Sean O'Leary kicks 2-3 as Douglas beat Whitechurch in Seandún JAFC opener in Ballinlough

Douglas 4-15 (4-0-15)

Whitechurch 0-12 (0-2-8)

Douglas made a winning start to the AOS Security Seandún Junior A Football Championship campaign, as they defeated Whitechurch in their one-sided opener at Ballinlough.

The opening half was evenly contested, with Doulgas getting all their scores from play, while Whitechurch converted two frees. 

Douglas got their four goals, including one from a penalty in the second half. 

Whitechurch responded with the game’s two-pointers, including one from a free.

With the elements in their favour for the first half, Douglas opened the scoring with a point by Jamie O’Brien.

Whitechurch began to turn the screw as persistent fouling was proving to be costly for Douglas. 

Ben Carroll opened Whitechurch’s account as he slotted over a free in the fifth minute.

Harry Quilligan tagged on a point for Doulgas, but Carroll replied with his second pointed free.

Quilligan added his second point for Douglas, midway through the opening half, but this was cancelled out as Aidan Kelleher got Whitechurch’s first point from play.

Douglas began to take a grip on proceedings as they opened up a three-point gap. Sean O’Leary, Ryan O’Sullivan and O’Keeffe each added unanswered points.

Sean O’Reilly responded with a point for Whitechurch. This left the half-time scoreline reading 0-6 to 0-4 in Douglas’ favour.

The second half was one-way traffic in favour of Douglas. 

They stretched the margin to 0-9 to 0-4 with two points, including a free by O’Keeffe. 

Quilligan also chipped in with his third point.

Whitechurch responded as Darragh O’Connell converted a free from outside the Douglas 40-metre arc. 

This was followed by Carroll’s third pointed free, which reduced the deficit to two points.

Douglas had Whitechurch back on the defensive as Sean O’Leary got his second point. 

Wayward kick-outs were proving to be Whitechurch’s undoing. In the 42nd minute, Donnacha Reddington set up O’Leary for the game’s opening goal.

Sean O’Leary exchanged points with Jamie Hegarty, before Hegarty landed the game’s only two-pointer from play.

Douglas had Whitechurch pinned back for most of the final quarter.

Douglas were awarded a penalty, from which Jamie O’Brien drilled home their second goal, with eight minutes remaining.

Sean O’Leary was credited with Douglas’ third goal, following a mêlée in the Whitechurch goalmouth.

Whitechurch responded with points from play by Darragh O’Connell and John Keleher.

Entering stoppage time, Padraig McGrath got two points from play for Douglas. This was followed by their fourth goal by Billy Fraher with the last kick of the game.

Scorers for Douglas: S O’Leary 2-3; Jamie O’Brien 1-1 (1-0 pen); H Quilligan 0-4; B Fraher 1-0; C O’Keeffe 0-3 (0-1f); R O’Sullivan, P McGrath 0-2 each.

Whitechurch: D O’Connell 0-3 (1 2pt f); J Hegarty 0-3 (1 2pt); B Carroll 0-3f; A Kelleher, S O’Reilly, J Kelleher 0-1 each.

Douglas: C O’Leary; K Hayes-Curtin, D O’Callaghan, N Lynch; J Mouret, J Cremin, D Reddington; G O’Sullivan, Jack O’Brien; R O’Sullivan, S O’Leary, D Lenihan; Jamie O’Brien, C O’Keeffe, H Quilligan.

Subs: B Fraher for Lenihan (h/t), L Healy for D Reddington, P McGrath for O’Keeffe (both 46), C Reddington for Quilligan (52), E Kelly for Hayes-Curtin (56).

Whitechurch: S Dennehy; D Culley, R O’Connell, A Murphy; S O’Reilly, J Kelleher, C Hennessy; R Buckley, C O’Brien; D Kelleher, J Hegarty, R Dennehy; D O’Connell, A Kelleher, B Carroll.

Subs: M Callanan for D Kelleher (44), J McGrath for Hennessy (52, inj), J Dennehy for Carroll, C Dennehy for C O’Brien (both 52).

Referee: David Daly (Brian Dillon’s).