Kilross qualify with convincing victory
Adamstown suffer from gulf in class
KILROSS GAELS qualified for the quarter-finals of the Gorey Guardian Juvenile football Roinn 2 championship with a comprehensive victory over Adamstown in Kilmore on Monday of last week.
The combination of the hosts and St. Mary’s (Rosslare) came into the game level with Bannow-Ballymitty in the table. However, while they were racing to victory, their rivals for the final last eight place were losing to Crossabeg-Ballymurn.
There was quite a gulf between these two sides in the end but the first-half was fairly competitive. Adamstown had the bare 15 and it probably told as the legs wilted in the second-half and the Gaels powered away.
The visitors had a few nice footballers in their ranks and they looked to get them on the ball as much as possible. The midfield duo of Sam Dunne and Jack Viera held their own, and corner-forwards Rúairí O’Brien and Raymond Roche did well with the supply they got.
However, a quick glance through the scoring tallies will show how much firepower Kilross possessed. Six players got multiple scores and that says plenty about how efficient the hosts were in unison in front of the posts.
It was 0-2 each approaching the end of the the opening quarter after points from Dunne and O’Brien were countered at the other end by Chris O’Connor and Rian Stafford. However, after Cian Byrne put his side in front for the second time, they got a bit of a run going.
Rory Woodcock missed two good goal chances before he made it third time lucky in the 18th minute.
Cian Baker also notched a couple of classy points before the interval, moving the victors into a 1-7 to 0-4 half-time advantage.
Adamstown needed a positive start to the second-half but it was Reece De La Cour who soloed 40 metres before rattling the net for Kilross in the 34th minute. In fairness to the visitors, they responded in kind with a classy O’Brien finish after great build-up play by Kevin Dunleavy.
While Adamstown would manage just two more O’Brien points, Kilross powered on.
Woodcock rattled home his second major in the 43rd minute (3-11 to 1-5), Cian Byrne scored a nice goal, and substitute Dan Nolan got in on the act late on to see the Gaels into the last eight in style.
Kilross Gaels: Conor Roche; Rian Doyle, Eoghan Barry, David McDonnell; Luke Hunt, Seán Carley, Jack Meyler; Cian Baker (0-4), Jack Doyle (capt.); Reece De La Cour (1-2), Chris O’Connor (0-3, 1 free), Rian Stafford (0-3); Ollie Gould, Rory Woodcock (2-0), Cian Byrne (1-3). Subs. - Danny Holden for Gould (38), Conor Barry for R. Doyle (38), Milan Kovac for Meyler (46), Dan Nolan (1-0) for Woodcock (46), Will Twomey for O’Connor (50), Ryan Culleton for Hunt (50), also Andy Ling.
Adamstown: Páraic Wickham; Martin Cloney, David O’Gorman, Shane Finn; James Dillon, James Dunleavy (capt.), Eoin O’Gorman; Sam Dunne (0-2), Jack Viera; Jack Gaffney, Eoin French, Kevin Dunleavy; Rúairí O’Brien (1-4, 0-3 frees), Craig Bradley, Raymond Roche.
Referee: Francis Neville (Shelmaliers).