By: John O’Callaghan
Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Round 2
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY 0-26
KINNITTY 0-13
Kilcormac/Killoughey got their championship campaign back on track when they had a double scores victory over Kinnitty in Kinnitty on Thursday evening.
After their opening round loss to Coolderry, Kilcormac/Killoughey could ill afford any further slip ups and after a close enough first half, Kilcormac/Killoughey dominated after the interval and eased away to a comfortable win.
This was Kinnitty’s first game as they had a bye in round 1, and they began brightly enough and matched Kilcormac/Killoughey for much of the first half. Indeed the sides were level seven times in the opening 18 minutes, with the lead changing hands a number of times, but Kilcormac/Killoughey just began to get on top towards the end of the half and went in at the break with a 0-12 to 0-9 lead.
They quickly extended the lead to seven points after the break and really there was no way back for Kinnitty from there. Their attacking threat diminished after the break and they only managed four points in the half, two of them from frees.
Both sides were guilty of some very poor shooting and a total of 34 wides between them tells its own story. Kilcormac/Killoughey were the worst offenders with 20 wides and Kinnitty ended with 14. What made it worse was that many of the shots came when players weren’t under pressure and were in good positions and there was no wind of note to impact on their shooting. It’s something that both will look to work on before their next outings.
Kilcormac/Killoughey gradually imposed themselves on the game as it wore on and despite all their misses they didn’t panic. They kept plugging away and were denied a couple of goals by some tremendous saves from Niall Corrigan in the Kinnitty goals. Any side missing players of the calibre of Cillian Kiely, Charlie Mitchell and Adam Screeney would feel their loss but they have to adapt and they began to do that as the game progressed and established control of the game.
Kinnitty started full of enthusiasm and they battled hard for most of the first half and once they kept in touch, it gave them momentum. But once Kilcormac/Killoughey began to put a bit of daylight between the teams, Kinnitty seemed to run out of steam and they were unable to maintain the same level of performance in the second half.
Oisin Mahon, Brecon Kavanagh and Enda Grogan were prominent in the Kilcormac/Killoughey defence, Colin Spain had a huge game in the middle of the field, while in attack, Thomas Geraghty, Jack Screeney and Lochlann Kavanagh made most impact.
Niall Corrigan made some terrific saves in the Kinnitty goals. Paddy Rigney, Paddy Dooley and Conor Hardiman battled hard in defence. Cathal Robinson started well at midfield with three early points from play, while the attack failed to make a huge impact with James Dempsey contributing most of their scores, the majority of them from placed balls.
Kinnitty were first off the mark with a point from Ruairc Fay after just 34 seconds. After two early wides, Lochlann Kavanagh levelled after two minutes and Alex Kavanagh quickly put Kilcormac/Killoughey ahead. Cathal Robinson and James Dempsey restored the Kinnitty lead before Thomas Geraghty levelled from a seventh minute free.
Cathal Robinson and Jack Screeney quickly exchanged points as did James Dempsey and Thomas Geraghty from frees. Lochlann Kavanagh put Kilcormac/Killoughey in front again as the game entered the second quarter, but Danny Flanagan and Cathal Robinson replied with two quick points to put Kinnitty in front once more.
Kilcormac/Killoughey then hit three in a row, one from Conor Mahon, another from a long range free from Conor Slevin and the third from a Colin Spain sideline cut and 21 minutes in that was the first time more than a point separated the sides. James Dempsey replied with a free but from the puck out Brecon Kavanagh gathered possession and pointed. Another James Dempsey free cut the gap to the minimum two minutes before the break, but Thomas Geraghty (free) and Lochlann Kavanagh added late points to leave Kilcormac/Killoughey 0-12 to 0-9 in front at half time.
Just nine seconds after the restart Jack Screeney added another point and half a minute later they went close to a goal but Conor Mahon’s shot was saved by a diving Niall Corrigan with Thomas Geraghty pointing the resulting ’65’. The same player added a point from play and Colin Spain pointed his second sideline cut to push them into a seven point lead.
Kinnitty’s first score of the half came after 10 minutes when James Dempsey pointed a free but Thomas Geraghty replied with a Kilcormac/Killoughey free as both sides wasted a string of scoring chances.
Conor Hardiman came forward to get Kinnitty’s first score from play in 27 minutes but Jack Screeney and Thomas Geraghty hit two in quick succession to make it 0-19 to 0-11 midway through the half. Enda Grogan added to the Kilcormac/Killoughey tally and after James Dempsey pointed another free, Leigh Kavanagh and Thomas Geraghty left 10 points between the teams.
Noel Standish pointed for Kinnitty and then Kilcormac/Killoughey had a great goal chance but Thomas Geraghty’s effort was turned onto the crossbar by Niall Corrigan and the ball was cleared. Two points from Colin Spain and one eaach from Conor Mahon and Lochlann Kavanagh left 13 points between the sides at full time.
MATCH ANALYSIS
THE TEAMS
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: Conor Slevin; Tom Spain, Jordan Quinn, James Mahon; Brecon Kavanagh, Oisin Mahon, Enda Grogan; Colin Spain, Damien Kilmartin; Jack Screeney, Conor Mahon, Ter Guinan; Alex Kavanagh, Thomas Geraghty, Lochlann Kavanagh. Sub. Leigh Kavanagh (for Damien Kilmartin, 49 mins).
KINNITTY: Niall Corrigan; Paddy Dooley, Paddy Rigney, Michael Dooley; Brian Coughlan, Shane Ryan, Conor Hardiman; Cathal Robinson, Danny Flanagan; Ruairc Fay, William Molloy, Aodhan Kealey; Adam Carroll, James Dempsey, Noel Standish. Subs. Christopher Leonard (for Ruairc Fay, 46 mins), Jason Armstrong (for Adam Carroll, 50 mins).
REFEREE: Sean Michael Maher
STATISTICS
THE SCORERS
Kilcormac/Killoughey; Thomas Geraghty (0-8, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ’65’), Lochlann Kavanagh (0-4), Colin Spain (0-4, 0-2 sideline cuts), Jack Screeney (0-3), Conor Mahon (0-2), Alex Kavanagh, Conor Slevin (free), Brecon Kavanagh, Enda Grogan, Leigh Kavanagh (0-1 each).
Kinnitty; James Dempsey (0-6, 0-5 frees), Cathal Robinson (0-3), Ruairc Fay, Danny Flanagan, Conor Hardiman, Noel Standish (0-1 each).
Wides; Kilcormac/Killoughey 20 (8 in first half) Kinnitty 14 (5)
Yellow Cards: Kilcormac/Killoughey 0 Kinnitty 1 (Noel Standish)
Black Cards: None
Red Cards: None
By Offaly Secretary Fri 24th Jul
