Fagan’s late goal wins it for Kilkerley

A late James Fagan goal gave Kilkerley a win by the narrowest of margins but O’Connells will feel they should have got something from the game especially after their second half performance.

Shane Lennon opened the scoring for the home team and made it two a couple of minutes later. Dean Stanfield got the visitors on the board with a point but on the Emmets next attack James Fagan cut in along the end line and his shot was well saved by the O’Connell’s keeper but the rebound fell to Sean Hand who drove it to the net.

Things got no better for the Bellingham team as the home side were awarded a penalty a minute later when Lennon was pulled down in the area but his spot kick was well saved by Sean Connolly. Hand increased the Kilkerley lead with a point and a couple a minutes later things went from bad to worse for the visitors as another penalty was awarded when Lennon again was this time tripped in the small square and he made no mistake this time from the spot kick.

Lennon added another point from a free to put his team nine points in front after 15 minutes.

O’Connells settled in the closing stages of the half and reduced the gap to 2-7 to 0-6 at the break.

The visitors got off to a flyer at the start of the second half when from the throw in, Sean Cairns found Conlon who in turn passed to Doyle and he blasted to the net. On 43 minutes Stuart Reynolds picked out Doyle who fired in a second goal to level the game.

Reynolds put the visitors ahead for the first time a minute later with a well taken point and a well worked point from Conlon put the O’Connell’s two ahead with under three minutes to go.

With a minute to go a long ball in was caught by Lennon and with him being surrounded by O’Connell’s defenders he somehow got a pass to James Fagan and he shot to the net to put the home side one in front. The visitors threw everything forward to get the equaliser, but time ran out and they were left with nothing to show for their excellent second half performance. KILKERLEY EMMETS: Darren Meehan; Niall Mulholland, Emmet Hughes, Barry McCarthy; Michael McGeown, Alan McGeough, Ciaran Clarke; Ciaran Bellew, Andrew McGuill; Cathal Bellew, James Fagan 1-0, Sean McElroy; Sean Hand 1-1, Shane Lennon 1-9(P,2f), Rian Hand. Sub: Conall McEneaney for R Hand.

O’CONNELLS: Sean Connolly; John McLoughlin, PJ Tuite, Jason Carroll; Salem Rifaie, Paul McKeever 0-2, Jackie Agnew; Sean Cairns, Dean Stanfield 0-2; Conor Culligan, John Flanagan, Conor McGill; Niall Conlon 0-2, Cian Doyle 2-5 (3f), Stuart Reynolds 0-1. Subs: Emmet Byrne for J McLoughlin, Evan Caldwell for C Culligan, Keith Woods for J Carroll (BC), Robert Quigley for C McGill (BC), Ciaran O’Brien for J Flanagan.