Killavullen win out against depleted Ballyhooly
With a whirlwind start Killavullen overpowered a depleted Ballyhooly team in the latest Avondhu Division 1 hurling game, played yesterday in Killavullen. On a pitch well prepared by John Brennan in Killavullen with help from Conor, Padraig Looney marked his return from his latest hamstring injury with two rapid-fire points before his younger brother Colm pounced on a ball dropped in close to goals to raise a green flag. Jamie Magner scored a point from a dead ball situation and then scored a good goal of his own.
Ballyhooly replied with a point from open play before Mikey O’Connor used good wrists to shoot over his shoulder and over the bar, and we found ourselves with a commanding lead inside the opening 10 minutes. 2-04 to 0-01 at this stage. Ballyhooly added the next two points from play before their deputizing goalkeeper pulled off a wonder double save from Colm again. Eoin Twomey may not be their regular keeper, but he must have been practising in his back yard, to force a save like that.
Colm got a small measure of revenge with the next point, and then Jamie scored from open play, before Eoghan Buckley found himself in close to goals after a great team move and Eoghan raised another green flag. Jamie had another brace of points to stretch out our lead further 3-08 to 0-03. We were playing some delightful fast crisp accurate hurling at this stage and moving the ball around smartly, with our backline looking assured and our midfielders working hard.
Unfortunately, we lost Michael Cagney to an ankle injury and we took our foot somewhat off the gas around the same time and our game became over-elaborate and ponderous. Ballyhooly replied with 3 frees, one a very fine long range effort from Darragh O’Reilly and Jamie got another back to bring our tally by the short whistle to 3-09. Ballyhooly tacked on two more points by the break to have their score at 0-08.
The opening 10 minutes of the second half was a poor affair with mistakes from both sides, before Jamie scored a free to open our scoring. The Ballyhooly standin keeper denied us again, with another fine save before his own club scored a pointed free. Jamie got two more frees in a game that was getting unnecessarily scrappy only for Ballyhooly to point another free. The Killavullen mentors had seen enough and introduced a raft of changes and rejigged the team to add a small bit more thrust to our efforts. It had the desired outcome and with faster delivery our forwards had space again to exploit. Jamie pointed a free, Darragh O’Grady got a lovely point, then Mikey O’Connor, before Liam Fox and Barry Murphy completed our scoring.
The final score was 3-17 to 0-10. Good displays from our backs, with Kian Lane impressing, and our halfback line very assured. Our midfield had moments and our centre forward line drifted in and out of the game. Our inside forward line looked dangerous when they got quick ball.
Good competition for places as well, with a telling contribution from the bench. Killavullen though, as will most other clubs will suffer when these young lads start to migrate around the world, and on that note we wish Seamus Fox and his twin sister Ellen bon voyage as they are off on their Australian adventure. We will miss the versatility of Seamus but hopefully, he enjoys himself down under, but not so much that he wants to stay there!
Team: Michael Cronin, Fionn Magner, Brian Cotter, Kian Lane, Eddie Cotter, Liam Cronin, Ronan Barry, Michael Cagney, Liam Fox (0-01), Mickey O’Connor (0-02), Eoghan Buckley (1-00), Padraig Looney (0-02), Jamie Magner (1-09, 0-07F), Colm Looney (1-01), Paul O’Sullivan. Substitutes - Darragh O’Grady (0-01) for Michael Cagney – injured, Sean Bartley for Ronan Barry, Seamus O’Mahony for Colm Looney, Gary Lane for Padraig Looney, Barry Murphy (0-01F) for Jamie Magner.
KILSHANNIG FINISH STRONGLY TO QUELL FEISTY KILLAVULLEN Killavullen 2-7 Kilshannig 3-14
The final scoreline of this North Cork Ladies Junior Football League game did scant justice to the overall performance of the Killavullen players, all of whom went toe to toe with a more experienced Kilshannig team. A number of our ladies were unavailable and some changes due to injury were necessary in the course of the game, but there was certainly no hint of inferiority. In fact, such was the response of the home team after the concession of an early point and goal, that few could argue with a deserved single point lead for Killavullen as the teams changed ends.
The first half was played at a frenetic pace and was loaded with drama. After Kilshannig had taken those opening scores, Kate O’Keeffe led the fight back with a well taken point on the five minute mark. Killavullen won the resultant kickout and worked a quick point from full forward, Eva Lankford. Eva was to add a goal soon after, having received a good pass from Alice O’Flynn. Alice had been to the fore in the early exchanges and was most unfortunate to suffer a nasty finger injury mid-way through the opening half which finished her involvement.
Two points from Kilshannig followed before Eva Lankford was denied a goal, when a ferocious shot from her rattled the crossbar. Patient play followed from the forwards, leading to a coolly executed point from Emily Fresh. Kilshannig lifted the siege and play switched to the other end for a spell, where they added four points, despite the best efforts of a resolute defence and some excellent goalkeeping from our custodian, Claire Nagle. The pendulum swung back in Killavullen’s favour when Niamh Buckley rattled the net and Eva Lankford pushed us in front with a point from a free before the short whistle.
Siobhán Sheehan and Lily Sheahan belied their youth as a strong axis in defence with Edwina Dingivan, Ciara Jones, Claire Maguire and Clara Walsh offering tremendous cover on the wings.
Erica O’Connell and Caoimhe O’Riordan were playing super football in midfield, supporting the backs and linking very well with the forward division. Jessica Scuffins had to be replaced at the break, and she was sorely missed as she was having a fine game. Equally, Kate O’Keeffe and Andrea Fresh were playing with great energy in the half forward line. As an attacking inside line, Niamh Buckley, Eva Lankford and Alice O’Flynn (before her unfortunate injury) looked ever threatening and combined to telling effect.
Kilshannig certainly had the more telling impact on the scoreboard in the second half. Two white flags from Emily Fresh and Eva Lankford left us feeling short-changed for a massive effort throughout the field. Opportunities were deservedly given to every available Killavullen player to contribute and all battled to the last whistle. Emma Taylor, Olivia Cahill and Anna Walsh slotted in seamlessly into the backline, while Niamh O’Gorman, Sarah Lane and Hannah Martin brought fresh energy up front.
A goal early in the second half lifted the opposition and they added some excellent points. A late goal tilted the scoreboard, perhaps a little unfairly, and Kilshannig finished ten points in front. Full credit to our ladies, however, for being more than a match for the visitors.
CIARAN NAGLE WINS OUR ED SHEERAN TICKETS
Congratulations to Ciaran Nagle who was the recipient of our two Premium Level tickets for the sold out Ed Sheeran concert in Páirc Ui Chaoimh on Thursday next, 28th April. Ciaran, whilst grateful to receive them, admitted that he was not the best Ed Sheeran fan and so kindly gave up his tickets to his older sister Claire. Killavullen GAA ran this promotion to encourage persons to pay their membership of the club in a timely manner. Enjoy the concert, Claire.
We ran a separate promotion then to aid our juvenile group, with tickets for the Friday night show. The winner of that will be announced on Wednesday night of this week at the monthly GAA meeting.
BIZARRELY THE JACKPOT IS WON AGAIN!
There was one winner of the lotto jackpot of €1,100 last week, when the draw took place in the Community Centre. Sometimes the jackpot can run for weeks, other times, like this week, it went in only its second week, but such are the vagaries of the random balls chosen from the drum. The winner of the jackpot was Irma Pauliukaite, who is a long-time supporter of the lotto, through Mary Mellerick. Congratulations to Irma. The numbers drawn were 4, 17 and 24. The jackpot on the night was, at €1,100.
Next week, the jackpot will be €1,000. The winners of the lucky dips on last Tuesday night were as follows; €50 Patrick Cronin, seller, Michael Linehan; €30 Mary Magner, Main Street, seller online sales; €20 Billy Feore, seller Billy Feore.
BALLYGOWN SCHOOL VERY STRONG IN COUNTY SCÓR COMPETITIONS
‘County champions’ has a sweet ring about it! Some days live long in the memory and last Friday night will certainly be one of those.
Finally getting the chance to take to the stage in the 2020 Scór na bPáistí County final... even if it was two years later and during the Easter holidays... meant a lot to our past pupils. They had made a huge effort to practise and it paid off.
Winners in the Figure Dancing competition and 3rd place in Recitation and Léiriú are fantastic achievements and we are so proud of all of them. Figure Dancing: Sarah Hanley, Claire O’Donoghue, Veronica Vettraino, Carla Vettraino, Katie Kelleher, Anna Cotter, Ciara O’Grady, Molly Buckley. Recitation: Molly Buckley. Léiriú: Hazel Vaughan, Edward Boyle, Sarah Hanley, Cormac McCarthy, Niall Feaheny and Adam Keating.
The icing on the cake came when Ballygown School was awarded the Overall Shield for the best school in the county. Congrats to all the competitors and special mention to Eileen O’Dwyer and Susan O’Donoghue for all the effort preparing the dancers.
Ballygown school, under the direction of ‘ Mr Ballygown’, the affable principal John Hannon, has never been a school to miss an opportunity to party and with the best centres of fine dining closing early on Friday night in Owens, the large travelling party were happy to celebrate al fresco. It proved beyond doubt that when the chips were down, Ballygown came out on top!
GREENWAY SUBMISSION – DO NOT LET A GREAT OPPORTUNITY PASS YOU BY
Friday, April 29th is the final day to submit an opinion on the proposed greenway. The planners at this stage would love to hear from persons in the community with their opinions, so, please log onto the Mallow to Dungarvan portal and say something.
It all helps to send out the message that notwithstanding some difficulties with regard to the proposed route, the community in Killavullen is very much if favour of this development.
MOTTO FOR THE WEEK.
Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. attributed to Winston Churchill.
Club sponsor - Howard Farm Feeds.