Hobbs hits important goal
AFTER A slow opening to this Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A encounter in Camolin on Saturday, Tom Sinnott got Réalt na Mara on the scoresheet in the sixth minute following great support from Eoin Corcoran and Paddy Fleming.
This was quickly cancelled out by the sharp full-forward for Kilrush, Billy Nolan, who added another in the next minute after he used the strong wind to his advantage and breezed a point over.
Kevin Jordan blasted the ball over the bar for Réalt na Mara despite extreme pressure from Frank Lancaster and Tom Kavanagh in the Kilrush back line.
Jordan also played a major role in the game’s key goal as he shot another high ball into his full-forward line and once Jack Hobbs got his fingers to this, Réalt na Mara found themselves ahead by three points.
Steven Ryan was threatening in the Kilrush forward line but fouls in their back division led to Patrick Naughter showcasing his free-taking talents on a number of occasions. James Fleming flew past the Kilrush backs and made a great pass which saw Naughter claim his first point from play.
The Fleming brothers, Paddy and James, showed great combination play to see James add his name to the scoresheet.
Jordan re-emerged seconds before the half-time break to secure another point from play and this edged his men seven to the good.
A very low-scoring second-half saw Kilrush claim minors from play, with Tom Hayden, Gavin Sunderland and Conor Levingstone each splitting the posts in an attempt the reduce the margin of defeat for their squad.
Réalt na Mara were fortunate to have stacked up a good lead in the first-half because they were scoreless for a long spell in the second, and an eager Billy Nolan brought a goal between the sides after he claimed a point.
Darren Morris had a very good match at wing-back for Réalt na Mara but his forward team-mates took their feet off the pedal, with no score until the last few minutes of the second-half.
Conor Levingstone benefited from his speed to claim his second point. Seán O’Brien and Paddy Fleming were the only men to score for Réalt na Mara in the second-half but this was enough to claim the win with the end with a goal and a point to spare.
Réalt na Mara: Shane Quinn; Eddie Redmond, Aidan Murphy, John Doyle; Darren Morris, Evan Dunbar, Eoin Corcoran; Tom Sinnott (0-1), Cathal Dunbar; Jack Hobbs (1-0), Kevin Jordan (0-2), Paddy Fleming (0-1); James Fleming (0-1), Patrick Naughter (0-2, 1 free), Harry Byrne. Sub. - Seán O’Brien (0-1) for Doyle.
Kilrush: John Harte; David Travers, Frank Lancaster, Tom Kavanagh; James Lancaster, Tommy Devereux, Tom Byrne; Tom Hayden (0-1), Patrick Nolan; Steven Ryan, Billy Nolan (0-3), Martin Hayden; Gavin Sunderland (0-1), Conor Levingstone (0-2), Conor Travers. Subs. - Pádraig Byrne for Ryan, Seán Foley for Devereux.
Referee: Ian Plunkett (Marshalstown-Castledockrell).