Brave save by Kilara keeper means his team prevail
August 02, 2019
Killavullen rotated their considerable squad and came up just short in the 3rd game in this round robin minor football championship against Kilara Óg, last night in Kilworth.
We got off to a dreadful start and conceded two goals within the first five minutes, the second coming from a penalty that was expertly tucked away. The Kilara team then scored a free to be leading by 2-01 to 0-0 before we opened our account with a fine Darragh O Grady point. The same player then scored a penalty of our own after Jamie Magner was upended in the square. Kilara scored another point but Darragh kept us within striking distance with a converted free. We were denied an obvious claim for a second penalty after Colin Carey was thwarted with a foot block when he was through on goals, but it was not given by the referee. Before the interval, Kilara scored two more frees to leave the score at the break, 2-04 to 1-02 in their favour.
Killavullen introduced regular starters, Liam Fox and Mark off the bench, and over the next 30 minutes gradually brought more of their big guns into the game. Mark scored a delightful point with his left boot almost immediately, but Kilara raced down the field and scored another goal to be leading now by 3-04 to 1-04. That was the pointer for Fionn Magner and Colm Looney to enter the affray. Kilara were very dangerous on the breaks, and got another point, and threatened for a goal but was denied by a super brave save from Patrick O Grady, standing between the posts. We got a good converted free from distance from Eoin Birchill. Kilara stretched out their lead further with another point before the Killavullen fight back began. Noah Butler took off on a determined run and finished with a nice point, then Mark Nagle who was very dangerous on the ball, got another. Darragh O Grady was next to score, followed by Colm Looney and Darragh again to bring out tally to 1-09. Kilara got a point from a free, and were next to score with another conversion from a dead ball situation.
Killavullen pressed forward relentlessly but often our final pass was overcooked or a wrong shot selected. We got two points back from frees from Mark but right that death, we worked the overlap and released Colm Looney, in on goals. He pulled the trigger but the Kilara goal keeper was bravely down at his laces, and pulled off a great save for his team.
The game concluded with Killavullen pressing, but Kilara held out for a win. Killavullen were already through to the knock out stages, after wins over St. Peters and Mitchelstown. After last night, Kilara proved that they could yet have a say in the destination of the silverware.
The team, and those who scored, were as follows;
- Patrick O Grady
- Kian Lane
- Conor Griffin
- Ben Hunter
- Padraig Cronin
- Eoin Birchill (0-01)
- Michael Cagney
- Mikey O Connor
- Brian Cotter
- Cian O Connor
- Darragh O Grady(1-04)
- Noah Butler (0-01)
- Jamie Magner
- Colin Carey
- Seamus O Mahony
Substitutes –
- Mark Nagle (0-04) for Cian O Connor
- Liam Fox for Colin Carey
- Fionn Magner for Seamus O Mahony
- Colm Looney (0-01) for Jamie Magner
- Michael Walsh for Kian Lane
- Chris O Callaghan for Ben Hunter