O’Connor finish sees Kilcummin retain status

WITH a performance which was rich in endeavour and notable for their ability to respond whenever their lead was threatened, Kilcummin dug deep to preserve their Senior County Championship status last Saturday in Castleisland.

While they were never able to put the issue fully beyond doubt against a typically determined Milltown-Castlemaine combination, in the overall analysis they were the better side and fully deserved to prevail in a contest that was full of the fervour one normally associates with championship encounters.

Milltown-Castlemaine would have been the side who were slightly fancied coming into the game, given that Kilcummin’s form to date this season hadn’t exactly been that encouraging, being relegated in the league, as well as losing out to Glenflesk in the O’Donoghue Cup the previous weekend.

Add in the absence of both of their midfielders, Shane McSweeney and Kevin Gorman, and the odds were fairly stacked against them. However, the manner in which they approached proceedings, getting to grips with the situation from the outset, set the tone for what ultimately was a performance that owed much to their focus and belief.

Kilcummin led from start to finish, and while the only goal of the game in the 41st minute ultimately had a significant bearing on the eventual outcome Kilcummin with more individual aces had a more potent scoring spread. Milltown-Castlemaine by contrast were largely depending on the prolific Jonathan O’Sullivan for scores.

Kilcummin, with Kieran Murphy prominent in midfield, drove forward in waves of attacks right from the start and with both Noel Duggan and Kevin McCarthy repeatedly unlocking Milltown’s defence they were 0-4 to 0-0 in front after four minutes, and led by six points after just ten minutes.

Milltown-Castlemaine finally opened their account courtesy of a long range effort from midfielder Donal Dennehy in the tenth minute, a score that was initially waved wide and was only awarded after some consultation.

For a period Milltown-Castlemaine enjoyed a spell of territorial supremacy, and with Jonathan O’Sullivan converting four pointed frees they reduced the deficit to 0-7 to 0-5 coming up to half time.

The final score of the half, kicked sweetly and neatly by Kieran Murphy at the end of a move that outmanoeuvred the blanket defence, meant that three points, 0-8 to 0-5, separated the teams at the end of a half which was notable for the fact that none of Milltown-Castlemaine’s six starting forwards had registered a score from play.

That particular statistic was rewritten within six minutes of the restart with both Shane Murphy and Cathal Moriarty kicking points from play to reduce the deficit to just the minimum.

Kilcummin had kicked three successive wides at the other end, and certainly at that stage their slender scoring advantage appeared to be under threat. However, a pointed free from Brendan Kealy and a fisted effort from Daniel O’Leary, whose input characterised so much of what was good about Kilcummin’s play on the day, afforded them some breathing space.

When substitute Oscar O’Connor squeezed home a goal in the 41st minute, Kilcummin were very much in the ascendancy and comfortably in front, 1-10 to 0-8. However, it certainly didn’t put fully paid to Milltown-Castlemaine’s brave challenge whose momentum remained very much in full flow with Jonathan O’Sullivan converting three unanswered points to reduce the deficit to two, 1-10 to 0-11, by the end of the third quarter.

Once again questions were being asked about Kilcummin’s ability to stay afloat, and not for the first time they were well equal to the task with Noel Duggan and Kevin McCarthy very much influential figures. McCarthy landed two more points to increase his side’s lead by the 51st minute.

Jonathan O’Sullivan kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Mid Kerry club, and Kilcummin were forced to defend deep and in numbers to preserve their advantage, which was five points – 1-14 to 0-12 – by the 57th minute, but was reduced to just a single goal at the final whistle.

The win ensures that Kilcummin’s participation in the County Senior Championship, which dates back to 1998, will continue in 2017. Milltown-Castlemaine drop down to Intermediate having won the All Ireland Intermediate title in 2012, and will be part of the Mid Kerry county championship side next season. KILCUMMIN: Brendan Kealy (0-2f), Sean Brosnan, Daniel Moynihan, Matthew Keane, Damien O Leary, William Maher, James Devane, Kieran Murphy (0-1), Chris O’Leary (0-1), Mikey O’Shea, Noel Duggan (0-2), Daniel O’Leary (0-1), Kevin McCarthy (0-5, 2f), Richie O’Connor, Philip Casey (0-3, 2f) Subs: Oscar O’Connor (1-0) for R O’Connor, Eric O’Connor for W Maher (B/C), Shane McSweeney for M O’Shea MILLTOWN-CASTLEMAINE: Cormac Leane, Stephen Roche, Damien Murphy, Paul Carroll, Pa Wrenn, Marcus Mangan, David Roche, Mike Burke, Donal Dennehy (0-1), Shane Murphy (0-1), Donal Kelliher, Gavin Horan, Cathal Moriarty (01), Jeremiah Hayes, Jonathan O’Sullivan (0-1, 9f) Subs: Eoin O’Brien (0-1) for D Dennehy, Ciaran O’Connor for P Carroll, Eoin O’Mahony for M Burke, Jack McCarthy for J Hayes REFEREE: Jerh Lynch (Ballymacelligott)