Lakesiders rejoice
Valleymount off to a bright start with win over Kilmac
VALLEYMOUNT 1-15 KILMACANOGUE 1-12
VALLEYMOUNT took the spoils in the opening round of the SFL Division 2 against last year’s Intermediate finalists Kilmac with a hard-fought victory on Sunday morning last.
This was a tight, cagey encounter between two well balanced teams with a stiff cross-field breeze not aiding either side’s cause with a number of turning points through-out the 60-odd minutes thrown in.
Kilmac were first out of the blocks with Sam O’Callaghan landing the opening point inside the opening minute after a great pass in from Robert Conan.
Valleymount should have raised a green flag from their first attack moments later; a powerful pass from Jamie Miley found Brian Miley who flicked the ball down to the on running James Fitzpatrick. However, Fitzpatrick dragged his effort wide of the upright.
Another point followed from the boot of Sam O’Callaghan before James Fitzpatrick registered the home side’s opening point in the sixth minute from an advanced mark.
Sam O’Callaghan landed his third point of the opening eight minutes after a great passage of play initiated by Stephen Flynn.
William Kavanagh was doing trojan work, breaking down a number of attacks by the Kilmac side in the early exchanges.
Goalie Niall King fielded a high dropping ball in from Robbie Miley just underneath the crossbar and cleared the danger, before Jack Slattery and Kevin Reddin exchanged points as the play ebbed up and down the field.
Simon Doyle collected possession in his half-back line and made a mazy run up the field, playing a sweet one-two with Sean Clarke. Doyle’s shot came back of the upright, the ball fell kindly to Kevin Redden who dinked his shot over the on-rushing Ryan Willoughby, to register the opening major of the game in the 18th minute.
Things could have got worse for Valleymount moments later; corner-forward Michael Whelan should have fired in a second major for the boys in green, however, Willoughby brilliantly saved to deny another goal - another turning point in the game.
Jack Slattery kept the men in red in the hunt with a pointed free as the deficit was now cut back to three points.
Declan Cahill turned over possession on the half-way line from a loose wayward free kick.
Sean Clarke collected the ball and laid off to Sam O’Callaghan, who punished by splitting the uprights from long range.
Again, Jack Slattery and Sam O’Callaghan exchanged pointed frees in the closing moments of the opening half.
Valleymount finished out the half the stronger, with both James Fitzpatrick and Steven Byrne firing over much needed points to leave the half-time score 0-7 to 1-6 in favour of Kilmac.
On the restart, Kilmac were on the scoreboard within 30 seconds as Conor Gallagher landed a beast of a point from an acute angle. Jason Dunne of Round Towers, Kildare, the Valleymount manager, rallied on his troops from the sideline.
Jamie Miley intercepted possession in his half-back line and drove up the field, James Fitzpatrick collected the ball and curled over a sweet point.
Jack Slattery added another white flag from a free before Steven Byrne levelled matters, after a great advantage call by the referee, as Valleymount grew in confidence.
Sam O’Callaghan tagged on another point after a trademark run by the lively forward.
Steven Byrne dropped a high ball into the heart of the Kilmac rearguard, James Fitzpatrick batted down the size 5, where Brian Miley drilled it to the back of Niall King’s net to give Valleymount the lead for the first time in the game, in the 40th minute.
Sam O’Callaghan replied with a point to cut the deficit to the minimum again after good build up play by Andrew Molloy.
The momentum was all with Valleymount in the next period, a trio of points from Rob Miley,
Liam Miley and James Fitzpatrick, looked to have put the home side in a commanding position, as Kilmac looked out of sorts, now four points in arrears, going into the final quarter.
Again, the dynamic of the game changed when midfielder Declan Cahill picked up a black for the home side and was in the sin bin for the next ten minutes.
Kilmac manager and Wexford native Chris Traynor now urged on his side as the pendulum swung back to the N11 side as they fired over three unanswered points from sharpshooter Sam O’Callaghan after great play by Robert O’Connell and Josh O’Callaghan.
Liam Miley steadied the ship for the home side with a point going into the dying embers of the game, as they now were back to a full complement of 15.
Kilmac threw the kitchen sink at the home side but two goal shots were cleared by an overworked Valleymount defense at this stage, before Conor Reid fired over a mighty point for the home side to restore a three-point cushion.
Kilmac, now in need of a goal, battled on but could not penetrate a well marshalled defense as Valleymount held out as the final whistle sounded.
Scorers - Valleymount: Jack Slattery 0-4 (4f), James Fitzpatrick 0-4 (2f), Brian Miley 1-0, Robbie Miley 0-2, Steven Byrne 0-2, Liam Miley 0-2, Conor Reid 0-1.
Kilmac: Sam O’Callaghan 0-10 (5f), Kevin Redden 1-01, Conor Gallagher 0-1
VALLEYMOUNT: Ryan Willoughby; David Richardson, Steven Cahill, Tadgh Miley; William Kavanagh, Jamie Miley, Liam Miley; Declan Cahill, Jack Slattery; Robbie Miley, Steven Byrne, Jack Miley; Sean Geoghegan, James Fitzpatrick, Brian Miley. Subs: Brian Flynn, Adam Condon, Michael Richardson, Conor Reid, Padraig Keogh. KILMACANOGUE: Niall King; Donal Tuohy, Cian Rafferty, Stephen Flynn; Simon Doyle, Ben O’Callaghan, Luke O’Callaghan; Conor Gallagher, Robert Conan; Sean Clarke, Kevin Redden, Andrew Molloy; Michael Whelan, Josh O’Callaghan. Subs: Robert O’Connell, Craig O’Neill, Jamie Nally. REFEREE: Jason Smyth (Stratford-Grangecon)