Two late goals foil Duffry’s bid
Kilanerin remain unbeaten
KILANERIN DUFFRY ROVERS 3-12 2-8
LATE GOALS from Dean O’Toole and Gearóid O Súilleabháin ensured that Kilanerin maintained their unbeaten run in the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group B at St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday.
There was just one point (1-11 to 2-7) separating the sides as the game ticked into the 57th minute and, in truth, the Coolree outfit were probably just shading the game at the time. However, with experience comes composure.
It only took one clinical move, one joined-up bit of thinking and classy string of play to put away the Duffry.
It came down the right with substitute Peter Hughes doing the hard work, committing defenders. He found Matty Forde and his quick hands put it on a plate for Dean O’Toole who couldn’t miss from six yards out.
Niall Breen was a colossus for Kilanerin throughout and it was his industry that set up the goal that put the icing on the cake. Gearóid O Súilleabháin still had plenty to do but he slalomed his way in on goal and fired across Bobby Larkin to the net. Game over.
Kilanerin looked to have more about them in the first-half. They did things just a little crisper than their opponents. When Bobby Hughes was fouled in the act of shooting in the fifth minute, Niall Hughes stepped up and calmly slotted home the resulting penalty.
The Duffry were 1-3 to nil down and had rarely threatened in the opening 13 minutes. However, they were gifted a way back into the game when Donie O’Connor latched onto a misplaced pass and fed Tim Bowler who burst through to net.
With O’Toole and Forde on target, Kilanerin steadied the ship and moved 1-6 to 1-1 ahead. Still, the Duffry possess great pace in their team and when Robert Frayne thundered in from the right to fire home a second goal nobody was going to stop him.
There was two points between the sides at the interval (1-8 to 2-3), but Kilanerin managed just three points against the light breeze before O’Toole struck in the 57th minute.
At the other end Aidan Byrne scored a superb point to narrow the gap to one with nine minutes left, but his side missed three good chances either side of that score and they never managed to get level.
Kilanerin will secure their spot in the last eight if St. Mary’s (Maudlintown) beat Bannow-Ballymitty in their back fixture. Regardless of that result, both of these sides should have no problems making the quarter-finals in due course.
Kilanerin: Tom Hughes; Richard Hughes, Tomás Owley, Aidan Jones (0-1); Brendan Hobbs, Colm Kavanagh (capt.), Gavin O’Toole; Niall Hughes (1-0 pen.), Niall Breen; Gearóid O Súilleabháin (1-0), Matty Forde (0-5, 2 frees), Bobby Hughes (0-3); Mark Boland, Dean O’Toole (12), Tommy Boland (0-1). Sub. - Peter Hughes for T. Boland (46).
Duffry Rovers: Bobby Larkin; Liam Pender, Donie Doyle, Feargal Kenny; Aidan Byrne (capt., 0-1), Paul Nolan (0-1), Thomas Dunne; Eamonn Doyle (0-1 free), Stephen Watchorn (0-1); Robert Frayne (1-2), Tim Bowler (10), John Dunne; Cian Fitzhenry (0-1 free), Donie O’Connor (0-1), Gavin Watchorn. Subs. - Matty Flynn-O’Connor for Doyle, black card (22), Alan O’Neill for J. Dunne (60).
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).