O’Brien and Coughlan inspired Kildorrery miss out in six goal thriller

Aghada 3-21 Kildorrery 3-18

THE meeting of Aghada and Kildorrery was a thriller in the Co IHC at Rathcormac on Saturday.

There was very little between them all through with the sides level three times. Aghada opened well when when Aaron Stafford put John Looney in for a goal. Kildorrery recovered quickly with points by Peter and Andrew O’Brien.

Will Leahy was very impressive for the winners at centre forward having two rapid points. By the 11th minute Aghada led 1-4 to 0-5. The ‘Hill’ hit two wides before Leahy with a brilliant point after good play by Ronan Kennedy and Cian Fleming gave his side a goal lead 1-5 to 0-5.

Shane O’Neill and Ronan Kennedy swopped a point. James Keating had a very good point for Kildorrery. A foul on Will Leahy led to a pointed free by Cian Fleming 1-7 to 0- 7.

In the 18th minute Fleming pointed from play. Kildorrery had a long range point by Sean Kelly. They forced level in ther 22nd minute. Stephen Coughlan cut through but Trevor O’Keeffe made a massive save with the rebound falling kindly to Andrew O’Brien who kicked to the net 1-8 each.

The winners were quick to get the lead when Cian Fleming pointed a free. The ‘Hill’ hit the front when James O’Sullivan worked well for Stephen Coughlan who goaled. John Looney replied with a point. James Keating broke up a good Aghada attack. However the East Cork side forced level when John Looney pointed in the 30th minute 2-8 to 1- 11.

Stephen Coughlan with an injury time point gave Kildorrery a point lead at the break. On the resumption impressive Stephen O’Keeffe put Cian Fleming in for a well taken goal. Aghada played good combined hurling and took some very good scores moving 2-13 to 2- 9 clear.

Kildorrery with points by the O’Brien brothers battled hard, they trailed by three points for a period and moved five in arrears when Will Leahy and John Looney pointed 2-17 to 2- 12.

Good play by Kildorrery saw Eamonn O’Connor goal and they were level when William Fouhy and Eamonn O’Connor had points 2-17 to 3-14. Kildorrery lost key defender Michael Walsh to a red card. Aghada edged ahead through Leahy.

Peter O’Brien pointed a ‘65 with Will Leahy making it 2-20 to 3-15 by the 52nd minute. Shane Fitzgerald landed a long range point for Kildorrery. In the 58th minute good play by Billy Hennessy found John Looney who goaled. Eamonn O’Connor replied with a point.

In injury time Pearse O’Neill and Peter O’Brien exchanged a point that was followed by the final whistle.

AGHADA: T O’Keeffe, T Hartnett, J O’Donoghue, D Rice, B Hennessy, T O’Neill, S Wall, S O’Keeffe 0-2, A Stafford, J McDonald, W Leahy 0-7, R Kennedy 0-1, K O’Hanlon, J Looney 2-4, C Fleming 1-6 (0-4f) Subs: P O’Neill 0-1 for K O’Hanlon, K O’Donoghue for A Stafford, G Melvin for D Rice, J P O’Connor for T Hartnett, T Hartnett for B Hennessy (inj)

KILDORRERY: I Butler, C O’Baoill, S Fitzgerald 0-1, S Kelly 0-1, T Monaghan, M Walsh, W Coffey, J Keating 0-1, J O’Sullivan, J McCarthy, P O’Brien 0-7 (0-3f, 0-1 ‘65’), S O’Neill 0-1, S Coughlan 1-1, A O’Brien 1-3, D Kent Subs: W Fouhy 0-1 for D Kent, E O’Connor 1-2 for J McCarthy, R McEniry for S Coughlan