Brilliant second period sees us win the minor county
October 20, 2019
Killavullen avenged a significant losing margin in the Rebel Óg league and a slender one point loss in the Rebel Óg North decider to blitz Kilara Óg in the Cork County Division 2 Hurling championship final, in the game that was played in Castletownroche, earlier today.
In front of a huge attendance, Killavullen played outstanding hurling in the second half to win by six points and turn form from previous encounters upside down.
Kilara were first to score in the 4th minute from a free and scored a great goal in the very same minute from their talented corner forward. It looked ominous for Killavullen when Kilara scored another point from a conceded 65 metre free in the 6th minute to leave us trailing 1-02 to no score at that stage. We needed a response, and when a shot from Jamie Magner was half blocked down, and did not reach the goals area, Colm Looney pounced and fired a ground shot to the back of the hit to register our opening score and it was a significant one. Kilara hit back with a pointed free in the 8th minute but Mikey O Connor replied with a converted free for us in the next minute. Kilara scored another 65 metre free in the 12th minute and while no team scored for over 10 minutes, this was a crucial period for Killavullen to repel the Kilara challenge and them playing with the aid of a considerable wind. In this period, our back line was good and tight and Brian Cotter was immense. He ran across the half back line on several occasions, and picked up a spate of loose ball. Mikey scored a converted free for us in the 22nd minute after Jamie had been fouled. Kilara replied in the 27th minute with another free to bring their tally in this half to 1-05 but again, we answered that score with another pointed free of our own in the 29th minute after Darragh had been fouled. We reduced the deficit to a single point in the 30th minute after Jamie was fouled again, and Mikey made no mistake with the dead ball. Right before the interval short whistle sounded, we gained parity in the game, when a relieving clearance from Brian Cotter was superbly gathered by Mark Nagle, who turned inside his man, and split the posts to leave both teams on the same score at 1-05 a piece at the break.
At half time, the very sizeable crowd was enthralled to see the skills and endeavours of the U9’s and U10’s from both sides play two mini matches on the pitch, and the future is looking very bright for both clubs when Killavullen can muster 26 talented players, and copious amounts of enthusiastic helpers with this age group. Kilara must have equal numbers.
At the restart of the game itself, Kilara scored a converted free in the 1st minute to regain the lead but Darragh O Grady equalised for us with a lovely point in the 4th minute. We took a significant step towards the title when Darragh, after receiving a ball from Chris O Callaghan sent his shot goal wards. Jamie Magner, belied his size and age (15), and caught it from the sky, and buried it to the net to give us a 3 point lead. Jamie received a hefty challenge for his endeavours that earned a caution for the Kilara player from the referee, Michael Sheehan, who was really on top of his brief, on the day. From the resultant puck out, Noah Butler who worked tirelessly and in an unselfish manner for the team gathered the ball, ran at the defence, and dispatched it over the bar to open up a significant lead in a tight game. The next few minutes were crucial but Killavullen came coming up with the ball, with Michael Cagney and Liam Fox exceptional in this half. They worked so very hard to limit Kilara to few chances and Mikey punished another free conceded against Jamie in the 12th minute. Colm Looney gathered a high centre from Mark who was tormenting his man to score another point, and the same player was desperately unlucky that his improvised one handed strike when crowded up, flashed narrowly wide. Kilara tried valiantly to get into the game, but could only get white flags from frees in the 14th and 16th minutes. That brought their tally to 1-08 at this stage, as against 2-09 for us. Ronan Barry and Fionn Magner and the other backs repelled any Kilara forward efforts and one clearance found Liam Fox out on his wings, who centred to Michael Cagney who then pointed from distance. Mark Nagle gathered another clearance, and evaded his tight marker to put our scoring tally to 2-11 by the 18th minute. Mikey fired us further head after he was fouled himself in the 22nd minute, and Noah capped a brilliant display, a display when he ran his legs off, with another point in the 25th minute, this time after Liam had again unselfishly set him up. Kilara stayed in touch with a goal that was scrambled over the line when it should have been kicked clear but Mikey got another score for us in the 30th minute. Jamie scored a mesmerising point in the 31st minute but Kilara kept fighting right to the end, and got two further points from frees to bring their tally to 2-10.
We were out of sight at this stage though with our tally of 2-16 to win in a comprehensive manner. Afterwards the cup of joy, last won by Killavullen in 1994, was presented to a slightly bemused but gracious captain in Mickey O Connor. From a team that did not win a lot underage to county champions at minor level, it just gives everyone in the club a necessary flippant to push on, and do more. David Brosnan, Kevin O Regan, Kevin Rice and Finny Magner deserves the accolades as coaches to this fine team, whose discipline and mind set on the day was brilliant. Castletownroche was in splendid condition as always and the referee dealt very competently with the game, in front of him, he was firm, and clear which was necessary for two teams who have met each other a lot, before 2019 and in 2019.
The team was
- Padraig Cronin
- Conor Griffin
- Ronan Barry
- Michael Looney
- Brian Cotter
- Fionn Magner
- Chris O Callaghan
- Michael Cagney (0-01)
- Mikey O Connor (0-07, 0-07F)
- Liam Fox
- Darragh O Grady (0-01)
- Noah Butler(0-02)
- Mark Nagle (0-02)
- Colm Looney (1-02
- Jamie Magner (1-01)
Substitutes –
- Kian Lane for Mikey Looney
- Seamus O Mahony for Noah Butler
- Cian O Connor for Mark Nagle
- Michael Walsh for Colm Looney
- Ben Hunter for Conor Griffin.
- Colin Carey for Jamie Magner
- Patrick O Grady
It was a pity that the Kilara captain, Brian Casey could only be introduced as a substitute due to injury, and then with a heavily strapped leg, only to be withdrawn again before the final whistle. We wish him well in his recovery.
In a link to the 1994 team, Tom Lane, Killavullen U9 team manager and instrumental in the refereeing of the mini game at half time played in the 1994 county final against Milstreet. Incidentally, this was Killavullen's 14th final in 2019 and we are not finished up yet for what is proving to be a stellar year in the club.