U16 Win Div 2 Hurling Shield
June 20, 2019
Killavullen powered to the win in the Under 16 Division 2 League final, played last evening, the 19th of June in Shanballymore. With this being the first game back after the break for the Junior Certificate exams, some of the touches on the night were a bit ring-rusty and allowed the sliotar to spin away from the players. The pitch was also greasy after a heavy shower, just before the throw in. Those small few quibbles will be ironed out, with more practising on the mill field.
Ballycastle were first to score from their very accurate free taker, Dan Roche, but Killavullen replied with 3 points from Jamie Magner, Shane Walsh and a long range Kian Lane free. The game was evenly contested at this stage, and Ballycastle got another converted free before Jamie did the same at the other end. Sean Palmer scored a delightful goal for us next, with a ball that he somehow spun into the corner of the net, those of us that were right behind the ball in its trajectory even thought it was going wide, but it crept in, right at the butt of the post. Ballycastle answered that back with another converted free, before Kian scored a converted 65 metre free after a Ballycastle defender had deflected a goal bound shot, just wide of the post. Shane Walsh got a point from a difficult angle and then Cian added a lovely point from play after a series of crisp passes from the back.
Our hard working half forward line of Seamus O Mahony, Conor Griffin and Patrick O Grady were doing a lot of good foraging that released other players into scoring positions, and Patrick got a point of his own before Ballycastle got their 4th point. Jamie got another point, and then Patrick again, before Michael Cagney, got a delightful point, on the run, after escaping from a scrabble in the middle of the field. The score at the interval was 1-11 to 0-04 in our favour, but we had played with the hill in Shanballymore, into the Village end of the field, and that is traditionally, the scoring end.
Jamie got another point on the resumption, before Ballycastle got two points back, again from Dan Roche and they lay siege to the Killavullen half of the field. However, resolute defending by each of the Killavullen backs kept them at bay, and it was particularly pleasing to see Sean Bartley back playing again, after his recent thumb injury. Shane Walsh got another point, Jamie and Patrick added two more, before Ballycastle eked two points back themselves.
Try as hard as they could, Ballycastle could not break down the Killavullen rear guard in which Chris O Callaghan and Ronan Barry were particularly effective. Killavullen finished very strongly giving the scoreboard an inflated look, with a lovely goal from Jamie, followed by 3 quick fire points, by the same impressive player, the first of which came from a free, and the final score of the game came from Patrick O Grady.
Afterwards, the shield was presented to the Killavullen captain, Conor Griffin, who graciously accepted it, on behalf of the team. Conor eloquently thanked the referee, Colm Maher, from Buttevant, the Shanballymore club for the venue, and Ballycastle for the sporting game. Conor emphasised in his short address, that the team ethic is important and that more will be needed to lift the championship crown.
On the night Killavullen won well, but it was indeed the strong team bond that shone through, with loads of players willing to do that hard graft in order to open up opportunities for others.
The team was;
- James O Keeffe
- Joe Cagney
- Chris O Callaghan
- Colm Nagle
- Conor Brennan
- Ronan Barry
- Sean Barthly
- Kian Lane (0-03)
- Michael Cagney (0-01)
- Patrick O Grady (0-04)
- Conor Griffin
- Seamus O Mahony
- Jamie Magner (1-08)
- Shane Walsh (0-03)
- Sean Palmer (1-00)
Substitutes (all utilised)
Oisin Larkin for Conor Griffin
Jack Martin for Kian Lane
Michael Walsh for Sean Palmer
Conor Sheahan for Shane Walsh
Jack Martin for Patrick O Grady
