Kilmore hold on to second
Roche’s excellence in vain
THE RESPECTIVE positions in the table were reflected in the outcome in Fr. Murphy Park, Enniscorthy, on Saturday when second-placed Kilmore outscored the fourth qualifier from Group A of the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship, Geraldine O’Hanrahans, by 1-4 to 0-1 in the closing ten minutes to claim another victory.
The two sides were through to the quarter-finals beforehand as the Barrowsiders had won both head-to-heads against the teams below them, but not even the heroics of full-forward Shane Roche could inspire them to spring a surprise.
The ex-Wexford attacker gave an exhibition of finishing, with eight of his ten-point haul arriving from play, but Kilmore weren’t as reliant on just one player to do the business as their eight marksmen included both corner-backs, Rob and Tommy Cousins.
Their strength in the air saw them claim nine marks, with the majority coming from Paddy Byrne, and they also had a firstclass finisher in centre-forward Daithí Moore who tucked away a second-half hat-trick.
Four points on the trot between the tenth and 16th minutes from Aaron Goff, Rob Cousins, Kevin Keating and a Moore free saw Kilmore open up a 0-6 to 0-2 gap, and they were always shaping as likely winners from that stage onwards.
The margin remained the same at half-time (9-5), with stand-in Geraldines netminder Robbie Vallejo making a fine save to deny Tom Byrne a goal, and then doing likewise to foil Tommy Cousins and Noel Casey on the re-start.
The ex-Wexford defender manned the posts for the second game running as he is only on the way back after a broken leg, so it was a positive sign for mentors to see him moving outfield for the final 20 minutes and coming through unscathed.
Before that happened though, he was beaten for a couple of goals by Daithí Moore in the 35th and 38th minutes.
The centre-forward tucked the ball under his body from a Tom Byrne pass after the Geraldines lost possession cheaply, and the gap was stretched to 2-11 to 0-7 when a Paddy Byrne mark started a move that also featured Tom Byrne and Kevin Keating before Moore coolly picked his spot again.
To their credit, Geraldine O’Hanrahans rallied well midway through the half with a haul of 1-4 without reply. Not surprisingly, all of the points came from the prolific Shane Roche, and the goal arrived in the 51st minute when a low, raking ball from the right by Diarmuid Kehoe was deflected past Shane Cassidy by substitute Brian Haberlin (2-11 to 1-11).
That was the jolt Kilmore needed to remind them that the job wasn’t quite done just yet, but they duly took care of business as Tom White and Tommy Cousins picked off points before Paddy Byrne won a throw-in close to the opposition posts and fed Daithí Moore for his third goal.
The seasiders will now face Clongeen in the quarter-final, while the Geraldines will take on Volunteers.
Kilmore: Shane Cassidy; Rob Cousins (0-2), Willie Carley, Tommy Cousins (0-1); Conor Moore, Denis Kenny, Aaron Kielthy; Paddy Byrne, Tom White (0-1); Tom Byrne (0-4), Daithí Moore (3-3, 0-2 frees), Shane Goff (0-1); Aaron Goff (0-2), Noel Casey; Kevin Keating (0-1). Subs. - Thomas Kinsella for Keating (50), Thomas Carley for T. Byrne (60+4).
Geraldine O’Hanrahans: Robbie Vallejo; Enda Kelly, Conor Cleere, Barry Kelly; Diarmuid Kehoe, Matt Crowdle, Eoin Kelly; Dylan Egan (01), Michael Cleere; Jack Foran, David Crowdle, Ben Walsh; Ned Connors, Shane Roche (0-10, 2 frees), Barry Roche (0-1). Subs. - David Merrigan for B. Kelly (40), Brian Haberlin (1-0) for Connors (44).
Referee: Aidan Foley (Shelmaliers).