Winning start for Kildorrery in Intermediate championship opener

second minute Shane O’Neill set up the impressive Tom Monaghan for a goal with Eamonn O’Connor releasing Finbarr Stapleton who cut through the heart of the Glanmire rearguard in the 13th minute to score a great goal and it helped the Avondhu side surge into a 2-2 to 0-3 lead.

As the half went on the Glanmire defence tightened up greatly. At the otherend they were back in the contest within minutes when a delivery by Killian Burke saw Gerard O’Callaghan breach the Kildorrery backline for a goal.

The Glanmire outfit grew in stature from here with Alan Barry most effective at centre forward, he kicked a point from general play and a free over the next couple of minutes that reduced the margin to 2-2 to 1-5 by the 17th minute.

Glanmire continued to enjoy one of their best spells outscoring their opponents by three points to one over the next seven minutes their points by James Cussen, Anthony Garvey and Alan Barry with Shane O’Neill on target for Kildorrery 2-3 to 1-8.

Just when Glanmire looked in a great position it was Kildorrery that struck for their third goal in the 25th minute when Tom Monaghan who caused countless problems in the full forward line was upended in the square and a penalty awarded. The resultant spot kick by David Kelly was expertly finished to the net.

Further pressure saw Shane Fitzgerald, Tom Monaghan and Peter O’Brien with minors stretch their lead to 3-6 to 1-8 as the half time whistle approached. In injury time Alan Barry completed the first half scoring with a pointed free for the Imokilly side and in the process reduced the margin to six points at the interval.

For the second half Glanmire tried hard to get back on terms but it was Kildorrery that maintained a healthy lead. Alan Barry and James O’Sullivan traded an early point.

In the 43rd minute a quickly taken ‘45’ by Andrew O’Brien found Finbarr Stapleton who kicked over from long range. Tom Monaghan with another point at the mid way stage made it 3-9 to 1-10.

Kildorrery missed a chance to finish the issue when Finbarr Stapleton was denied a goal scoring chance when the Glanmire keeper Oisin Barry was called upon to make a splendid save off his line.

In the last ten minutes both teams traded four points each – the Kildorrery points by Stephen Coughlan (2) Tom Monaghan and Shane Fitzgerald while Alan Barry (2) James Murphy and Shane O’Driscoll had points for Glanmire.

In the end there was no denying Kildorrery who had some very good displays by Michael Walsh, Finbarr Stapleton, Shane Fitzgerald, Andrew O’Brien, James O’Sullivan, Peter O’Brien and Tom Monaghan their well merited victory