Late Mallow Goal Thwarts A Valiant Come Back
March 31, 2019
1-13 to 4-06 31st March 2019 Vs. Mallow
In glorious sunshine and in front of a decent sized crowd, Killavullen and Mallow served up a very entering U16 Division 1 football league match, which Mallow just about shaded and won by 2 points, after a late goal foiled a gallant Killavullen comeback.
In the opening quarter of the game, Mallow were in the ascendancy and with their full forward in excellent scoring form, they raced into an early lead and scored a goal for their opening score. The omens were not good when they registered the next two scores as well but gradually Killavullen hauled themselves back into the game, with Ronan Barry and Chris O Callaghan influential at midfield. Daniel Ryan was denied a good goal scoring opportunity with some desperate latch ditch defending. Jamie Magner scored our opening score in the 22nd minute from a free but Mallow retaliated quickly. Daniel Ryan scored a 45 metre free in the 28th minute after the Mallow goal keeper had some how managed to save a point blank effort. Mallow got one more point before the interval to leave the half time score 1-04 to 0-02 in favour of Mallow.
Killavullen has a disastrous resumption when they conceded two quick fire goals immediately after the short whistle. We regrouped though, and after some positional changes, we thundered into the game, led by Michael Cagney at centre back. Patrick O Grady led the scoring fight back with a point in the 5th minute, and then Daniel Ryan scored his second 45 metre free, followed quickly by a Shane Walsh point. Ronan Barry scored a high booming point in the 10th minute to bring our tally to 0-06.
Mallow got a disputed point where the absence of an umpire using was acutely felt. Ronan scored another point from a long range free and now Killavullen were running at the Mallow rear guard and causing no end of problems to them. Jamie Magner score two close in frees before Chris O Callaghan brought our tally to 0-09.
Killavullen rung the changes from their bench, and the newly introduced Jack Martin made a telling contribution when his deflected shot beat the Mallow goal keeper to register a green flag for us. 3-05 to 1-09 now and a game that was now in the melting point. Jamie Magner brought the vociferous local crowd to their feet with another brace of points before Patrick O Grady levelled matters with a superb point.. Ronan Barry gave us a two point lead with time almost up from two frees from wide out of the right wing, the second in particular being an audacious score.
Mallow pressed to the end, and earned a free in injury time. The ball seemed to be going wide, but the Mallow corner forward got a fist to it and diverted it, into the net. Mallow scored another free and when we worked the ball up to the other end of the field, and were awarded a free right at the death, Jamie’s efforts was saved.
So the entertaining game finished 4-06 to 1-13, a superb game of entertainment in glorious sunshine, and on a perfect pitch.
The team was;
- Niall Murray
- Conor Breenan
- Sean Bartley
- Kieran Roche
- Conor Griffin
- Michael Cagney
- Patrick O Grady (0-02)
- Chris O Callaghan(0-01)
- Ronan Barry (0-03)
- Sean Palmer
- Daniel Ryan (0-02)
- Seamus O Mahony
- Jamie Magner (0-04)
- Shane Walsh ( 0-01)
- Luke Carey
Substitutes:
- Jack Martin (1-00)
- Oltan Cottey