Champions Knocknagree have too much for Cullen

Knocknagree 2-14 Cullen 0-10

KNOCKNAGREE’S hold of the E Tarrant and Sons Skoda Duhallow Junior A Football Championship shows no sign of weakening after an emphatic victory over Cullen at the semi final stage in Boherbue last Thursday evening.

A first half surge emerged central to the win, Knocknagree displaying superior class and teamwork to control a game that the defending champions never looked like slipping up. At their best in the opening half, Knocknagree performed with an intensity that had last season’s defeated finalists Cullen reeling from the onslaught.

Cullen flattered to deceive, offering a disappointing show from a side who had come within touching distance last summer of upstaging the holders, simply on this occasion, they held little answers of upsetting the favourites.

In fairness, Cullen did improve on the restart, holding Knocknagree scoreless during the third quarter yet they didn’t possess the necessary penetration in attack to make this contest more interesting.

From the outset, Knocknagree warmed to their task on points to Michael Mahoney, Eoin McSweeney and Fintan O’Connor. Their hand was strengthened in the seventh minute, championship 17 year old debutant Mahoney won a great ball to feed James Dennehy for Anthony O’Connor to net.

For a spell, Cullen pulled their game together and points from Colin O’Leary and Alan Regan left two between the sides. Still Knocknagree looked sharp and focused, Seán Daly, Tadgh Long and Kealan Buckley inspired confidence in defence as did Padraig Collins and Danny Cooper at midfield.

Sure to please Knocknagree too was the productivity of their attack, all six forwards on the scoresheet in the opening half.

At times, the Cullen defence lived a charmed existence, only stout defending and fine goalkeeping from Fachtna O’Connor denied O’Connor and Cooper in quick succession.

With superb combined play, the champions did add a second goal, James Dennehy’s probing delivery saw Matthew Dilworth break the ball into the path of O’Connor to blast home from close range.

A shellshocked Cullen did answer, further Knocknagree points from McSweeney and O’Connor answered by Tomás O’Keeffe yet they faced a mountain to climb on trailing 2-10 to 0-6 at the break.

In fairness, Cullen brought about an improvement to their game on the restart through the rallying efforts of the O’Sullivan brothers, Regan, Michael Twomey and substitute David Murphy. Enjoying plenty of possession, points to Tomás O’Keeffe, Regan and Murphy left two goals between the sides by the 40th minute.

That spurt appeared to make the contest more interesting yet Cullen failed to add to the scoreboard for the remainder of the proceedings. Sensing a fightback was on the cards, Knocknagrree upped themselves a gear again, the well oiled machine brought one eyecatching and productive move, initiated by Fintan O’Connor involving Cooper and Matthew Dilworth saw O’Connor take a return pass to split the uprights.

The pace of the game had dropped, Knocknagree put matters beyond the reach of the challengers with Anthony O’Connor and McSweeney adding points to secure a passage to a fourth consecutive final against Boherbue or Dromtariffe.

KNOCKNAGREE: P Doyle; J Carroll, S Daly, G O’Connor; T Long, K Buckley, P O’Connor; D Cooper, P Collins; M Mahoney 0-1, M Dilworth 0-1, E McSweeney 0-4; J Dennehy 0-1, A O’Connor 2-5(0-4f), F O’Connor 0-2 Subs: A Sheehan for Carroll, K Daly for Collins, D Murphy for McSweeney

CULLEN: F O’Connor; D D Hickey, P O’Sullivan, D Hickey; C Moynihan, A Regan 0-2, D Twomey; S Fleming, J O’Sullivan; C O’Leary 0-2, D Twomey, M Twomey; G Twomey, T O’Keeffe 0-5(0-4f), A Meade Subs: C Kerins for Moynihan, C Dineen for J O’Connor(inj), D Murphy 0-1 for G Twomey, M O’Riordan for D Twomey.

REFEREE: D Casey (Scartiglin)