Kilmore leave it late to snatch win
IT MAY have been a battle of two sides at the basement, but for Kilmore United it was a matter of getting the job done and this they managed to achieve as two late goals gave them all three points from bottom side Campile United in this Premier Division clash at Kilmore on Sunday morning.
But despite the end result, both sides left this game with more questions than answers as on the evidence of this showing they will face, along with a few more teams, a real battle to preserve their top-flight status.
It may be early in the season but this was a dour affair with little or no flowing football.
The long ball was the preferred option, as there was an inability from both sides to find a man with passing play. Both sides seemed to be hanging on for a point until the home side struck at the very end with two real sucker-punches.
There were few positives from the opening half as defensively both sides dominated, leaving the respective ’keepers with little to handle. Through that opening 45-minute spell there was hardly a direct shot on goal, with the best chance of breaking the deadlock falling to David Millar six minutes before the break.
Millar found himself clear in on goal but failed to hold his nerve as ’keeper John Bradley advanced, with the ball being smothered away to safety to leave it still deadlocked (0-0) at the interval.
Kilmore, in truth, could have asked more questions of the visitors on the resumption, as they controlled the opening 20 minutes of the second period. Apart from the runs and crosses of Alan Colgate coupled with the presence of Millar in front of goal, they carried little threat as their midfielders showed an inability to push forward to turn their possession into scores.
Millar came close with a couple of efforts to break the deadlock, but having kept their goal intact, Campile in the final quarter began to build some attacks, mainly through the influential play of veteran Johnny Keating.
Owen Rowe cut in from the left but delayed his shot, allowing ’keeper Kevin Keating to advance and smother his attempt on goal.
Really it was Rowe who single-handedly carried the threat up front for the visitors as centre-forward Eric Banville was drawn more into a midfield role in their efforts to wrest the initiative from the home side.
As the game approached the 90th minute there was little sign of the deadlock being broken. At this stage everyone seemed content that they would be settling for a point apiece when the game was transformed in a two-minute spell.
Right at the end of normal time, dangerous duo Millar and Colgate were involved. Millar picked out Colgate with a ball into the area and he kept his composure to fire low into the net.
Clearly shattered at the concession of the late goal, worse was to follow for Campile as they left substitute Graham Healy totally unmarked to head home a Millar cross at the far post, giving his side an amazing 2-0 victory in a game that for so long seemed destined to end scoreless.
Kilmore United: Kevin Keating, Fionn Byrne, Luke Jordan, Daniel Lambert, William Murphy, Gary Moore, Jeff Kearney, Jason Malone, David Millar, Darren Naughton, Alan Colgate. Subs. - Seán Hogan, Liam Shannon, Graham Healy, Ryan Bates.
Campile United: John Bradley, Ryan Harris, Kevin Parker, Dale Flynn, Adam Long, Thomas Kent, Johnny Keating, Jamie Myler, Eric Banville, Peter Bolger, Owen Rowe. Subs. - Emmet Daniels, Cian Gleeson.
Referee: Darren Ennis.