Kilanerin dismiss Fintan’s
KILANERIN ST. FINTAN’S 1-10 1-7
KILANERIN EDGED out St. Fintan’s in their quarter-final encounter of the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
While Kilanerin were in the driving seat for the majority of the tie, they failed to ever put the Ballymore/Mayglass side away and could have been punished for it late on.
After a quick start which saw St. Fintan’s take a 3-2 lead through Pádraig Doyle, Niall Moore and Donal Shanley, scoring seemed to almost grind to a halt for a 20-minute spell.
The exception to this was a quick Kilanerin flurry in the 15th minute, when Matty Forde and Peter Hughes pointed in quick succession to swing the scoreboard in their favour.
Yet, it was Kilanerin’s closing of the first-half which laid the solid foundations which only really needed protecting, rather than expanding upon, after the break.
Four very late minors, a brace from Bobby Hughes and singles from Niall Hughes and Dean O’Toole, gave Kilanerin a four-point lead almost out of nowhere (0-8 to 0-4).
The first score after the re-start was crucial for the eventual winners. Niall Hughes blasted a penalty kick into the top right corner after Bobby Hughes was fouled.
St. Fintan’s response wasn’t exceptional but a double from Shanley before Conor Sinnott’s point from distance did narrow the deficit.
Brendan Hobbs scored Kilanerin’s first minor of the half in the 53rd minute before Cathal O’Brien finished low, picking up the pieces from a breaking high ball, to make for an exciting climax.
With the south county side pushing and within touching distance of Kilanerin, who really could have been home and dry by this point, the next score was to be vital.
Dean O’Toole held his nerve over a dead-ball to kick his third, and the game’s final score as Kilanerin advanced to the last four.
Kilanerin: Tom Hughes; Aidan Jones, Brendan Hobbs (0-1), Rhys Owley; Richard Hughes, Colm Kavanagh (capt.), Gavin O’Toole; Niall Breen, Niall Hughes (1-1); Gearóid O Súilleabháin, Matty Forde (0-1 free), Mark Boland (0-1); Peter Hughes (01), Dean O’Toole (0-3, 1 free), Bobby Hughes (0-2, 1 free). Subs. - Tommy Boland for Forde (32), Mark Gethings for O’Sullivan (39), Denis Jones for B. Hughes (56).
St. Fintan’s: Patrick McDonnell (capt.); Jimmy Staples, Frank Staples, Brian Lacey; Jim Rossiter, Kevin Day, Pádhraic Rossiter; Pádraig Doyle (0-1), Robert Coakley; Eoin O’Callaghan, Paddy Keane, Donal Shanley (0-4, 2 frees); Niall Moore (0-1), Conor Sinnott (0-1), Cathal O’Brien (1-0). Subs. - Darragh Wright for O’Callaghan (45), David Moore for Keane (51), Joey Wadding for Doyle (54), Brendan Hughes for Day (60).
Referee: Fintan O’Reilly (Kilmore).