Kilrush stroll to victory
KILRUSH 1-11 NAOMH EANNA 0-4
KILRUSH WERE far too superior for Naomh Eanna’s second-string as they strolled to a 1-11 to 0-4 victory in the second round of the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship Group A at mild Monamolin on Sunday.
A largely lethargic opening saw neither side trouble the scoreboard at all until the twelfth minute when the excellent Shane Tomkins pointed from Pádraig Byrne’s assist.
Seán Bookey teed up Seán Kirwan to double their total before Gorey pounced for two successive scores for the only time.
Cian Kenny had struck the post from an initial point attempt before Barry Levingston mopped up the rebound, while wing-back Evan O’Dwyer got forward to kick a fine equaliser after some groundwork from veteran Michael Molloy.
But Kilrush held the advantage at the end of a mundane first-half lacking in few talking-points after Tom Kavanagh left them 0-3 to 0-2 to the good by the interval.
The victors had twice as many wides as scores by that juncture, but in fairness they sharpened up a lot after the break to compile a double-figure gap.
Still, Levingston brought Naomh Eanna level briefly after a brilliant kick-pass from Gearóid Cullen, but Kilrush registered 1-5 without reply to end the game as a contest.
Tomkins pointed off his right foot on 39 minutes, substitute Gavin Sunderland scored not long after his introduction, Tomkins pointed in his stride, while Sunderland increased the gap to 0-7 to 0-3 by the end of the third quarter.
Kirwan profited from Levingstone’s set-up a minute later, and when Tommy Devereux was impeded after a venture forward, he coolly rolled home the subsequent penalty to bring Kilrush’s tally to 1-8 with eight minutes remaining.
Cullen struck a consolation point for the losers, before Kilrush finished in some style through late settlers from Tomkins, P.J. Nolan and Tom Kavanagh.
Kilrush: Jack Nolan; Garrett O’Connor, Frank Lancaster, Jim Sharry; Peter O’Neill, James Lancaster, Tom Kavanagh (0-2); Shane Tomkins (0-4), Colm Buttle; Seán Bookey, James Byrne, Tom Byrne; Seán Kirwan (0-2), Conor Levingstone, Pádraig Byrne. Subs. - P.J. Nolan (0-1) for T. Byrne (38), Billy Nolan for Bookey (40), Gavin Sunderland (0-2) for P. Byrne (42), Tommy Devereux (1-0 pen.) for J. Lancaster, inj. (42), Fionn Fortune for Levingstone (50), John Kavanagh for Tomkins (58).
Naomh Eanna: Cillian Donohoe; John Lillis, Seán Dowling, Micheál Kennedy; John Doyle, Daniel Sunderland, Evan O’Dwyer (0-1); Cian Kenny, Michael Molloy; Ryan Higgins, Gearóid Cullen (0-1), Dara McDonald; Barry Levingston (0-2), Eamonn Doyle, Seán Delaney. Subs. - Eoin McGuckin for Higgins, temp. (22-27), Martin O’Donnell for E. Doyle (44), McGuckin for Dowling (44), Alan McPartlan for Higgins (55), Patrick Dwyer for Delaney (55), Mikey Cushe for Levingston (55).
Referee: Shane Quinn (Réalt na Mara).