Keale Gaels claim county minor hurling title with style
Keale Gaels 1-16 Kilbrittain 1-8
KEALE Gaels finished with a flourish to overcome a gritty Kilbrittain to collect the Clayton Silversprings Hotel Rebel Óg County Minor B1 Hurling Championship title at Ovens on Saturday.
A competitive contest remained up for grabs until the latter stages where the Dromtariffe and Millstreet combination held both the patience and the composure to prevail. Ultimately, a rewarding spell for the Dromtariffe contingent, seven days previously, a number of their players were part of a dramatic Co. JAFC triumph.
Two players that started the football decider against Kilmacabea, Conor O’Callaghan and Tomás Howard emerged as the epicentre of industry in central positions in this contest. All Ireland U17 medal winner O’Callaghan commanded centre back with Howard posting a 1-8 tally in attack.
Following a stalemate opening, Keale Gaels offered the greater urgency, O’Callaghan’s clearance found Howard to fire home a cracking goal.
Kilbrittain came more into the game and threw down the gauntlet, midfielder’s Mark Hickey long delivery deceived the Keale cover for an opportunist goal. Still, there was a rich texture to the Gaels, Ray Daly, Luke O’Donoughue and O’Callaghan on top in defence with Neil Flahive and Howard also catching the eye.
Though Hickey added to the Kilbrittain tally, points from Howard and Dylan Kelleher helped Gaels enjoy a 1-8 to 1-4 grip at the break. On the restart, Gaels added to their tally only for a breeze assisted Kilbrittain upped the pace through the workrate of Aaron Holland and Mikolaj Kalotka but the move of Hickey to full forward failed to create a major impact.
Points from Holland and Hickey offered Kilbrittain encouragement only to be cancelled by O’Callaghan and Howard at the opposite end. As the tempo dropped on a greasy sod and windy conditions, both sides were hindered by poor shooting.
Hickey pointed long range from a 65 before the Kilbrittain talisman picked up a second yellow card in the subsequent play. And though the West Cork side pressed, failing to obtain a return frustrated Kilbrittain against a competent Gaels rearguard.
Holland did land a pointed free but Keale possessed more, finishing at a gallop, points from O’Callaghan, Howard and Flahive put the icing on the cake.
KEALE GAELS: D Hartnett; A Murphy, R Daly, D O’Donovan; L O’Donoghue, C O’Callaghan 0-2 (1f), D Cashman; N Flahive 0-3, K O’Sullivan 0-1; B Murphy 0-1, T Howard 1-8 (0-4f), J O’Sullivan; D Sheehan, D Kelleher 0-1, E Sheehan. Subs. M Sheehan for E Sheehan, A Smith for D Kelleher, E Murphy for B Murphy.
KILBRITTAIN: E Galvin; J O’Donovan, A Holland 0-2 (1f), M Kalitka; C Sheehan, G Hodge, P Galvin; M Hickey 1-5 (0-2f, 0-2 ‘65’), S Sexton; S O’Sullivan, K Murphy, D Considine; D Galvin, C Hogan 0-1, C J O’Connell. Subs: C Ustianowski for C Hogan, E O’Donnell for K Murphy, A Fehilly for C J O’Connell.
REFEREE: C Dineen (Douglas)