‘Varley complete the double

Ballyvarley completed the league double over Castlewellan with a three point victory in an entertaining game laced with open attacking play and great scores.

The Reds got off to a great start when Paddy Mackin burst through in the second minute to lodge the ball in the far corner of the net for a great opening goal, then Paul O’Neill sent a 65 sailing between the posts.

At the other end Castlewellan fired over three quick points and O’Neill had to convert another free to keep the home side two points clear.

A high lob from Castlewellan’s Jason Croskerry deceived the Ballyvarley defence and dropped into the back of the net.

Two further points from the visitors eased them into a surprise three point lead.

Paul O’Neill fired over two great points from play and then went on a surging run through the heart of the Castlewellan defence to smash home a rousing goal to give the Reds the lead once again.

Ballyvarley’s comedy of errors continued at the back when another high ball into the Reds goalmouth eluded everyone and dropped into the net for gift goal number two.

Two further points from the visitors increased the deficit but two great scores from Paul O’Neill and Paddy Mackin kept the Reds just one point in arrears going into the half time interval.

Another soft goal for the visitors at the start of the second half left Ballyvarley with an uphill struggle.

Mackin and O’Neill each produced a brace of points as they got through the Castlewellan defence to bring Ballyvarley back on level terms.

Points from Jason Croskerry and Ray Cunningham edged Castlewellan ahead once more but a great flowing move involving Niall Higgins, Patrick Mackin and Paul O’Neill carved the opening for James McGrath to burst through and bury the ball in the corner of the visitors net for the goal of the game.

An equalising point from Castlewellan was quickly wiped out by a similar effort from Michael McKay before the Reds swept into a five point lead with further scores from Paul O’Neill(3) and Patrick Mackin.

Ray Cunningham and Paul O’Neill exchanged points before a late goal and a point from the visitors left only the minimum between the sides.

James McGrath produced the winning score, slotting the ball neatly into the goal’s corner.

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