It’s double jeopardy for Kilkerley and Geraldines
Kilkerley Emmets Hunterstown Rovers 4-14 1-8
KILKERLEY Emmets had it all their own way against Hunterstown on Saturday evening as they booked a second high stakes play-off showdown with Geraldines.
The sides were already due to meet in a Senior Championship play-off decider, but it’s a case of two for the price of one as they will now clash for the right to play Division 1 football in 2019.
Both sides had impressive wins over the weekend and if anything Kilkerley had it too easy against a Hunterstown outfit that seemed destined for big things early in the season, but have lost their way badly in the last few months.
This game was all but over by the time Jim Mathews’ side even managed to open their scoring account after an opening blitz by Kilkerley that yielded 1-4 without reply.
Shane Lennon, Ciaran McGlynn and James Fegan and Conal McEnaney all found their range and the goal was dispatched by Tadhg McEnaney, leaving Rovers with a mountain to climb.
Ryan Burns eventually got the visitors off the mark and he was to be their first-half scorer, clocking up five points.
But by that stage Emmets had plundered 2-10, with Lennon firing in the second goal shortly before half-time.
It didn’t get much better for Hunterstown after the break as Burns had an early points cancelled out by Tadhg McEnaney before Lennon dispatched his second goal.
Emmets continued to stretch their lead as the second-half progressed and when Mark Brennan fired past Cillian Quigley for a rare Rovers highlight it was little more than a consolation.
After securing their IFC status Hunterstown are now done and dusted for 2018, while Kilkerley face into two winner-takes-all battles with Geradlines. KILKERLEY EMMETS: Cillian Quigley; Cormac Bellew, Fintan Clarke, Niall Mulholland; Rian Hand, Ciaran Bellew, Shaun McElroy; James Fegan 0-2, Andrew McGuill 0-1; Conal McEneaney 0-1, Shane Lennon 2-4, Sean Hand, Ciaran McGlynn 0-1; Tadhg McEnaney 2-5, Ciaran Clarke. Subs: Ciaran Murtagh for R Hand; James Bellew for F Clarke; Ronan Mulholland for McGlynn; Darren Litchfield for Lennon. HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Niall Carrie; Brian Mathews, Patrick Taaffe, Martin Lennon; Marc Ward, Paul Carrie, Alan Mathews; David Finn, Conor Mathews; Paddy Mooney, Ryan Ward, Brendan Lennon; Alan Landy 0-1, Ryan Burns 0-7, Muiris O Suilleabhain. Subs: Mark Brennan 1-0 for A Mathews, Keith Brennan for M O Suilleabhain, Richoe Cunnimgham for M Ward.