Hurling and Football double for Kilruane

GAA: FBD Insurance County Junior ‘B’ Football Final

Kilruane MacDonaghs 1-11

Boherlahan-Dualla 0-10

Report: Liam Hogan in Templederry

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

SCORERS – Kilruane MacDonaghs: Cian Darcy 0-4; Carl Williams 1-1 (0-1 free); Matthew Spain 0-3; Seamus Hennessy 0-2; Niall O’Meara 0-1.

Eoin McLoughney 0-5 (2 frees); Seamus Leahy 0-3; Tomas Ryan 0-2.

Kilruane MacDonaghs completed a hurling and football championship double after they defeated Boherlahan-Dualla in the County Junior ‘B’ Football Championship on Saturday.

The win comes a month after the club won the Dan Breen with success over Kiladangan.

In a very entertaining game played in ideal weather conditions for December, the North champions deserved their win because of their excellent defensive play in the second half where Niall O’Meara was immense at centre back while Aaron Morgan, Eoin Hogan, and Rob Austin very much to the fore.

In addition, they had a very good goalkeeper in Kevin Shinnors side who produced a number of great saves while up front the front line of Cian Darcy, Seamus Hennessey and Matthew Spain made hay as the trio contributed to nine points of the Kilruane tally with Carl Williams scoring 1-1 and Niall O’Meara adding a point.

Cian Darcy had Kilruane were in front after thirty-four seconds and after both sides producing the usual end-to-end fair of stringing the passes together it was the sixth minute before Seamus Leahy levelled and the same player gave the Mid side the lead three minutes later. Leahy was part of a Boherlahan full forward line that matched that of their opponents when scoring all off their total. Eoin McLoughney, with number thirteen on his back, showed huge potential.

Elsewhere, much of Boherlahan’s best play stemmed from the work rate of John Ryan and Brian Carrig at half back plus that of Cathal Darcy, Niall O’Dwyer and Colm O’Dwyer on the forty but Kilruane had the rock-solid Niall O’Meara to keep the scoring rate low and after cutting off another Boherlahan attack, the ball moved through at least four pairs of hands before Cian Darcy levelled in the twelfth minute

Rob Austin did a fine job too at corner back and his last-minute dispossession of a Boherlahan forward had defence turned into attack before a Carl Williams free edged Kilruane in front on the quarter hour. Boherlahan were quick to respond with an Eoin McLoughney equaliser, but the same player was guilty of kicking Boherlahan’s fourth wide. Kilruane had just one to their credit at that stage.

As expected, Kilruane would have their purple patch and Mathew Spain rose to the challenge and scored two quick points from close range with both scores almost yielding goals as the Boherlahan defence had problems keeping an eye on the fleet footed corner forward.

In response, Eoin McLoughney kept the Boherlahan tally moving when he posted his second point in the 23rd minute. Matthew Spain hit back with a point as Kilruane’s speed was beginning to tell. Yet Boherlahan had kept to their word and another McLoughney point left his side one behind with four minutes to half time.

From the resulting kickout, Delvin Courtney let fly with a fifty-metre low ball which reached Carl Williams outside the large square. He lost possession but in an instant, he let fly off the ground and beat Boherlahan keeper Darragh Lacey at the near post. Kilruane suddenly had life and another move led to Cian Darcy scoring to leave them 1-7 to 0-5 in front at half time.

Kilruane introduced Jerome Cahill at half time, but the interval break appeared to work well for Boherlahan who had three unanswered points inside the opening six minutes with Seamus Leahy, Tom Ryan, and Eoin McLoughney (free) on target as their Mid champions front three were giving the Kilruane full backline plenty to think about.

In continuing to soak up the play, Kilruane had to rely on Niall O’Meara to deny Matt Downey’s effort for a goal. But once Kilruane retained possession they came forward for a well-taken score by Cian Darcy in the 45th minute closely followed by a Seamus Hennessy score three minutes later, which meant Kilruane were four in front and much relieved at that stage.

It was just as well as their defence because Boherlahan came once more but goalkeeper Kevin Shinnors was alert with two great saves, the second one from Tomas Ryan from close range in the 52nd minute, but Ryan was on hand to score a minute later.

With more Boherlahan pressure the hard-working Kilruane defended well with Niall O’Meara immense and well assisted by Aaron Morgan, James Cleary, Rob Austin, and Eoin Hogan and in their usual break from defence they created another scoring opportunity with Jerome Cahill and Seamus Hennessy combining for Niall O’Meara to step up and score a point. Hennessy added a point in the 56th minute which had Kilruane five in front for the first time.

With full time approaching, Boherlahan pressed again and Eoin McLoughney’s close range free kept them close, but Kilruane were determined to mind their lead and might have increased it had Mathew Spain’s free not come back off the upright, but it didn’t matter.

TEAMS - Kilruane MacDonaghs: Kevin Shinnors (7): Rob Austin (7), Eoin Hogan (7), Oisin O’Meara (7); Kevin Oakley (7), Niall O’Meara (8), Aaron Morgan (8); Kian O’Kelly (6), Sean McAdams (8); Matthew Moyles (6), Carl Williams (6), Delvin Courtney (6); Matthew Spain (8), Seamus Hennessey (8), Cian Darcy (7).

Subs: Jerome Cahill (7) for Moyles (HT), James Cleary (7) for Courtney (HT), Conor Austin (7) for Oakley (HT); Ross Austin (7) for Oisin O’Meara (36); Nathan Lynch (6) for Kelly (48).

Boherlahan-Dualla: Darragh Lacey (7); Ned Ryan (6), Tomas Bourke (6), Laurance Devane (6); Euan Ryan (7), Brian Carrig (7), John Ryan (8); Cathal Darcy (7), Niall O’Dwyer (7); James Murphy (6), Colm O’Dwyer (6), Mark Downey (6); Eoin McLoughney (8), Seamus Leahy (7), Tomas Ryan (7).

Subs: James Kirby (7) for Murphy (HT); Cian Mac Bearthagra (7) for C O’Dwyer (39); Padraig Ryan (6) for Downey (48); Niall Manton (6) for Leahy (55); Brendan O’Connor (NR) for T Ryan (58).

Referee: Padraig Skeffington (Cashel KC)