Late Kavanagh point seals win for Ultan's

St Ultan's probably even surprised themselves on Wednesday night at Dunganny when they scored a narrow 1-12 to 0-14 IFC first round victory over Walterstown,

Darren Kavanagh hit the winning point in the fourth minute of second-half added time after Gearoid Rennicks calimed his eighth point and had drawn the sides level for the first time 60 seconds earlier.

Walterstown will be very disappointed with their overall performance - a performance that fluctuated between the very good and the very bad.

On the good side for Walterstown was seven points in seven first-half minutes as they threatened to blow St Ultan's away, but then they only managed another seven points for the remaining 53 minutesa nd four of added time.

At no stage in the opening half did St Ultan's look like getting into contention, but they hung in there and they worked hard - it stood to them and a 28th minute goal from Ronan Breslin left them only two points adrift (1-6 to 0-11) at the interval.

St Ultan's displayed the same type of diligence in the second-half, but they upped the work-rate and despite losing Martin Dolan to what was a totally avoidable balck card midway through half, they stayed in the game as Walterstown ran out of energy.

The winning point was a fitting reward for a player (Darren Kavanagh) who made a big contribution over the hour.
St Ultan's - Cian Farnan; Declan Ball, Jason Bennett, Luke O'Reilly; Martin Dolan, Darren Costello, Darren Mallon; Gearoid Rennicks (0-8 six frees), Mark Allen (0-1); Conor Smyth, Cian Rennicks (0-2), Darren Kavanagh (0-1); Emmet Costello, Greg McKeever, Ronan Breslin (1-0). Sub - Eoin Kavanagh for Breslin 56 mins.
Black card - M Dolan (replaced by Declan Galligan 46 mins)

Walterstown -John Davis; Conor Cullen, David Maguire, Eoin O'Mahony; Mark McCormack (0-1), John Geoghegan, David Donnellan; David Reynolds, Alan Wall; Conor O'Sullivan, Ruairi O'Dowd (0-2),Aron McLoughlin (0-2); Robbie McDonnell (0-4 two frees), Brian O'Connell (0-3), Sam McCabe (0-2). Subs - Mick Clarke for Reynolds 45 mins, Stephen Davis for McLoughlin 47m, unidentified for O'Dowd 50m, unidentified for O'Connell 58m.

Referee - Paul Mooney (Syddan).