Tom does the trick
Horeswood pip Kilmore with late goal
HORESWOOD 4-5 KILMORE 0-16
TOM DEMPSEY poked home a winning goal in the second minute of additional time as Horeswood battled back to beat Kilmore and claim the New Ross Standard Under-13 Division 5 football championship crown in Taghmon.
It was a fitting end to a topsy-turvy game in which both sides held leads but neither ever looked comfortable.
As the scoreline suggests, Horeswood relied heavily on their ability to conjure up a goal just when it was needed, so it was no surprise when Dempsey pounced after Lewis Cosgrave had initially saved Robert Foley’s effort.
Not that it was over there, as Kilmore had scored eleven points in the second-half and they at- tacked immediately looking for the equaliser.
However, like all great teams do, Horeswood produced their best defensive efforts for those last moments and they forced an off-balance shot which drifted wide.
It was going to be a harsh ending for whichever side lost this game, but Kilmore can be proud of their effort.
They still have the Division 4 hurling shield final to come, so they can end the season on a high, and if they can reproduce their effort level from this contest they will do just fine.
The first-half gave no real indication of what was to come, as it was a tight and tense affair.
Horeswood had the breeze but managed just three first period points from William Foley (two) and Rory Hunt.
Kilmore were carrying the ball against the elements at the other end and winning frees, and Noah Culleton kicked five of them as they moved into a 0-5 to 0-3 interval advantage.
Yet, it took Cormac Shannon just seconds after the resumption to solo through and rattle the net and it started a breathless second-half.
Stefan Bates and Killian Sinnott raised white flags at the other end, but when Shannon kicked his second major in the 39th minute his side led by 2-4 to 0-8.
Kilmore responded and a Conor O’Reilly point put them into the lead again, only for Robert Foley to sneak home his side’s third goal with ten minutes left (3-5 to 0-11).
Kilmore found it in them to respond with a David O’Reilly point and four-in-a-row from Culleton, but Tom Dempsey’s late major won it for the New Ross District club.
That’s a memorable double now for Horeswood, as they add the Division 5 football title to the Division 3 hurling shield they won previously with a 4-3 to 2-2 success against District rivals Fethard in Gusserane.
Horeswood: Conor Lyng; Tomás Cummins, Callum Murphy, Adam Kavanagh (capt.); Sam Cummins, Jason Roberts, Keelan Fuhrmann; Tom Dempsey (1-0), William Foley (0-4, 3 frees); Ben Parker, Cormac Shannon (2-0), Dion Whitty; Richard Rice, Rory Hunt (0-1), Mark O’Leary. Subs. (rolling) - Robert Foley (1-0), Joe Byrne, Seán Óg Lyng, Darragh Breen, also Conor O’Leary, Cian Crosbie.
Kilmore: Lewis Cosgrave; Mark Kelly, James Cloney, Jake Scallan; Dylan Hore, Leo Sinnott, Joseph Healy; David O’Reilly (capt., 0-1), James Cousins; Noah Culleton (0-11, 9 frees, 2 ’45s), Stefan Bates (0-2), Killian Sinnott (0-1); Eoin Cheevers, Conor O’Reilly (0-1), Tadhg Rowe. Subs. (rolling) - Darragh Mythen, John Rochford, Aaron Dempsey, Seán Lowry, Conor Keating, Luca Raftery, Sam Fortune, Mark Kelly, Mark Roche.
Referee: Seán Whelan (St. Martin’s).