It is Clyda, it is tough, but we win
September 22, 2024
Last night in night in Glantane, Killavullen and Clyda Rovers clashed, these local protagonists drew a fine crowd to the venue, and it was a typical local derby affair. Never much in it, tough, uncompromising, wild at times, but rivetingly interesting at all time. If you go to school in Mallow, as the most of these players did and do, you formed clicks and rural lads, from Killavullen and Clyda would gravitate towards each other and be very acquainted with each other. If played Rugby or soccer with teams in Mallow, or played in representative teams, you played together, you knew your opponent, probably were friendly with your marker, so relationship are tight, guarded but forgotten about for one hour.
Sean O Sullivan from Clyda opened the scoring in the second minute, before Jamie Magner equalised for us after we have won a 65 metre shot. Paul O Sullivan scored a great point for us, to forge a lead for us, in the 4th minute but the Clyda free taker, Sean O Sullivan scored a point for them, from distance. We had a big shout for a penalty, but the foul on Colm Looney was missed, and out the field Jamie was getting on a good supply of ball, and he scored a huge point, from distance to edge us ahead again. Chris Buckley restored equality on the score sheet with a nice score but Jamie edged us ahead again, with a converted free. The same player scored a second 65 metre shot after our forwards did much of the pressing to put the Clyda rear-guard under pressure, and forced the concession of the 65 metre shot. Sean O Sullivan grasped another point back for Clyda but again Jamie, scored from distance to leave us ahead 0-06 to 0-04 in the 13th minute. Clyda responded quickly though, and it came from distance from their wing back, David Walsh, and their comeback was complete when they drew parity with a point from open play , from Chris Buckley. Clyda edged ahead when Conor Flanagan carved out a modicum of space in a crowded area to shoot over the bar. We spurned a gilt edged goal chance when Jack O Connor got inside their rear guard, but all was not lost as his bullet like shot, rifled over the bar. Drawn game again after 18 minutes. Michael Cagney, our forager in chief in and around midfield was fouled 80 metres out from goal, and Jamie confidently landed this monster free to edge us back ahead again.
Paul O Sullivan hit a sublime point, on the run, being pursued from out on the tram line to edge us two points ahead, but Clyda responded with a point, from their full forward and captain, Kevin Coffey. Mike O Connor forced a good turn over, fed the ball to Colm and from Colm to Jack in space, to push us on again. Kevin Graham then scored a brilliant point for Clyda but Jamie got another point, from open play for us, in the 28th minute. Jamie then landed a free after Patrick O Grady was fouled, and we went into the interval with a four point advantage after Jack scored another fine point. 0-13 to 0-09. The hits and collisions were relentless, and both sides will be feeling sore afterwards, it was a bruising encounter with lots of mistakes and talking points but no less absorbing for the supporters. Time on the ball was precious, would be the summation of the opening period.
We got the opening score of the second period to push up a faltering five points lead, but Sean O Sullivan drew one back from a 65. Chris Buckley was proving to be a real menace against us from his half forward line position, and he kept finding space and he punished us again for ball watching with another point for Clyda in the 6th minute. Clyda had the margin down to two with a score from open play from Sean O Sullivan. Colm O Mahony was introduced for Colm Looney and he was to swing the pendulum back in our favour again. His considerable size and aerial ability, then troubled Clyda. Jack O Connor turned over a great ball in the Clyda defensive set up, punished it and pushed the lead out to 3 points with another telling score and Jamie extended it further in the 17th minute with a converted free. Clyda kept the ball away from the centre forward position, and used the flanks, to take the influential Liam Cronin, somewhat out of the game, but in Liam Fox, in particular, they found that that tactic was not always successful. We were rocked in the 17th minute though, when Clyda got in for a goal, from Kevin Graham who was menacing on the night, and troubled us. When Sean O Sullivan, landed a monster free for Clyda in the 19th minutes, you knew that the last ten minutes was going to be edge of the seat material. It was even on the scoreboard at this stage. We sprung Darragh O Grady from the bench to replace his brother, Patrick who picked up a dead leg, in a ruck situation. With pressure on, Jamie landed a free for us, in the 24th minute and we went two points up, in the next minute with a precious and improbable point from Colm O Mahony. Colm Looney came back into the game, to replace Jack O Connor, who had given his all. The last few minutes were excruciating for both sets of supporters, the ball ebbed and flowed around the centre of the pitch, pushed forward and repelled backwards by both teams. Not pretty, but the clock was winding down, and Clyda got the final score of the game, in the 4th minute of injury time, from Conor Flanagan.
Killavullen hung on, by their fingertips and go forth into the semi-final against the here to now impressive Liscarroll- Churchtown Gaels which will be played on the weekend of the 6th of October. Wayne King was the referee on the night, and he had a good command of the game, a game that was allowed to develop by him, and a game that stirred up loads of talking points. Local derbies do – this did.
- Charlie Cremin
- Fionn Magner
- Eoghan Buckley
- Eoin Birchall
- Liam Fox
- Liam Cronin
- Brian Cotter
- Michael Cagney
- Jamie Magner, (0-11, 0-02 x 65M, 0-06F)
- Patrick O Grady
- Eddie Cotter
- Jack O Connor (0-04)
- Paul O Sullivan (0-02)
- Mickey O Connor
- Colm Looney
Substitutes.
- Colm O Mahony(0-01) for Colm Looney
- Darragh O Grady for Patrick O Grady - injured
- Colm Looney for Jack O Connor