Points on the road in first County Div 7 game
March 10, 2025
Killavullen picked up two valuable points on the road in their opening game in the Red FM County Hurling league yesterday, in St. Finbarr’s GAA complex in Togher. Having won the Avondhu Division 1 league in 2024, Killavullen earned the right to be competing in this county league and hope to more than stand their own, in this grade.
A very decent crowd travelled up from Killavullen for the mid-day throw in, which was great to see.
Killavullen opening the scoring from a free, scored by Jamie Magner, but that was cancelled out by a free from our hosts, and then they took the lead from open play. Jamie, very influential on the day got a point back for us, and we were playing quite well, but that was not reflected on the scoresheet, as we had a plethora of wides. We got a goal when a high centre in and around the goal mouth spilled from Colm O Mahony on the ground, and Mikey O Connor was at hand at forced it over the line with a good ground shot. St. Finbarr’s replied with a lovely team point, after spraying the ball about crisply, but we held our advantage with a neat point from Colm Hannon. We were grateful to Charlie in our goals who pulled off a great save after we got caught ball watching and then we added to our tally with a lovely point from Darragh O Grady. St. Finbarr’s replied with a point from a free, and we added to our scores with a close with a Colm O Mahony free, after he was fouled himself.
St. Finbarr’s had several players playing, who had played senior hurling league Division 1 games, as late as Friday night last, and it was telling, in that their hurling was sharp and insightful. The No. 2 and 5, 6 and 7 in particular and with No. 11 showed up very prominently. In this open game, our illustrious opponents, on this famous old field, our hosts scored next with a pointed free, but we got that score back with another Colm O Mahony free. Any indiscretion was being picked up by the referee, Cathal Egan who endeavoured to let the game go. He penalised us for a throw, when the Killavullen contingent thought it was a hand pass, and that free was fired over the bar, and then, St. Finbarr’s scored another free, before they struck for a goal to take the lead. That goal was scrappy and could have been defended better in the full back line, which had to be vigilant at all times with clever forwards. We got back on the scoring with a free from distance from Jamie and then, retook the lead with another lovely looping score from Darragh O Grady. Michael Cagney was foraging well, in and around midfield, and he earned us another free in that area just before the interval, that Jamie converted and thus we went in, at the short whistle leading 1-09 to 1-07.
Sean Palmer was introduced for the second period, and Michael Cagney withdrawn. We opened the scoring in this half, with a Padraig Looney point from distance, a just reward as this player was certainly stretching his opposite number with searing runs. Colm Hannon added another point, and then two frees from Jamie added to our tally, the second a monster score, from just in front of our 45 metre mark, in our half. Mikey O Conner added to his tally with a nice point, before St. Finbarr’s got a point. Darragh was having a great game, as was his brother in defence and Darragh added a sublime point. Liam Cronin was majestic for us, in a very good showing from the half back line, flanked by the two Cotter brothers, in Eddie and Brian and Liam rifled a ball over the centre of the goals, for a sweet point. 1-16 was now our score but St. Finbarr’s came back into the mix with a deft goal, deflected beautifully in the air, by their experienced corner forward, who was tellingly ahead of his man, as the ball came across the square. Jamie added to his tally with a point from open play after been found in space with a clever scoop pass by his brother Owen. St. Finbarr’s replied with another point from open play, but Jamie drilled a point from midfield over the bar again.
We introduced Seamus O Mahony for Fionn Magner and Padraig Cronin for Colm Hannon. St. Finbarr’s got a point back from a free, but Jamie did the same for us, to keep the margin secure and we finished well with two further points from Darragh and the hard working Owen Magner to bring our tally to 1-21, as against 2-11 for St. Finbarr’s.
Good initial outing in this grade and loads to work out, especially our shooting, but, with the weather being what it was for the last four to six weeks, time on grass has been scarce. Hopefully all that can be put right shortly.
The team and those who scored were;
- Charlie Cremin
- Fionn Magner
- Eoghan Buckley
- Patrick O Grady
- Eddie Cotter
- Liam Cronin (0-01)
- Brian Cotter
- Michael Cagney
- Jamie Magner (0-08, 0-05F)
- Owen Magner (0-01)
- Mickey O Connor (1-01)
- Darragh O Grady (0-04)
- Colm Hannon (0-02)
- Colm O Mahony (0-03F)
- Padraig Looney (0-01)
Substitutes utilized were;
- Sean Palmer for Michael Cagney
- Seamus O Mahony for Fionn Magner
- Padraig Cronin for Colm Hannon