Kilcoole in control

now getting on top and centre forward Matt Gilbert was also more prominent.

Points from a ‘45’ and a free by Gilbert plus a point from play by Quigley had Kilcoole five points up by the 25th minute.

John Andrew Kinsella and Paul Ryan pulled back two points for Barndarrig but Gilbert finished the half on a high for Kilcoole when he landed three points in quick succession from play to leave Kilcoole ahead by double scores at the break 1-9 to 0-6.

The second half began for Gilbert as he had finished the first when he fisted over a point after four minutes. Jack Bellamy added another two minutes later before sub Michael Murphy notched Barndarrig’s first score on nine minutes. Kilcoole were playing with the comfort of a seven point lead at this stage. Lee Dutton added a point on ten minutes.

We had a lull in scoring for the next eight minutes and when Martin Cullen scored a goal at this stage there was a brief hope of a Barndarrig revival.

However, Jack Bellamy, Luke Evans and Matt Gilbert all added points to restore the Kilcoole comfort margin. The only response from Barndarrig in the final minutes came from three Michael Murphy pointed frees.

Matt Gilbert scored the second Kilcoole goal with three minutes left when a free taken from the ground failed to clear the crossbar and caught the defence by surprise ending in the net from the underside of the cross bar. Vinnie Quigley closed the scoring with a mighty point from the right wing.

Kilcoole won this contest comfortably in the second half and appear to be doing a bit of work in preparation.

They played without the injured Danny Kavanagh, who should be strength to them when he returns.

Barndarrig ran out of steam in the second half and never looked like hauling in the Kilcoole lead. KILCOOLE SCORERS: Mat Gilbert 1-7 (12f), Dara Keddy 1-1, Lee Dutton 0-2, Vinnie Quigley 0-2, Eoin Keddy 0-1, Jack Bellamy 0-2, Luke Evans 0-1. BARNDARRIG SCORERS: Michael 0-4 (3f), Martin Cullen 1-1 (1f), Andrew Kavanagh 0-1, Jack McCall 0-1, Paddy Byrne 0-1, John Andrew Kinsella 0-1 and Paul Ryan 0-1. KILCOOLE: Glen Tighe; Luke Reilly, Eoin O’Brien, Connor Murphy O’Toole; Dara Keddy, Matty Kennedy, Keith Reynolds; Vinnie Quigley, Ronan Keddy; Jack Bellamy, Matty Gilbert, Lee Dutton; Luke Evans, Eoin Keddy, Declan Roper; SubsToby O’Brien for Eoin O’Brien; Bradley Delaney for Keith Reynolds; (BC). BARNDARRIG: Garry Browne; James Cullen, Keith Bradshaw, Johnny Devereux; Niall Devereux, Nicky Sinnott, Michael Cullen; Hughie Doyle, Bernard Quinn; Jack McCall, Andrew Kavanagh, John Andrew Kinsella; Paul Ryan, Martin Cullen, Paddy Byrne; Subs- Michael Murphy for Michael Cullen; Eoin Brennan for Hughie Doyle, Kevin Cullen for Johnnie Devereux; Fergal Toomey for Paddy Byrne and James Quinn for Bernard Quinn (BC). REFEREE: Mattie Dowling.