KILLAVULLEN

U13’S CLAIM COUNTY HONOURS WITH VICTORY OVER AHÁN GAELS

Killavullen made the very long journey on Saturday last, all of 84 kilometres to Enniskean to play the host team Ahán Gaels in the County final of the U13 grade. While the weather has been poor of late, it really does not excuse the preparation of the host club pitch, the grass was too long, and not gathered up after being cut recently, and worst again was the fact that no flags or lines were marked on the field for the game.

Killavullen started well enough, and while exchanges were tight, we did look to be the more accomplished team around the middle of the field. Joseph Cagney and Patrick O Grady were influential and with our half back line playing on the front foot, we got plentiful ball into our forwards.

The opening score came from a clever Jamie Magner free to Kian Lane before Ahán Gaels scored from a free as well. Jamie then got another point from play only for our opponents to equalise again after a soft free. The play was very slow on the dead ground and the long grass but, it was sensibly refereed by the young whistle blower, from Kilmurray. Jamie scored again after Niall Murray engineered a free and then, we got a real tonic when Jamie scored a lovely goal when his quick feet meant he eluded his marker. At the back, Donal Cronin repelled numerous attacks from the opposition, and managed to kick the ball out of danger on several occasions. Chris O Callaghan was very influential and nothing was able to get through to our alert net minder, Colm Hannon, deputising for the injured Charlie Cremin.

Kian Lane and Jamie again scored further points before the short whistle, while Ahán Gaels got a point from play from a delightful player that they had in the middle of the field. The score at the break was 1-05 to 0-03.

Ahán Gaels got the opening two points of the second period, and momentarily, we looked to be in danger. However Conor Breenan and Eoin O Hanlon came roaring into the game, Conor Breenan scampered down the line, his pass infield found Conor Sheehan, and he capped off a delightful move with a fine goal in the 8th minute of a 25 minute half. Nip and tuck now for a while, but Jamie Magner scored the next significant score with a goal in the 16th minute. Oisin Larkin never game up on a ball, and earned a free that Jamie converted, and then Ian O Mahony did something similar, that also earned free and again, Jamie was unerring.

Joe Cagney went box to box several times, and he plays with real intelligence, dropping back when necessary and attacking with dynamism which is why, I suppose the management team picked him as the captain at the onset of the year. Luke Carey and Jamie combined brilliantly for the former to score a lovely goal and we concluded our scoring with a delightful point from play from the accomplished Patrick O Grady and a free from Jamie.

Right at the death, Ahán Gaels got in for a goal that Colm very nearly kept out, but the power of the shot meant that it did go over the line.

At the final whistle, the cup was presented to Joseph Cagney, who thanked the management team of Redmond Lane, John Brennan and Stephen Carey, the opposition and the parents of the players for ferrying them about.

That same management team are to be commended for forging a very fine team together, mixing some outrageously gifted players with a steely determination of the entire team. It was very obvious to the fine crowd that travelled from North Cork that the team collective was very important to the team, they worked tirelessly for each other and that is a fine attribute to learn as a young player. A lot of the players had trained hard with the U14 team, and that certainly showed in this display today.

Well done all-round

The team and those who scored was; 1. Colm Hannon 2. Donal Cronin 3. Christopher O Callaghan 4. Conor Brennan 5. Kian Lane (0-02) 6. Eoin O Hanlon

7. Joseph Cagney 8. Patrick O Grady (0-01) 9. Conor Sheehan (1-00) 10. Oisin Larkin 11. Niall Murray 12. Jamie Magner (2-06)

13. Ian O Mahony Substitutes: 14. Luke Carey (100) for Ian O Mahony 15. Rory O Regan for Niall Murray 16. Niall Looney for Oisin Larkin

Just a small note about gracious hosts;

Ahán Gaels is the amalgamation of St. Marys GAA and Diarmuid O Mathuna’s GAA Club at underage level from U12 to Minor in both Hurling and Football. Drawing from the twin Villages of Ballineen & Enniskeane and Castletown/ Coppeen. our

ANOTHER COUNTY FINAL AT JUNIOR B GRADE BECKONS

Killavullen and Blarney served up an entertaining hour of hurling in glorious autumnal sunshine in the fine pitch of Eire Óg, in Ovens in the semi-final of the inter divisional Junior B Hurling championship. The game was played on Sunday last, the 29th.

Killavullen won out on a final score of 1-13 to 1-11 but would be concerned at the somewhat laboured methodology of the victory, it was forced and lacked real zip.

Blarney were first to score, in the 4th minute when they got in for a point. Jack O Connor though continues to impress and he got both of the opening points from play after working the space well for himself on both occasions in the 5th and 6th minutes. Blarney got their reply from a free in the 8th minute. Pa Egan then burst through the middle and drew the full back, popped the ball to Barthly Hayes who firmly planted the ball in the net for a significant score on the 10 minute mark.

But credit Blarney for their tenacious play, they were getting the blocks and tackles in, and we were not allowed to play with any fluidity. Blarney got two points back, from Frees in the 13th and 17th minute. Barry had a point for us, in between those scores on the 15th minute. Next Barry Murphy put over a sublime point from the corner, and further added to our advantage with another converted free after Charlie was fouled. Again Blarney brought us back with another point before Barry got another clever point, and then Eoghan Buckley, who was carrying an injury scored a point from an uncustomary corner forward berth for him. Charlie Lillis evaded his man on the half forward line and sent over a fine point. Blarney had another free to bring their tally to 0-05. Our total at the break was 1-08

Blarney made the game very much alive with a good goal of their own, and now it really was Game On. We huffed and puffed a little, but Blarney was bettering us at this stage in the scoring division, and drew level with another free in the 23rd minute. 1-10 apiece to both teams.

However the introduction of Gary Lane was important, as he chased down every ball that went into the forwards, even the lost causes, and suddenly his urgency was picked up by the entire team. Gary was fouled, but the game played on, and Barry got the resultant shot away from an acute angle to score. Ian O Gorman slotted over another point when he was in the clear in front of goal, in the 25th minute, and suddenly our precarious position was after abating somewhat. Jack O Connor then scored a fine individual score, in the 26th minute. We lost the opportunity for a second goal when we had a numerical advantage bearing down on goal but the final pass from Barry to Gary was over hit and the Blarney net minder got to the ball. Gary harassed him on the way out, and he dropped the ball, and we manufactured a free.

Barry failed with that attempt, and Blarney pressing to the end, got a long range point, in the 31st minute but we were victorious without flattering, so loads to work on for the final against Sarfields, who won the other semi-final by a wide margin.

The team and those who scored were; 1. Michael Cronin 2. Billy Norris 3. Pa Sheehan 4. Paddy Nagle 5. Patrick Angland 6. Kevin Fox 7. Sean O Regan 8. Eoghan Buckley (0-01) 9. Ian O Gorman (0-01) 10. Pa Egan 11. Seamus Fox 12. Charlie Lillis (001) 13. Jack O Connor (0-03) 14. Barthly Hayes (1-00) 15. Barry Murphy (0-07; 0-04F)

Substitutes. 16. Gary Lane for Barthly Hayes 17. Tom O Regan for Pa Egan

Congratulations to our captain Pa Sheehan and his wife Deirdre on the birth of their new daughter, Amelia and to Colin O Gorman who got married on Friday last. Ian O Gorman is to be commended on his dedication to the team, to break away from the family celebrations, and play this game.

U16 CLAIMS LEAGUE HONOURS

Killavullen avenged some recent defeats against Kildorrery in the final of the U16 B2 grade hurling league final, played on Bank Holiday Monday in Castletownroche on a final score of 3-12 to 2-10, thus preventing Kildorrery having a clean sweep of league and championship wins in this grade.

Kildorrery scored the opening point in the opening minute only for Mikey O Connor, our captain to equalise from a free in the 3rd minute, Kildorrery scored again in the 5th minute. Killavullen were tenacious in the tackles and Michael Cagney epitomized this despite him being one of our younger players. Colm Looney got a great goal for us in the 5th minute when he shrugged out numerous challenges and rifled to the back of the net. Kildorrery got a point back but Darragh O Grady and Mark Nagle worked the space, and drew a foul which Mikey converted in the 8th minute. Quite up until then, Noah Butler scored an inspirational score in the same minute, from right out on the touch line, and in front of the vociferous Killavullen supporters and that was the catalyst for Noah to burn up the pitch for the rest of the game. Kildorrery then gained supremacy for a while, and made it pay, with points in the 13th, 15th and 16th minutes. Fionn Magner, Brian Cotter, Liam Fox, Darragh O Grady and Padraig Cronin worked tirelessly to bring us back into the game, and Cian O Connor was deadly efficient at snuffing out the danger that their fine centre back posed. Hooks and blocks were the order of the day, and that desire was manifested, in opportunities that were presented to our forwards.

Mark Nagle was fouled in the 19th minute and Mikey was unerring in his free to punish the indiscretion. The same player followed this up with a point from play in the 26th minute.

Mikey Looney raced onto a dangerous ball then, and fed his cousin, Colm with a telling delivery that Colm slotted over the bar and Colm scored our final point of the half with another point in the 30th minute to bring our tally to 1-07 as against 0-06 for Kildorrery.

Right at the start of the second half, Kildorrery were right back into the game when a long free eluded everybody and found the net. Before we would have buckled with that set back but it drove the team on, to atone for the error. Colm Looney got a point back for us in the next minute. Noah Butler then scored a telling goal in the 4th minute after an earlier lung bursting run was thwarted. A lesser player would have lain down but Noah drove at Kildorrery again in the very next attack and got his rewards with a great goal.

For the next 8 minutes the game ebbed and flowed without a score but, boy was it intense. Desire, Heart, and tenacity, the adjectives are hard to find to describe it but entertaining it certainly was. Kildorrery broke the stalemate with two points in quick succession in the 42nd minute but Mikey O Connor scored a free for us in the 43rd.

Michael Cagney refused to give up on a lost cause in the 45th minute and after feeding Darragh O Grady, we garnished another free that Mikey converted to bring our tally to 2-10 as against 1-09 to Kildorrery at this stage. The fate of the game was sealed when the introduced Ronan Barry got his hurley bravely to an attempted clearance, the puck out did not got where it should, and Fionn Magner got it to Colm Looney, who popped it to Mikey and a green flag was the outcome. Kildorrery tried valiantly to get goals at this stage but our net minder James, is nothing but brave, and he was not for passing. They did score a free in the 53rd minute, but Colm answered that with another point in the 57th minute. Kildorrery got in for a goal in the 60th minute, but we finished the game with another point from Mikey.

Afterwards the divisional secretary, Pater Watson from Kildorrery was very gracious in his praise of the efforts of both teams, and presented the cup, to our captain Mikey O Connor. All statistics by Jamie.

The team and those who scored was; 1. James O Keeffe

2. Mikey Looney 3. Liam Fox 4. Padraig Cronin 5. Brian Cotter 6. Fionn Magner 7. Noah Butler (101) 8. Michael Cagney 9. Darragh O Grady 10. Cian O Connor 11. Mark Nagle 12. Colm Looney (104) 13. Mikey O Connor (1-08; 0-05F)

Substitutes 14. Ronan Barry for Mark Nagle 15. Ben Hunter

16. Colin Carey 17. Conor Griffin

FORTHCOMING JUVENILE / ADULT FIXTURES

Killavullen v Sarsfields – Junior B Cork County Inter-Divisional Hurling Championship Final - provisionally booked for the 11th November

Possibility of other games as well; so, please check the Killavullen Webpage for clarification – www.killavullengaa. com

LOTTO

The jackpot of €2,800 rolls on, and was not won last Tuesday night. The numbers drawn were 14, 23 & 35. The draw was, held in Griffins Bar.

The lucky dip winners were; €50 – Michael Rea – Seller – himself. €30 – JB Cahill - Seller – John Angland €20 – Jimmy Power – Seller – John Angland

The next draw for €2,900 will take place on the 31st October in Magners Bar

CORK GAA CLUB DRAW IS BACK FOR 2017 / 2018

Time is running out to participate in the County Board draw, with the first two draws taking place on the 3rd December

The co-coordinators for Killavullen GAA are now gathering up those persons that wish to renew their involvement in this draw, and those who may wish to go into the draw for this year.

Tickets can now be purchased online @ http://www. corkgaadraw.ie/ , or via the draw office or from your local draw co-ordinators, John O Donovan, John Beechinor or John Magner. There is a 450K Prize fund, with exclusive Ed Sheeran Tickets & 10 Year Premium Pairc Ui Chaoimh seats also on offer.

FORTHCOMING JUVENILE FUNDRAISERS

The juvenile GAA club would be appreciative if persons would be mindful of the following fundraising events.

CLOTHES / CLOBBER COLLECTION

Killavullen juvenile club would be very anxious that persons would make their old clothes available to them on Saturday, the 11th of November. Perhaps not quite true with winter garments etc, but the old adage was that if you have not worn it, in the last 3 months, you do not need, it, and Killavullen Juvenile GAA Club will gladly take it from you to realise some badly needed funds for them.

TABLE QUIZ

The Juvenile GAA Table quiz takes place this year on the 2nd December in Magners Bar. Now is the time to start preparing and informing oneself of all matters relating to general knowledge?

This is always a good night, so keep it free in your diary, if possible.

MUNSTER CLUB HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP

A date well out in time yet, for your diary, but Killavullen representing Cork, have been drawn to play Lady’s Walk from Ballyduff, in Kerry in the Munster Junior B Hurling Championship.

The game will be played on Sunday, the 3rd December 2017 in Páirc Íde Naofa, Raheenagh, Co. Limerick @ 1.00 PM