Blessington pip Kilcoole Blues hold off late surge

ALL of us will have heard the refrain, sure it’s only Junior ‘C’. Well, neither team or mentors at this JCFC quarter-final in Ballinakill on Thursday evening last would subscribe to that billing. THIS was a game only won by the Blues in the dying minutes and could have gone either way and the prospect of extra-time looked likely.

It was end to end over the hour in a hugely sporting game, yellow cards, a black card, goalkeeper saves, shots back off the bar, regular turnovers of possession, both side lines incensed with decisions not going their way and, in the end, Covid advised touches all round as well played was the quip.

Kilcoole will rue not being able to push on in a situation where they scored first in all four quarters. They opened in lively fashion with corner-forward Conor Scullion kicking two fine points from play in the first ten minutes while centre back John Dunning and fellow defenders cancelled out the Blessington forwards.

Alan Ellis eventually stirred the Blues forwards with some fine passes, giving Thomas Donohue three points (two from frees) and one from Stephen Flanagan. Although Collie McGivern and Chris Farrell pushed Kilcoole forward at every opportunity, they failed to score again up to the first water break, Blessington leading four points to two.

Kilcoole were first on the scoreboard after the water break with a point from a free from Patrick Woods, however, the Blues responded with points from Jonathan Behan and substitute David Williamson. It was a case of what might have been for Kilcoole after 25 minutes when Blues keeper and senior team manager Jonathan Daniels made two reflex saves from Patrick Woods, both looking goalbound, Blessington leading six points to three at half-time.

Immediately on the restart following a Kilcoole turnover of Blessington possession, Brian Devereux landed a point from a free to reduce the deficit to two points.

However, shortly afterwards Thomas Donohue restored the Blues three-point lead with a point from a free.

Although three points up the Blues were under pressure and the Blessington keeper had another reflex save from Patrick Woods and then they looked in real trouble when their midfielder Stephen Flanagan was black carded, the Blues three up at the second water break, seven points to four.

There was real drama entering the third quarter. A Kilcoole attack saw Eoin O’Brien hit the post with the Blues keeper beaten. The resulting clearance moved quickly up field saw substitute Eoin Kavanagh race towards the Kilcoole goal and blast wide. Kilcoole, buoyed by that narrow escape, again charged forward and to huge cheers Barry Doyle levelled the game when punching home a perfect cross.

To their credit Blessington hung in with resolute defending till they were restored to 15 with Stephen Flanagan’s return when he immediately kicked a point as did his colleagues Ian Richardson and Alan Ellis.

A Mickel Counihan effort came back of a post as Kilcoole threw everything into the final minutes, however, the Blues held on.

Jonathan Daniels; Stephen Byrne, Garreth Grogan, Damien Breen; Claude Tournou, Cormac Roe, Fionn Walsh; Stephen Flanagan (0-2), David Phibbs; Peter O’Connell, Alan Ellis (0-1), Thomas Donohue (0-4, 3f); Jonathan Behan (0-1), Ian Richardson (0-1), Adam Murphy. Subs: David Williamson (0-1), Lee Brennan, Eoin Kavanagh.

KILCOOLE: Josh Murray; Ronan Whiston, Tyrone Houlihan, Tristan Grant; Darren Burke, John Dunning, James Scullion; Collie McGivern, Chris Farrell; Kevin Condon, Peter McKenna, Brian Devereux (0-1); Eoin O’Brien, Patrick Woods (0-1), Conor Scullion (0-2). Subs: Barry Doyle (1-0), Fionn Mansfield, Mickel Counihan. REFEREE: Hugh Murphy