Jack’s the lad for the Vols

KILMORE VOLUNTEERS 0-10 0-10 KILMORE HAD victory snatched from their grasp when Jack O’Leary pointed a free two minutes from the end to hand Volunteers a late draw in this lack-lustre Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group B game in Taghmon.

Kilmore appeared to have done enough to secure an opening round victory but they eventually paid the penalty for their over-indulgence in attack, leading to an inability to turn their possession into scores. As a result the Vols grabbed a lifeline, coming from two points adrift to force a share of the spoils.

Volunteers started at pace, going into a quick twopoint lead through Luke Dowdall and Keith Kearney before Kilmore managed to open their account with a fifth-minute Kevin Keating point. One minute later a fine Alan Jones individual effort had the sides level (0-2 each).

After Jack O’Leary had kicked two long-range points, Kilmore stepped up a gear as Daithí Moore pointed three frees to go with efforts from Kevin Keating and Denis Kenny to lead by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval, with O’Leary adding a late Vols free.

The town team opened the second-half impressively, kicking three unanswered points through Aaron McGuire, Luke Dowdall and an O’Leary free to lead by 0-8 to 0-7 after 36 minutes.

Kilmore managed to up their game, going on to control the following 15 minutes and adding points from Aaron Goff, Kevin Casey (free) and Daithí Moore (free) to lead by 0-10 to 0-8.

Despite a monopoly of possession they failed to score again, mainly through an unwillingness to take on responsibility from a poor attacking unit. As a result the Vols took full advantage with that late two-point surge to gain a deserved point, with their battling qualities rewarded.

Kilmore: Kevin Casey (0-1 free); Conor Power, Shane Cousins, Peter Shannon; Martin Frayne, Denis Kenny (0-1), Aaron Kielty; Rory Cardiff, Kevin Keating (0-2); Eoin Cooney, Daithí Moore (0-4 frees), Alan Jones (0-1); Aaron Goff (0-1), Conor Moore, Mark Sinnott.

Volunteers: John Coady; Anthony Walsh, Paudge Brennan, Brian Delaney; Brian Sheridan, Ben McMahon, Michael Lawlor; Keith Furlong, Cian Rossiter; Cian Brennan, Jack O’Leary (0-5, 3 frees), Aaron McGuire (0-1); Luke Dowdall (0-2), Keith Kearney (0-1), Jason Kearns (0-1). Subs. - Mick Murphy for Rossiter, Paddy Glover for Walsh (black card), Peter Walsh for McGuire, Ciarán Hillery for Kearney, inj.

Referee: Francis Neville (Shelmaliers).