Kilshannig take the Co. Premier 2 Minor Football title
Kilshannig 2-15 St Finbarrs 1-11
AFTER the disappointment of losing the Rebel Óg County Premier 2A MFC final to Valley Rovers in 2017, Kilshannig with a very well balanced side made amends this season when they took the title.
The game was played in Páirc Uí Rinn on Monday night in cold, dry wintry conditions. Already Kilshannig had beaten St Finbarrs in the quarter-final. Kilshannig did well from the start.
Kieran Twomey opened with an early pointed free. Colm O’Shea soloed through the centre and kicked a great point. Bill Curtin made a vital interception as the Barrs were going in search of an opening score.
Good play for Kilshannig by Kieran Twomey and Eoin Healy led to a great Eanna O’Hanlon point. By the eighth minute Kilshannig were four points clear when David O’Riordan made a good clearance finding Barry O’Shea who rounded his marker and kicked a massive point 0-4 to 0-0.
Barry O’Shea with another very good point opened up a five point lead. Barr’s Jamie Linehan and Darragh O’Connor worked a good movement but Kilshannig backs defended very well.
Darragh O’Sullivan with a 45 found Jack O’Kelly whose effort went narrowly wide. In the 12th minute St Finbarr’s had their opening score by Darragh O’Sullivan (free).
The City side picked up their game considerably and were well in the hunt by half time. Darragh Callanan pointed. Kilshannig replied when Eanna O’Hanlon and Kieran Twomey combined for Shane Murphy to kicked a great point.
Jamie Linehan and Kieran Twomey (free) exchanged a point before Barr’s had a brilliant point by Brian Hayes in the 19th minute. Good play by Mark Barry to Ciaran O’Sullivan led to a foul.
The free by Kieran Twomey picked out Colm O’Shea who edged the Avondhu side double scores clear 0-8 to 0-4. Barrs replied by Darragh Callanan. In the 27th minute Sam Cunningham finished a four man attack as the lead was down to two 0-8 to 0-6.
St Finbarrs finished strong with Darragh O’Sullivan pointing a late free and Sam Cunningham being narrowly off target in injury time. At the break Kilshannig led 0-8 to 0-7.
For the second half Kilshannig moved Barry O’Shea to partner Kieran Twomey in midfield with Conor McMahon going to full forward and Eanna O’Hanlon on the ‘40. Jack O’Kelly levelled in the 3lst minute.
Kilshannig worked a good movement along the wing with Barry O’Shea crossing to Conor McMahon who passed to the well placed Ciaran O’Sullivan who punched to the net.
Barrs replied with a pointed free. In the 37th minute Barry O’Shea worked very well for Conor McMahon who restorted the goal lead 1-9 to 0- 9. In the 42nd minute Barrs forced a penalty and Wayne Flood made no mistake levelling for the second time 1-9 each.
Kilshannig recovered well from this setback. Conor McMahon soloed through and pointed with Kieran Twomey adding a free 1-11 to 1- 9. Barrs made some daring raids on the Kilshannig goal line. Barry and Colm O’Shea along with Bill Curtin made some massive block downs and clearances.
In the 47th minute Kilshannig had their second goal when Eoin Healy worked well with Ciaran O’Sullivan who placed the inrushing Eanna O’Hanlon whose well placed goal effort went in off the post opening up a five point lead 2-11 to 1- 9.
Eanna O’Hanlon was put through again after a four man attack but his goal bound effort was well saved by Kenneth Lynch. Darragh O’Sullivan with a free kept the City side in touch.
In the 52nd minute Eanna O’Hanlon kicked a massive point under pressure restoring the five point lead 2-12 to 1-10. Darragh O’Sullivan landed a good point for St Finbarrs.
Kieran Twomey pointed a 55th minute free with Barry O’Shea adding two more rapid points as Kilshannig were 2-15 to 1-11 clear by the 60th minute. Three minutes of added time were announced.
In the third minute a nasty melee broke out involving a number of players. Five players, three from St Finbarr’s and two from Kilshannig received red cards. After the game Michael O’Mahony Chairman Rebel Óg Central presented the cup to the winning captain Colm O’Shea who was also named ‘man of the match’ amongst the large Kilshannig following.
KILSHANNIG: G Creedon, M Cogan, B Curtin, D O’Riordan, M Barry, C O’Shea 0-2 (Capt) S Murphy 0-1, K Twomey 0-5 (04f) E O’Hanlon 1-1, K O’Connell, B O’Shea 0-4, E Healy, C O’Sullivan 1-0, C McMahon 0-2, D Taylor Subs: M O’Sullivan for M Cogan, A Sheehan for D Taylor, D Guiney for M Barry, B Curtin for K O’Connell.
ST. FINBARRS: K Lynch, C O’Mahony, M Aherne, S Dwane, D O’Connor 0-1, C O’Sullivan, J Ryan, B Hayes 0-1, L Hannigan (Capt) J Linehan 0-1, D O’Sullivan 0-4 (0-3f) R O’Leary, S Cunningham 0-1, J O’Kelly 0-1, D Callanan 0-2 Sub: W Flood 1-0 pen. for D O’Connor, D O’Connor for J O’Kelly, J O’Kelly for D O’Connor.
REFEREE: David Murnane (Macroom)