Knockananna triumph
KNOCKANANNA came through a tough battle against Shillelagh last weekend to leave them in fourth place in the Murphy’s Hotel (Tinahely) Division 3 league table with seven wins under their belts.
Shillelagh, as always brave and dogged throughout, felt the absence of a number of players for his game and just didn’t have the firepower to claw back a deficit that was cut open thanks to some quality Knockananna play before and after the break.
It was a game that had something of everything, from the sublime to the ridiculous, with some stunning scores earning the appreciation of the small crowd that had gathered on a beautiful evening in what has to be one of the most picturesque GAA grounds in the county. That crowd were also subjected to some horrendous passing and shooting, however, but for the most part the fare was appetising and enjoyable.
Tristan Maher’s peach after 20 seconds set out Knockananna’s stall. Eugene O’Brien can be heard during games appealing to his players to win their own ball and to play intelligent football. If he can inspire 60 minutes of those qualities in this team they would be a serious match for any outfit.
Raymond Murphy and Cathal Murphy (free) fired Shillelagh into an early lead before Derek Kavanagh showed some real grit and determination to trundle through a couple of stern challenges to slot over a marvellous point off the right to draw the sides level after six minutes.
Points were swapped by Kevin Tyrrell and the impressive Cathal Murphy but Knockananna regained the lead on the quarter hour mark through a wonderful Stephen Hinchy point after the attacker won his own ball out in front of his man before swinging over a bomb of a point.
It was a lead the visitors would never relinquish with Padraig Lancaster profiting from good work by Paddy Byrne and Eddie Bracken to point soon after and Derek Kavanagh, substitute Lorcan Tyrrell and the unstoppable Paddy Byrne combining to leave it 0-08 to 0-03 at the break for O’Brien’s men.
An early goal chance for Kevin Tyrrell was thwarted by the alert Laurie Cullen but the 45 was quickly taken to Derek Kavanagh who swept over. This was added to by Lorcan Tyrrell and Shillelagh were in a spot of bother.
Points from the busy Daniel Behan (free) and Cathal Murphy sandwiched two further Knockananna scores from Kavanagh and Hinchy to leave it at 0-13 to 0-05 before Jim O’Brien and the experienced Paddy Hennessey helped Shillelagh to gain something of a foothold in the game with 15 to go.
Knockananna had a decent amount of possession around this time but acrued only wides from the boots of Stephen Hinchy and Paddy Byrne while Owen Byrne and Daniel Behan were wayward for the home side.
An exquisite Padraig Lancaster point of his left had the crowd breathless on the bank before Daniel Behan finished the scoring from a free.
An interesting tussle. Shillelagh were missing key figures, none more so than Brendan Behan who would have presented a much stiffer test of the Knockananna rearguard had he been available.
Scorers – Knockananna: Derek Kavanagh 0-04; Stephen Hinchy 0-03; Lorcan Tyrrell 0-02; Padraig Lancaster 0-02, Kevin Tyrrell 0-01, Paddy Byrne 0-01 (f), Tristan Maher 0-01.
Shillelagh: Cathal Murphy 0-03 (1f); Daniel Behan 0-02 (2f); Paddy Hennessey 0-01; Raymond Murphy 0-01; Jim O’Brien 0-01.
Knockananna: John Farrell; Michael Byrne, Garry Bradley, Patrick O’Keeffe; Darren Flynn, Paddy Byrne, Alan Byrne; Declan ‘Rana’ Whelan, Padraig Lancaster; Eddie Bracken, Tristan Maher, Derek Kavanagh; Kevin Tyrrell, Declan ‘Dino’ O’Keeffe, Stephen Hinchy. Subs: Lorcan Tyrrell for D O’Keeffe (25min); Aaron O’Neill for E Bracken (35min); Dillon Tracey for A Byrne (54min); Keith Corrigan for K Tyrrell (56min).
Shillelagh: Laurie Cullen; Ger O’Brien, Sean Carroll, Enda Foley; Jim O’Brien, Daire Foley, Robert Elliot; Paddy Hennessey, Raymond Murphy; Keith Collins, Cathal Murphy, Owen Byrne; Declan Nolan, Noel Murphy, Daniel Behan.
Referee: Ciaran Fleming