Whitechurch knock out Passage in Seandún Junior A Football Championship

Whitechurch 0-11 (0-1-9) Passage 0-10 (0-0-10)

Whitechurch have booked their place in the next round of the AOS Security Seandún Junior A Football Championship as they defeated Passage in their final group game before a sizeable attendance at Ballinlough. Whitechurch will meet Glanmire or Douglas, while Passage are eliminated.

Scoring opportunities from play were at a premium for Whitechurch in the opening half, while Passage played a more open game. The tide turned in Whitechurch’s favour for the second half, as they restricted Passage to three points.

Shane Burke opened the scoring for Passage in the eighth minute with a point from play.

Sean Keane converted the game's first free for Whitechurch to tie the scores at one point apiece, before Passage seized the initiative. Niall McCarthy tagged on a point from play and Killian Murphy also slotted over a free. Keane converted Whitechurch’s second free before Whitechurch found themselves pinned back.

Scott Coughlan added a point from play for Passage. Persistent fouling was also proving to be costly for Whitechurch in the second quarter, as Killian Murphy and Burke converted a free each.

Mark Callanan tagged on the game’s only two-pointer, which was also Whitechurch’s first score from play. Killian Murphy tagged on his second point from play, to give Passage an interval lead of 0-7 to 0-4.

Whitechurch raised their game for the second half as Keane got his first point from play, within seconds of the restart. Passage’s Conor Coughlan exchanged points from play with Keane. Burke added a further point from play, before Whitechurch seized the initiative.

Whitechurch had Passage on the back foot for most of the final quarter as Darragh O’Connell and Cillian Egan each tagged on points from play without reply, to level matters at nine points apiece.

Callanan gave Whitechurch the lead for the first time in the contest, with four minutes remaining.

Deep into stoppage time, Ryan Carroll equalised with a point for Passage, before O’Connell sealed the win with a point for Whitechurch.

Scorers: Whitechurch: S Keane 0-4 (0-2f); M Callanan 0-3 (1 2pt); D O’Connell 0-2; S O’Reilly, C Egan 0-1 each.

Passage: K Murphy 0-3 (0-2f); S Burke 0-3 (0-1f); C Coughlan, R Carroll, S Coughlan, N McCarthy 0-1 each.

Whitechurch: D Kelleher; S Dennehy, J Kelleher, Adam Murphy; S Glackin, S O’Reilly, C Hennessy; R Dennehy, C O’Brien; S Keane; M Callanan, J Hegarty; D O’Connell, C Egan, B Carroll.

Subs: J Dennehy for Hegarty (h/t), R Buckley for Carroll (50), D Cully for Adam Murphy (both 60).

Passage: D Moynihan; N O’Connor, T Harrington, J O’Donoghue; S Harrington, R Harrington, D Barrett; J Kind, L Harrington; S Coughlan, R Carroll, S Burke; N McCarthy, C Coughlan, K Murphy.

Subs: T O’Neill for L Harrington (49), Adam Murphy for S Harrington (60+, inj).

Referee: Trevor Lyons (Douglas).