackey for Cillian Murphy, P Sexton for S Fenton, M Sheehan for S Brady, S Buckley for Calum Mackey. Donald O'Sullivan for Cillian O'Regan.

Referee: Robert Wheelan, (Gleann na Laoi)