Back in a Junior A Hurling final, after a 95 year hiatus
October 07, 2024
Yesterday in a superbly prepared Glantane venue, in front of a very decent and expectant crowd, Killavullen overcame a dreadful start to roar into the North Cork Junior A Hurling Final, Yes Junior A grade, a final that Killavullen last were in, in 1929. It was a victory that seemed imponderable after 18 minutes, when our opponents, Liscarroll- Churchtown Gaels, here after simply called LC Gaels had raced into a 1-09 to 0-04 lead, and we seemed stuck to the ground, but moving some players around, into different positions, and marked step up in intensity and work rate, and words of “encouragement” from the experienced backroom team on the line led to an incredible comeback, and a very meritorious win.
LC Gaels opened the scoring within the opening minute, when their very influential forward, and past Cork Minor, U20 All Ireland winner in 2020, Captain of Mary Immaculate College team, that won the Fitzgibbon cup earlier in the year, and Cork senior panellist, and he still only 24, or maybe younger, so a lot achieved already caught a high centre and pointed over the bar. We left their wing back loose and with too much space from a puck out, and he drilled a ball from distance over the bar. We got our opening score from Liam Cronin, who was magnificent throughout the game in the 3rd minute from distance but Colin, from LC Gaels got the next point, from a free. Kieran Daly, the half forward on a strong half forward line for our opponents was next to score and added to, by another LC Gaels free conversion by Colin. Jamie Magner, our free taker scored after Michael Cagney won a dirty ball around midfield. Oier O Callaghan, who played Cork Minor Football with Cork, in 2023, but is a fine hurler as well, was meant to be playing at corner forward, but instead was out around midfield clipped over a neat point for them, but in playing up the field, he dragged Eoin Birchill away from his corner forward berth, and Eoin scored a nice long range point for us, in the 11th minute. Colin O Brien scored another free, after a fine fetch in the air by their half forward Michael Hedigan, who was fouled on landing. Colm O Mahony chipped it with a decent point for us, but we were struggling to assert our game in the middle third of the crowded midfield area. Colin O Brien , caught another fine catch, and turned and shot over the bar and we were rocked when he repeated the fine aerial catch, and offloaded cleverly to the free, Josh Quinn, who billowed the net with a ground downward shot that gave Charlie in our goals no chance. When LC Gaels tapped over the next point, from Michael Hedigan, it looked ominous for Killavullen after only 18 minutes, and in arrears by 1-09 to 0-04.
The fight back began with some positional changes. Eddie Cotter shifted a very heavy challenge, that Killavullen thought should have been a free, but the referee thought otherwise, and he, the very accomplished Dave Copps from Ballyhea. The sense of injustice galvanised Killavullen though, and Liam Fox was moved to centre forward and Paul O Sullivan to wing back. Both were pivotal to the win that came later. Now all of a sudden, there was a change in the mind-shift in our forward pack, and LC Gaels did not get the time, that they enjoyed previously to knock the ball around, and pick the perfect pass. Jamie stroked over a free from distance, and followed up another minute later with another converted free from distance. The LC Gaels rear guard did well to repel a shot on goals from Jamie, but Liam Fox was onto the breaking, squirming ball in a flash, and drilled a brilliant goal into the net from a considerable distance out. Great goal, great play from Liam, who epitomised the new harder, meaner attitude of the entire team. 1-09 to 1-06 now, and we having not played well for the opening 20 minutes was a great place to be in. LC Gaels got the next crucial score after the goal, from their centre forward Sean Delee, but we got that score back after Padraig Looney, was fouled, and Jamie converted. Colm Looney and the LC Gaels full back were having a fair old duel, and Colm escaped his clutches for once, and scored another point for us. Colin again scored from play for our opponents but we were now scrapping for everything and Jamie converted another hard earned free for us, from midfield. Eddie Cotter was now in midfield assisting Michael Cagney, and Eddie scored with a neat point, on the run. Killavullen drew level with another point, from downtown, to use the basketball parlance, from Liam Fox to bring us level in the 2nd minute of injury time of the opening half, and from the puck out, we won it, in our half back line, and fed through the lines to Mickey O Connor, and then to Eddie to score. 1-12 to 1-11 at the break, in a game where incredibly, there was only seven wides between the two team in an absorbing opening half.
On the resumption, the intensity did not relax. LC Gaels were the first to score from the lively corner forward, Oier again. The next score was significant though, when Colm O Mahony, now at the edge of the square caught a high centre from Liam Cronin, and turned and buried the ball into the net. Not a thunderous strike, but enough to get over the line. Again LC Gaels answered back that goal with a point, but Padraig Looney was getting on a lot of ball, caught a good high fetch from the air, was fouled, but still got his shot away to score. His brother Colm, who was now working tirelessly with Colm O Mahony as the two prongs of an inside forward line, gathered a breaking ball, and sent it over the bar to open up a four point lead, and five minutes having elapsed in the second half. Brian Cotter was next into the warzone when he got a hefty challenge that earner his marker a yellow card. It left Brian somewhat sub-par afterwards but he played on. Kieran Daly and Colin O Brien, from a free reduced the arrears for LC Gaels, but Jamie scored a dead ball situation for us, after Mickey O Connor was fouled. Colm O Mahony was now causing consternation in the LC Gaels rear guard and he scored again for us, to push out out lead, and then, the hard working, tireless team player Michael Cagney clipped over a point from open play, a rarity for Michael to push our lead out further. Our side line had coped that LC Gaels were exploiting space around midfield when Jamie went in to take free’s, so the next free we got, Colm O Mahony stepped up and nonchalantly sent it over the bar. O to have the arrogance of youth.
Mike O Connor who was all around the half forward line, added a point in the 16th minute to push our lead, which had been built up, slowly, and steadily to seven points but Colin O Brien got one point back, from a tight angle, in front of the vociferous crowd and another then, from a 65 metre shot after Charlie was forced into a wondrous save, diving full length to his left to keep his goal line intact. That save was crucial, and had an inciting effect on the entire team, especially on the back line. LC Gaels tried valiantly to get in on goals, but the Killavullen back, with Eoghan Buckley and Liam Cronin impressive repelled all challenges. To emphasise the point, with Eoghan following Colin O Brien all over the field, he even chipped in, with a long range point himself, that raised the decibel levels to a crescendo, with the strong Killavullen supporters. Colm O Mahony added another converted free, and Sean Kileen, who was good on the day for LC Gaels added another for them. Owen Manger was sprung from the bench for Mikey O Connor who had given his all, when time was almost up, and Killavullen repealed a couple of close in free’s when LC Gaels necessitated a goal. Jamie Magner tracked back impressively on one occasion, when the inrushing LC Gaels forward seemed certain to breach out defensive wall, and somehow Jamie halted his progress. In the third minute of added time, LC Gaels did get a goal from Colin O Brien, but the die had been cast , and when the ball was pucked out, the final whistle sounded. No celebrations, no displays of triumphalism – it was merely a stepping stone, on the journey.
- Charlie Cremin
- Fionn Magner
- Eoghan Buckley (0-01)
- Eoin Birchall (0-01)
- Liam Fox(1-01)
- Liam Cronin (0-01)
- Brian Cotter
- Michael Cagney(0-01)
- Jamie Magner, (0-06, 0-06F)
- Colm O Mahoney (1-04, 0-02F)
- Eddie Cotter (0-02)
- Padraig Looney (0-01)
- Paul O Sullivan (0-01)
- Mickey O Connor (0-01)
- Colm Looney (0-01)
Substitutes.
- Owen Magner for Mickey O Connor
Considering the deluge of rain that fell on Saturday, the pitch in Glantane was in superb condition, and now that most progressive of clubs have added seating to their stand to add further glitter to the facilities, that includes a most impressive indoor astro area, and full flood lighting, on their main pitch, and a second pitch, and a pitch and putt area. Well done to them.
The referee and his experienced side line officials had a fine game, unobtrusive and kept a lid on the pressure cooker that is a semi-final.
So by whatever means possible, be in Kildorrery for the final, against Harbour Rovers, on the 20th of October @ 3.00 PM. We will need all of the support we can muster to dethrone the reigning champions but not beyond the bounds of possibilities, after the display yesterday.
In 1929, Killavullen were defeated in their only ever appearance in a North Cork Junior A Hurling Final, when they went under to Churchtown, 5-03 to 3-01, in a game played in Buttevant.