Point secures replay
S Kilanerin in very entertaining decider
netted again just 43 mark kick-started the Nolan also centrally . Lehane slotted the of Tom Hughes to ead. ward to make it 2-3 to ensured that Kilanerin on level terms. m play was a thing of all Hughes crossfield n the bounce with a turning and splitting utside of his boot. Malone was booked one of his nephews, an who first played h Kilanerin in 1996 pointed free. e sole score of the at didn’t come from of the flowing nature e low free count (8-7 reak). ut the Shels ahead ds into the new period Malone, but the next Kilanerin as fortunes nd then the other. uns were involved in áraic Hughes setting Niall Hughes then put t from a Peter Hughes nute. made a vital intercepalone from setting up nce with a handpass, n provided the assist de it 1-9 to 2-4 midway arter. followed was quite e more compelling all, the Shels scored reply; then Kilanerin answered 1-2; and, n of the Shels again e last three points to y in a Senior football s. n eye on history will note that the Kilanerin jubilee team honoured at half-time for their 1993 success also required a replay on that occasion to see off Sarsfields.
They were the second club team to win the Senior crown at the first attempt, and a third such feat remains a 50-50 possibility after this fine contest.
By the same token, the Shels supporters won’t need reminding that their sole Senior hurling title to date also came after a second meeting in 2014.
Hostilities will be resumed at 3.45 p.m. on Saturday, and there’s sure to be a few ‘spies’ from future Leinster opponents, St. Peter’s of Dunboyne, added to the attendance after they defeated Summerhill to clinch a first Meath title since 2005 in Navan on Sunday.
For the record, Shelmaliers kicked nine of the game’s 16 wides, and were awarded 21 of the 35 frees.
Shelmaliers: James Gordon; Ciarán O’Shaughnessy, James Cash, Andre O’Brien; Simon Donohoe (1-4), Glen Malone, Graham Staples; Eoghan Nolan (0-1), Brian Malone (0-1); Jody Donohoe, Eoin Doyle (capt., 0-2), Ross Banville; A.J. Lehane (1-0), Craig McCabe (0-3 frees), Conor Hearne. Subs. - Seán Keane-Carroll for Hearne (40), Aidan Cash for J. Donohoe (51), Páraic O’Leary for Banville (58), also Graham Lawler-Ryan, Dan Campbell, Cian Manley, Brian Murphy, Thomas Barron, Liam Rockett, Conor Walsh, Craig Parker, Eoin O’Leary, Robbie Staples.
Kilanerin: Tom Hughes; Rhys Owley, Colm Kavanagh, Aidan Jones (capt.); Mark Boland, Gavin O’Toole, Denis Jones; Niall Hughes (1-3), Niall Breen; Páraic Hughes, Seán Forde (0-1), Peter Hughes (0-1); Dean O’Toole, Matty Forde (1-6, 0-2 frees), Conor Devitt. Subs. - Mark Gethings for D. Jones, black card (43), Bobby Hughes for Peter Hughes, inj. (47), Emmet O’Toole for S. Forde (47), Ben O’Connor for N. Hughes, temp. (57-58), O’Connor for D. O’Toole, inj. (60), Edward Hughes for G. O’Toole, inj. (60+3), also Stephen Hughes, Lee Owley, Patrick Fortune, Richard Hughes, Gearóid Ó Súilleabháin, Cathal O’Reilly.
Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).