Cill na Martra edge out Kilmurry in another classic
THE coming weekend will see the commencement of Muskerry’s premier football championship and all those games in this seasons Ross oil junior football competition are likely to produce excellent fare.
Last Saturday saw the completion of this season’s under 21 football championships and that grade certainly had a dramatic ending. The under 21 (B) and (C) championships produced very satisfying fare before Naomh Abán and Iveleary respectively were crowned champions, but it was the (A) championship that was concluded on Saturday last at Macroom that really produced top drawer football.
The eventual finalists Cill Na Martra and Kilmurry had finished all square two weeks previously in contest that proved to be a Gaelic football classic and we had a similar situation on Saturday last.
It took extra time to separate two excellent sides before Cill Na Martra made history by capturing the divisions premier title for the first time. This group of Cill Na Martra players are certainly something special as good number of them have been performing impressively in under 21 football for the past four years.
In 2014 they were victorious in the under 21 (C) football championship and in the following year when they stepped up a grade they were equal to the challenge. They were deserved title winners so 2016 saw them entering the premier grade in Muskerry in under 21 football.
They did well to reach the final but they lost narrowly to Ballincollig following a praiseworthy performance. They picked it up again this season however as they performed well in all of their outings and in the final with their formidable opponents Kilmurry they gave patrons 140 minutes of Gaelic football of the highest order.
It was heartbreak for Kilmurry to be the on the losing side, but most of their team will again be entitled to participate in under 21 football in 2018 so they will again be a force to be reckoned with.
Throughout the Cill Na Martra team there were players who performed well at different stages in their securing of a historic victory, but two players worthy of special mention for their ability to produce that something extra when it was most needed are Dannó Duínnín and Micheál O Deasúna.
The coming weekend will hopefully see more entertaining football on display. There are four games down for decision in the Ross Oil junior football championship. On Friday reigning champions Kilmurry will be in action at Annahala where they will face Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh.
The former will naturally enter the fray as favourites considering that their opponents will be represented by their second choice side. The Gaeltacht side will not be a pushover however as they have abundance of footballers at present and we bear in mind that they competed well in last year’s championship.
Kilmurry are a formidable junior football side however and they can improve last year’s side by the inclusion of the under 21 members who have impressed in recent weeks and they get the vote to commence the defence of their title on a winning note. We have a second game on Friday evening which is listed for Macroom and it is a contest that could prove to be very entertaining as the contestants Iveleary and Canovee are two good footballing sides.
Iveleary are the last season’s defeated finalists while Canovee will always give a good account of themselves in junior football circles. This game could go right down to the wire.
On Sunday afternoon next there is an attractive double header arranged for Kilmurry. Ballincolligs second team will face Kilmichael who could have the edge in the opening game.
The former’s senior team were in good form last week in the county championship and the reserves for that team will be well trained for junior participation so they could make the going hard for their opponents.
Top class footballers like Peter Kelleher, Simon Foley and Conor Cotter will be leading the charge for Kilmichael, however, and they have to be fancied to surmount their first championship hurdle.
In the second game at Kilmurry Aghinagh and Inniscarra will be in action with the latter who have more strength in depth likely to have the edge.