Kiltegan triumph after tough Aughrim battle
at Baltinglass tally to the Kiltegan men after 20 minutes.
Rory Finn added another to this when he worked his way from one side of the pitch to the other on his favoured left foot and slotted over a fine score.
Not to be outdone his marker for the game, Robert Lambert set off on a run from his own half and fired over Aughrim’s first score leaving three Kiltegan players in his wake.
On the rare occasion a Harmon kick out was launched into the middle, Michael Brennan won it cleanly and was fouled and a quick free into Richard Keegan doubled Aughrim’s score.
At this point Brennan had swapped with Eoin Forsyth and it was Forsyth who added a third consecutive point coming into half time on a long burst up the field. A free from Furlong gave Kiltegan a 1-09 to 0-03 lead at the interval.
Kiltegan moved Seanie Furlong out to wing forward for the second half and while not initially copped by Aughrim, he was found in space from a quick 45 and duly fired over his first from play.
Mann was again sent out to put the shackles on the Kiltegan man after this.
Liam Keogh, Geoffrey Bermingham and Derek Daly added another few scores for Kiltegan before a Conor Lambert free was met by Patrick Kavanagh who fisted over the Kiltegan bar.
Rory Finn scored a rare point off his right foot from over 50 yards much to the surprise of Aughrim who were claiming he only had a left foot during the first half before an eye of the needle pass from Anthony Furlong to Derek Daly was finished coolly by the latter. Finn added another for himself shortly after before Liam Keogh added a fine individual score for himself after selling a dummy to two Aughrim defenders. Robert Lambert added another score for himself with 10 to go which was matched by Cathal Fitzgerald. Stephen Mann displayed the fantastic art of the block on a Furlong effort and from this, Aughrim worked the ball up field with Robert Lambert and Conor Phelan finding Richard Keegan in space but his effort was saved by Harmon into the path of Patrick Kavanagh who fired home.
The final score of the game arrived via the foot of Derek Daly who was a constant threat throughout the game allowing a generous score difference in a game, that they had to work hard in.
Kiltegan: Fergal Harmon; Eoin Fitzgerald, Blaine Harmon, Niall Foley; Cathal Fitzgerald (1-2, 1f), Ronan Byrne, John Farrell; Stephen Farrell, John O’Toole; Liam Keogh (0-3), Rory Finn (0-4), Anthony Furlong (0-1); Derek Daly (0-5), Seanie Furlong (0-3, 2f), Geoffrey Bermingam (0-1). Subs: Padraig Farrell for S Farrell, Jamie Daly for E Fitzgerald, Padraig Keogh for A Furlong, Steven Coogan for L Keogh
Aughrim: Cillian Donegan; Jason Doyle, Stephen Mann, Oisin Doyle; Conor Phelan, Robert Lambert (0-2), John Byrne; Andy Holt, Eoin Forsyth (0-1); Bobby Newsome, Dean Newsome, Conor Lambert; Richard Keegan (0-1), Patrick Kavanagh (1-1), Michael Brennan. Subs: Paul Whelan for J Byrne.