Casey performs the needful for Sliabh Luachra

Sliabh Luachra Gaels 1-6 Knocknagree 1-5

SLIABH Luachra Gaels left it late before seeing off the challenge of Knocknagree in a titanic Central Stores, Kanturk Duhallow U-21 ‘B’ FC Round 1 at a bitterly cold Kiskeam. Despite low scores and winter showers, both sides warmed up the proceedings in a stirring contest of committed football.

Ultimately from one of those evenly balanced battles that could had gone either way but at the end of the extended hour, the tenacity of the Ballydesmond and Kiskeam combination shone though they relied on a late converted free by Thomas Casey to swing a delicately balanced contest.

When the sides met at the same stage last season, Knocknagree snatched a late reprieve to force extra time to shade a cracker. On this occasion, nobody could question Knocknagree’s workrate and resolve yet they found it difficult to dislodge their hungrier opponents.

Both sides set a cracking pace, getting down to business early on, Sliabh Luachra’s lead point from Thomas Casey answered in a sweeping Knocknagree move down the centre of the park, a powerful foray from Killian Cronin sliced open the opposing defence for Tadgh O’Mahony to net.

The Sliabh Luachra response was immediate, right back into contention, great work by Thomas Casey placed Daire Moynihan to goal from close range. Subsequently, the scores dried up yet there was plenty to excite the attendance with both outfits operating with ferocious intensity.

As the game progressed, Sliabh Luachra worked hard to retain the initiative through the convincing play of Jack O’Connor, Jack Daly, Seán Meehan and Maurice Casey.

That allowed good ball for Thomas Casey and Moynihan to point for Sliabh Luachra hold a 1-4 to 1-2 advantage at the break.

Knocknagree sprung to life on the changeover, well served by the positive play of Daniel O’Mahony, Michéal Doyle and Denis O’Connor. The latter delivered timely points from play and a free to force a parity situation.

In the follow up play, both sides created chances to add further scores but the pair wasted gilt edged chances. Sliabh Luachra regained the lead courtesy of a point from Anthony Dennehy only for Knocknagree to answer, a Doyle free fell into the path of

O’Connor to square matters.

The two protagonists gave it their all in search of a winner, the game’s defining score arrived, a foul on Dennehy allowed Casey convert the resultant free in favour of Sliabh Luachra Gaels.

SLIABH LUACHRA GAELS: P O’Keeffe; K Murphy, J O’Connor, J Collins; B Lenihan, S Murphy, J Daly; S Meehan, M Casey; A Dennehy 0-1, D Moynihan 1-1, K Murphy; B O’Leary, T Casey 0-4 (3f), C Dunlea.

KNOCKNAGREE: A O’Sullivan; G Looney, D O’Mahony, M Murphy; T O’Mahony 1-0, M Mahoney, D Mahoney; M Doyle, T O’Connor; K Cronin, D Twomey, D O’Connor 0-5 (3f); R O’Connor, Niall O’Connor, J Horgan. Subs. Neil O’Connor for J Horgan.

REFEREE: M J O’Keeffe (Dromtariffe)