Galileo - unashamedly bias opinion
Unusually for a print space reserved for GAA activities, and on a bumper weekend of sport, the headline act in a sports laden weekend was Galileo, the supreme stallion, the epoch defining horse of our lifetime who has died. He lives on through his dynasty that he created, sire of 92 grade 1 winners and counting, but to those who love the thoroughbred, for the magnificence of the beast, he was the daddy.
England may have lost the Euro’s final, Djokovic won again in Wimbledon, and Cork won for their first All-Ireland at U21/U20 grade since 1998, having lost the last two deciders – the final U21 and first U20 – to Tipperary, but the headline act was Galileo. With a Galileo offspring, you were sure of one thing, they would try their best for you, and that was a certainty, when few things are, as Christopher Bullock famously said, back in 1716, “Tis impossible to be sure of anything but Death and Taxes”.
HURLING LEAGUE WIN AGAINST CLYDA
Tough, uncompromising, hard yet blatantly fair would be the synopsis of the latest encounter between Killavullen and Clyda Rovers that was played out, on Friday night last, on a picture perfect pitch in Mourneabbey.
Jack O’Connor was first to score for a young Killavullen side, smarting from recent defeats against Clyda, before Liam Fox grabbed another. Clyda hit back with a score, before our leader, Barry Murphy scored an audacious point from an acute angle. That was the score at the end of the 1st quarter 0-03 to 0-01 with Clyda forwards shooting number of wides, but credit also ,the Killavullen backs for the pressure they were applying to the shooter.
Darragh O’Grady, so missed due to exam commitments, here to now, scored on the resumption, but Clyda came into the ascendancy in the middle of the field for a period, and hit three unanswered points, to leave the teams on the same score. We took the lead again, in the 23rd minute with a Barry Murphy point, and pushed that lead out to 2 points, when the hard working, hard running Noah Butler scored a point from out on his side of the field. Hard to know what side of the field was his, as he interchanged with Eddie Cotter regularly, but he certainly put his hand up for inclusion in the championship 15, with this display, over the hour. Clyda were adept at drawing in players into tight situations, where their physicality was to the fore, and then releasing a man in space, you know what is coming but you are powerless to stop it, and they drew level in such a fashion, with two scores. We took the lead just before the break, with a long-distance Liam Fox shot after picking up a delightful cross field side line ball, from the stellar, Liam Cronin. The referee blew his whistle, and the sizeable crowd drew their breath.
Clyda were first to score in the second half, before they took the lead for the first time quickly afterwards. Seamus O’Mahony was introduced for Liam Fox, and again, as with the previous league game, he was influential. Jack O’Connor won a hard won free, when our forward division harried the Clyda rear guards and forced them into a mistake, which Barry Murphy con
verted. The same player scored a point when Eddie Cotter found him, in a miniscule amount of space, as space was in a premium all night, for Barry to edge us back in front. Killavullen played best when they went through the lines, from defence, but that requires deft touches with every player, whereas the crowd would be baying for a long clearance to relieve the danger. From a long clearance from Eoghan Buckley, Barry knocked the ball down to himself, and in a flash, as the ball hit the ground; he swept it into the net, for a decisive score. Clyda replied with another point to leave the score going into the final quarter, 1-09 to 0-09.
The final quarter was intense; Clyda clawed back a point before Eoghan Buckley scored a booming point from distance to restore our 3-point advantage. Clyda eked out another score, but the game was settled when a shot from Seamus
Fox, under pressure, and unlucky not to get a free, dropped between the inrushing forwards and sufficiently in front of the goalkeeper to force him to come out. He could only attempt to control the dipping shot on his hurley, and when it bounced up, Seamus O’Mahony, with a deft flick, forced it over the line. Clyda responded but our young full back line of Michael Cagney, Brian Cotter and Seamus, the elder at 22, were resolute in their defending. Sometimes it was not pretty, but it kept our goal line intact. Clyda got two points back, one from a free, but we held on to win, and importantly, we had the ball at the final whistle.
A tough affair, but a win to maintain our forward momentum, and especially pleasing that it was done, on a night when four of the team that started against Ballyhooly were not available. Competition for places is driving performances, and that is gaining results.
Michael Cronin, Michael Cagney, Brian Cotter, Seamus Fox, Sean O’Regan, Liam Cronin, Paul O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Grady (0-01), Eoghan Buckley (0-01), Eddie Cotter, Liam Fox (0-02), Noah Butler (0-01), Micky O’Connor, Barry Murphy (1-04, 0-02F) and Jack O’Connor (0-01). Subs: Seamus O’Mahony 1-00 for Liam Fox (injured).
HONOURS EVEN BETWEEN KILLAVULLEN AND IBANE GAELS Killavullen 3-6 Ibane Gaels 2-9
On another day the footballing folk from Killavullen might be tempted to stroll around the majestic Timoleague Abbey, but last Friday evening the focus was entirely on the enthralling battle with Ibane Gaels that played out in nearby Barryroe as the Junior Ladies dug deep to come away with a share of the spoils.
The five-day turnaround since the hard-fought victory over St. Finbarrs and the long trip were reasonable excuses for the sluggish start, with early opportunities spurned, but a fourth minute point from Niamh Buckley was quickly followed by a second point by Orla O’Regan, who was quickest to react after the ball rebounded from the crossbar.
A pointed free from Niamh Buckley gave us a three-point lead, but this was short-lived when an Ibane goal in the tenth minute, followed by two points in quick succession, underlined the strength of the opposition. Both teams worked hard to force turnovers and defended stubbornly before Niamh Buckley and Orla O’Regan combined to score a great goal to give Killavullen a slender lead.
There was stalemate for a long period after the water break, before Ibane hit a purple patch, scoring three points without reply, to take a 1-5 to 1-3 lead at the short whistle.
Killavullen regrouped and upped a gear on the resumption, rewarded by a Niamh Buckley point. Ibane pressed hard for a score of their own, but two great blocks by Edwina Dingivan frustrated their efforts and a period of sustained pressure yielded just a point. With Olivia Cahill and Sinéad Coakley again anchoring the defence, the siege was lifted, and Killavullen got a huge boost from a second Orla O’Regan goal.
Niamh Buckley tacked on a point from a free and Killavullen dared to dream that they might leave West Cork with a victory. However, an Ibane goal just before the water break swung the pendulum back in their favour and now Killavullen trailed by two points once more. Our cause wasn’t helped when Olivia Cahill, who has established herself as a trustworthy full back, was sinbinned and had to sit out the remainder of the contest. Worse was to follow, when Aisling O’Keeffe received a dubious yellow card and we were reduced to thirteen players.
Killavullen showed remarkable character and resilience and somehow found extra reserves. Niamh Buckley burst through for a fantastic goal to edge us in front and Kate O’Keeffe followed up with a point to extend the lead to two points. In a frantic last few minutes Killavullen tried valiantly to maintain their lead, but two points from Ibane Gaels levelled the game and an objective consensus, if one could ever be found, was that a draw was a fair enough result.
The draw extends Killavullen’s unbeaten run over four games in the league and places us top of the group with three games remaining, against Kilworth, St. Colman’s and Shamrocks.
Team and scorers: Catherine Blake, Claire Nagle, Olivia Cahill, Edwina Dingivan, Claire McGuire, Sinéad Coakley, Siobhán Sheehan, Andrea Fresh, Kate O’Keeffe 0-1, Caoimhe O’Riordan, Sarah Brosnan (captain), Niamh O’Regan, Ali O’Shea, Orla O’Regan 2-1, Niamh Buckley 1-4, Catherine Norris, Alice O’Flynn, Deirdre O’Gorman, Kayleigh Roche, Sarah Lane, Eva Lankford, Niamh O’Gorman, Aisling O’Keeffe, Lily Sheahan, Emma Taylor, Emily Fresh, Emma Nagle, Evelyn Buckley, Clara Walsh.
LOW NUMBERS DRAWN OUT IN THE LOTTO, BUT NO WINNER
There was no winner of the lotto jackpot last Tuesday night, when the numbers drawn, were 5, 9 and 12. The jackpot on the night was, at €1,400. When low numbers are drawn, the propensity for a winner is higher.
The next jackpot, will be drawn on the 13th of July will be for €1,500
The winners of the lucky dips on last Tuesday night were as follows; €50 – Michael Linehan – seller – himself; €30 – Maire O’Connor, Rockforest – seller – online sales; €20 – Maeve Magner – seller – online sales
Tickets can be bought from any committee member or from our website Killavullengaa.com. E-Sales to be valid must be completed before 8pm on the night of the draw. Any ticket purchased after that time goes forward to the draw, of the following week.
Thank you for your anticipated and ongoing support.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
Killavullen play Ballyhooly in Division 3 Football League on Wednesday night, the 14th in Ballyhooly and on the same night, Killavullen play Mallow in U18 Minor A Football League 14th in Killavullen.
On Friday, the 16th, Killavullen play Ballyclough, in Division 1 football league, in Ballyclough at 7.30pm.
Always check out our website, for updates.
SILENT COACHING – A GOOD IDEA TO BORROW FROM ANOTHER CODE
Silent Soccer is an opportunity for parents and coaches to learn that youth prefer to be stimulated, rather than instructed. A player’s opponent provides all the stimulation they need to develop good soccer instincts, which is further enhanced if the game is structured to be age-appropriate.
With a Silent Sideline Weekend, the coaches, parents and spectators are asked to keep talking to a bare minimum on the sidelines. One coach from each team will be given the task to instruct (not during the game), whilst everyone else watches on in SILENCE.
After observed some underage games over the weekend, it is an idea worth exploring, by the GAA. Over eager parents kicking every ball and puck, and encouraged a win at all cost mentality, instils fear in children.
It is unnecessary.