Clinical Kiltegan crush Glenealy
KILTEGAN GLENEALY 3-10 1-6
KILTEGAN steamrolled Glenealy in the JAHC final on Sunday morning in a game that was decided by differing efficiency in front of goal for both sides.
While both teams had goal chances, it was Kiltegan who were able to convert theirs and this swung the game in their favour. The game started slowly with neither side able to create any clear-cut scoring opportunities and it took a monster shoulder on Nigel Nolan, which prompted one particularly jovial supporter to exclaim ‘that’s meat in the sandwich there’, to turn over possession and allow Aaron Meade to open the scoring.
This was the first and only time Glenealy would be in front as mere minutes later Kiltegan had raised a green flag. Seamus Coogan started the attack, finding Aaron Byrne after intercepting a pass out of the Glenealy defence.
Byrne dashed past his marker before playing a short pass in to Padraig O’Toole who spun past his man and fired home a super effort into the far top corner.
While it may not have felt like it at the time, the following minutes would turn out to be one of the most crucial periods of the game. Three goal chances in a row came Glenealy’s way but on all three occasions they failed to convert.
First, Glen O’Gorman raced in behind the Kiltegan full-back line after they were beaten by a high ball in. O’Gorman swung from a tight angle and beat the keeper but failed to keep his effort inside the far post.
Seconds later, Glenealy were in again for what was their most clearcut chance of the game. Yet again it was Glen O’Gorman getting on the ball in the right position as he beat Mikey Mangan to a high ball. This time O’Gorman found the target but Kiltegan goalkeeper and captain Luke Byrne was up to the task as he blocked the Glenealy man’s piledriver.
If Byrne was the hero here, moments later he came very close to undoing his good work when he knocked a shot which had dropped short down to the ground but the sliotar just evaded the onrushing Glenealy attackers to keep the green flag from being raised.
While Glenealy did add points from Meade again and Gary Hughes, Kiltegan pulled further ahead when a free from Aaron Byrne was stopped from going over the bar by Glenealy goalkeep- er Cian Staunton.
However, Staunton could only succeed in knocking down to Padraig O’Toole who saw his shot blocked but not before the sliotar had crossed the line, provoking a brave but correct call from the umpires.
At half-time Glenealy introduced Vinnie Flaherty in the hope he could ignite a comeback but it was Kiltegan who started the brighter of the two sides in the second half, raising yet another green flag.
The third Kiltegan goal of the game strongly resembled the their second, with Cian Staunton misjudging his touch under a high ball in and allowing Fergal Farrell to pounce for his opening score of the game.
Jonathan O’ Neill pulled a point back for Glenealy but Kiltegan’s advantage grew ever larg- er through the likes of Padraig O’Toole, John Keogh and Mark Pierce, who slotted over a sideline cut that Joe Canning himself would be proud of.
With ten minutes to go, Glenealy did pull a goal back through Flaherty after the corner forward finished superbly following a long ball forward.
However, this was not enough to haul Glenealy back into the game and Kiltegan saw out the game with some solid defending to claim the Junior A Championship.
The father/son duo of Christy and Padraig O’Toole enjoyed a successful outing with Padraig finishing with 2-03 to his name. Special mention must also go to Eoin Coogan who pulled off the impressive feat of being awarded a yellow card before the ball came back into play following his introduction!
Scorers – Kiltegan: Padraig O’Toole 2-03, Aaron Byrne 0-03 (0-03f), John Keogh 0-02, Mark Pierce 0-01, Conor Deering 0-01.
Glenealy: Vincent Flaherty 1-00, Gary Hughes 0-03(0-02f), Aaron Meade 0-02, Jonathan O’Neill 0-01.