Cousins gets the vital goal
Kilmore make winning start
A TOMMY Cousins 42nd-minute goal was the foundation for an eventual five-point victory as Kilmore deservedly saw off the challenge of Cloughbawn in this Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A game at the Ferns Centre of Excellence on Sunday.
Having trailed at half-time, Kilmore made the most of the slight breeze during a second period that they mostly dominated, and but for some erratic finishing their eventual winning margin would have been far greater.
The Cloughbawn challenge faltered after a promising first-half, at the end of which they led by two points thanks to a fine Martin Kehoe goal four minutes before the break.
Very little separated the sides through the opening quarter which ended level (0-3 each) after Daithí Moore (free) and Bob Whitty had exchanged opening points.
Kilmore were making the most of their possession through this opening spell, adding further points through Aaron Goff and Tom Byrne to lead by 0-3 to 0-1 after nine minutes.
Both sides went on to create goal chances, with Moore seeing his effort rebound off the crossbar.
At the opposite end it took a timely advance and block from ’keeper Shane Cassidy to deny Bob Whitty who looked certain to score in a one-on-one situation, but credit to the Kilmore netminder who judged his advance to perfection.
Points from Kyle Murphy and a huge long-range effort from Whitty tied the sides at 0-3 each.
And with the teams continuing to exchange scores, two fine Barry Carton efforts pushed Cloughbawn into the lead.
Following a sweeping movement involving four players, Martin Kehoe got his fist to the eventual cross to finish to the net, leaving his side with a 1-7 to 0-8 interval lead.
Kilmore started the second-half more impressively but they kicked four wides from scoreable positions within three minutes of the re-start.
In stark contrast, Cloughbawn saw Páidí Cullen extend their lead with a fine individual point on their first attack.
After Tommy Cousins and Martin Kehoe (free) exchanged points, the initiative swung Kilmore’s way, with Cousins’ splendid 42nd-minute goal bringing the sides level at 1-9 apiece.
Thereafter the eventual winners assumed control, holding their opponents scoreless while adding five points in the process through Moore (two, one free), Tom Byrne (two) and Aaron Goff to run out impressive winners, despite nine second-half wides.
Kilmore: Shane Cassidy; Martin Frayne, Stevie Cousins, Aaron Kielthy; Shane Goff, Tommy Cousins (1-1), Páraic Reville; Denis Kenny (0-1), Tom Byrne (0-3); Aaron Goff (0-3), Daithí Moore (0-4, 2 frees), Criostóir Reville; Conor Moore, Noel Casey (0-1), Mark Sinnott (0-1). Subs. - Tom White for Frayne, Robert Cousins for Kielthy, Kielthy for S. Goff, inj., Philip Sutton for Kenny (black card).
Cloughbawn: Billy Dunne; Aaron Byrne, Colin Doyle, Johnny Cullen; Harry Kehoe, David Doyle-Murphy, Gareth Murphy; Páidí Cullen (0-1), Gavin Murphy; James Dempsey (01), Barry Carton (0-2), Paudie Kehoe; Bob Whitty (0-3), Martin Kehoe (1-1, 0-1 free), Kyle Murphy (0-1).
Referee: Shane Quinn (Réalt na Mara).