Dazzling Kilanerin
Marksmen in fine form under lights
KILANERIN SARSFIELDS 0-21 1-9
KILANERIN’S MARKSMEN dazzled under their impressive floodlights on Saturday as they chalked up an impressive haul of 21 points on the way to a clearcut win over Sarsfields in this Greenstar Under-20 football Premier championship first round tie.
The home side had the bare 15 to work with, but it was a strong outfit all the same given that seven of them have represented the county at under-age level in the past two years.
Páraic Hughes, Seán Forde and Michael Molloy are all part of Paul Galvin’s Senior training squad at present too, and their combined influence was considerable as
Kilanerin booked their place in the Premier ‘A’ quarter-final.
The last eight of Premier ‘B’ beckons instead for the Sars and, while they were undoubtedly second-best, they will still reflect on the fact that goalscorer Conor Kehoe might have notched a hat-trick.
His finish to the far top corner of the net in the 15th minute was sublime, after playing a one-two near the left endline, but he opted for power over placement twice near the end and was frustrated to see his shots striking the woodwork.
Kilanerin thundered into the game, and they were already 0-5 to nil up after 13 minutes thanks to Seán Forde (two frees), Conor Hughes and Michael Molloy (free and play) before Kehoe rattled their net at the end of the opening quarter.
That was just a temporary blip, though, and with the home side cleaning up on the opposition’s kick-outs, they deservedly led by 0-12 to 1-2 at the break after further points from Molloy (two), Forde (two frees), Páraic Hughes (two) and Seán Bardon.
Shane Hall and Andrew Harrington had pointed for the Sars, but Kilanerin drove home their superiority on the re-start with the first two scores from Molloy and Conor Hughes.
It was 0-20 to 1-4 by the three-quarters mark, and it was perhaps understandable that the leaders would ease up somewhat on a night when both sets of mentors moved their starting goalkeepers to outfield positions.
The Sars did cause their rivals some anxious moments late on, with new netminder Pat O’Connor making one vital save to turn a Lee Donohue shot over the bar.
Their best forward, Conor Kehoe, hit the bar and then the post, and they reeled off five points on the bounce from Kehoe (free), Cillian Gahan, Andrew Harrington, Donohue and Liam Cassin before Joe Curtis had the last word for Kilanerin with an injury-time score.
Kilanerin: Robert Murphy; Pat O’Connor, Cathal O’Reilly (capt.), Ben Morris; Jason Bolger, Ben O’Connor, Paddy D’Arcy; Seán Bardon (0-1), Páraic Hughes (0-4); Conor Hughes (0-2), Seán Forde (0-4 frees), Conor Kinsella; Matthew Healy, Michael Molloy (0-9, 3 frees), Joe Curtis (0-1).
Sarsfields: James Crean; Lee Donohue (0-1), Dáire Reville, Liam Cassin (0-1); Shane Hall (0-1), Conall Ó Crualaoich (capt.), Shane Bergin; Cathal Kirwan, Seán Kelly-Komolafe; Andrew Harrington (0-3, 1 free), Cillian Gahan (0-1), Gary Carroll; Conor Kehoe (1-2, 0-1 free), Conall Clancy, Ben Hynes. Subs. - Jake Clancy for Carroll (50), Cillian Boggan for Hynes (50).
Referee: Paddy Brady (Réalt na Mara).