Jennings inspires Blackhall to safety

Blackhall Gaels 1-17

Bective 1-15

Blackhall Gaels secured their IFC status for 2027 with a hard-earned victory over Bective in their IFC relegation semi-final at Bective on Friday.

Bective made the brighter start, opening up an early five-point lead, but Blackhall settled into the contest and fought their way back to go in level at half-time. The Gaels pushed five ahead after the break and showed plenty of composure to withstand a late Bective rally and secure a two-point victory.

Blackhall's accuracy was a feature of the performance, with the Gaels registering just one wide over the course of the game. They also enjoyed a strong midfield showing from Leon Giblin and Mark Foley, while the pressure applied to the Bective kickout by Kealan Forde and Niall Kelly helped Blackhall win valuable possession throughout the contest.

Blackhall's defence and tough conditions forced Bective wides which also had an impact on the game. Charlie Staunton attended to Con Smith keeping his tally down to three from play, no mean feat in itself. Adam McHugh and Hugh Smith made some key interceptions while Micheál McIver had his share of tackles in the wet conditions.

It was an encouraging performance from a youthful Blackhall side with an average age of just 24. Led by captain Kealan Forde, the result reflected the growing experience and composure of a young group in a high-pressure championship fixture.

Liam Jennings led the scoring with a personal contribution of 1-11, including three two-pointers, while Tom Powderly, Stephen Morris and Robbie McGuinness also contributed on the scoreboard.

The victory ensures Blackhall Gaels will continue at Intermediate level next season and provides further valuable championship experience for a young group that continues to develop.

Blackhall Gaels: M Mullally; C McIver, A McHugh, P Coakley; M McIver, H Smith, K Forde; L Giblin, M Foley; J Kelly, C Duffy, N Kelly; Liam Jennings (1-11), T Powderly (0-4), C Staunton. Subs: R McGuinness (0-1) for J Kelly, Luke Jennings for Duffy, S Morris (0-1) for Coakley, C McMahon for C McIver, P Kelly for McGuinness.

Bective: S O'Sullivan; J Grant, F Murray, N Dowdall; J Donnelly, M Dowdall, H Smith (0-2); M Cully, A Cully (0-2); T O'Neill, C McConnell, J Mullen (0-1); S Manning, C Smith (0-8), S Keating (1-0), M Mulhall (0-1). Sub: M. O'Brien (0-1).