Kilmac produce super display to down Billies

DARCY SAND INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL QUARTER-FINALS

KILMACANOGUE BALLYMANUS 3-14 1-11

knell sounding on Ballymanus’ championship dream for 2018.

And it would only get worse for the Billies. Aaron Creavin, Niall Meldon and Michael Whelan would all point as the first half reached its conclusion to leave Ballymanus with a mountain to climb at 3-8 to 0-3.

The Billies have a reputation as battlers and fighters and fine footballers for a reason, and they showed exactly why they have that reputation in the second half. The problem was that the damage was too severe from that opening half and they would need Kilmacanogue to self-destruct to have any hope of revival.

A quick 1-1 gave them a glimmer of hope; Mark Kenny with a point from distance and a wicked shot from Kevin Byrne finding the back of Niall King’s net, 3-8 to 1-4, 120 seconds into the second half.

Kilmacanogue were always dangerous and much of that danger had to do with the performance of Simon Doyle who dictated matters from his half-back position. Doyle is a superb playmaker for the Kilmac men and much of their momentum comes from his input.

Robert Conan nipped the Billies’ revival in the bud with a lovely point off his left but Kevin Byrne’s charges put the heads down again and drove over four unanswered points from Mark Kenny, Kieran Whelan, Roan Lynch and Mark Kenny again to leave things looking slightly more manageable at 3-9 to 1-8 after 10 minutes.

Ballymanus were without Paddy Byrne (Moyne) for the entire game and it has to be said his absence was keenly felt with Gavan Burke, Paddy O’Donnell and Donal Tuohy looking very capable for the most part.

A point each from Kilmac’s Sam O’Callaghan and Kieran Whelan of Ballymanus left it at 3-10 to 1-9 as we approached the end of the third quarter but further points from Sam O’Callaghan and Aaron Creavin served to knock more wind out of the Ballymanus lungs.

Advantage from Declan Peppard gave Mark Kenny the chance to point but his effort was cancelled out by Michael Whelan from a tight angle at the Rednagh Hill end with 49 minutes on the match clock.

Ballymanus introduced Seanie O’Neill and Paddy Byrne (Gap) shortly after Roan Lynch bagged their final point of the game in the 51st minute.

Another Kilmac turnover allowed Aaron Creavin point his side’s last score of the day and in fairness to the Billies they would lay siege on the Kilmac goal, but they would only register wides as they went in search of goals with Padraig Byrne firing wide from close range and Gavan Burke blocking one of two Roan Lynch shots late on.

Kilmacanogue march on to face the high-flying Tinahely men and it makes for an intriguing game of football with two exciting attacks coming up against two capable defences.

It’s all over for Ballymanus for another year. They produced some scintillating football at times but the defeat to Laragh seemed to deflate their bubble at a key juncture in this year’s championship.

– Kilmacanogue: Sam O’Callaghan 1-4, Aaron Creavin 0-4, Michael Whelan 0-3, Josh O’Callaghan 1-1, Stephen Morgan 1-0, Niall Meldon 0-1, Robert Conan 0-1.

Ballymanus: Mark Kenny 0-4, Roan Lynch 0-4, Kevin Byrne 1-0, Kieran Whelan 0-2 (1f), Padraig Byrne 0-1.

Scorers

Niall King; Gavan Burke, Paddy O’Donnell, Donal Tuohy; Simon Doyle, Cian Rafferty, Ben O’Callaghan; Andrew Molloy, Robert Conan; Josh O’Callaghan, Michael Whelan, Niall Meldon; Aaron Creavin, Stephen Morgan, Sam O’Callaghan. Subs: Aaron Brady for B Callaghan, Cormac Kelly for M Whelan.

Kilmacanogue:

Brendan Doyle; Glen Farrar, Liam Byrne, Aidan Byrne; Shane Whelan, Brendan Whelan, Colm Coogan; Darragh O’Keeffe, Mark Kenny; Seamus Coogan, Roan Lynch, Philip Coogan; Kevin Byrne, Padraig Byrne, Kieran Whelan. Subs: Paul Murray for D O’Keeffe, Seanie O’Neill for K Whelan, Paddy Byrne (Gap) for C Coogan., Killian Farrar for K Byrne

Declan Peppard (Holly-

Ballymanus: Referee:

wood)