Late points sets Kilshannig on their way to U-21 victory

Kilshannig 0-12 Fermoy 1-5

REIGNING Under-21 AFC kingpins Kilshannig made it a winning start to this years Barnes Jewellers (Fermoy) sponsored Under 21 AFC when they defeated a gallant Fermoy outfit at Fermoy on Saturday. In a close contest the issue was in the balance for 50 minutes with the winners kicking four crucial points in the last ten minutes to emerge deserving victors.

The opening stages saw Kilshannig start in a very positive manner with Kieran Twomey and Eanna O’Hanlon impressing at midfield while Darragh O’Sullivan at full forward was also causing many problems and by the seventh minute they moved into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. As the half went on Fermoy with the aid of the strong wind quickly settled. Their entire defence tightened up greatly as they cut off the supply going into the Kilshannig full forward line.

At the other end Dale Dawson with points from a ‘45’ and a free by the end of the first quarter had the teams deadlocked at 0-3 apiece. The rest of the half was keenly contested. Eanna O’Hanlon edged the Glantane side in front with a well taken point in the 24th minute. Fermoy who lost their opening game to Charleville the previous week end badly needed to win to keep their season alive. On the stroke of the half time whistle they were awarded a penalty when David O’Callaghan was upended in the square. The resultant spot kick by Conor De Roiste was finished to the net and it helped them hold a 1-3 to 0-4 interval lead.

On the changeover Kilshannig with the aid of the wind took the game to their opponents with Bill Curtin, Kieran Twomey, Colm O’Shea, Conor McMahon, Darragh O’Sullivan, Jack Kearney, Eanna O’Hanlon and Barry O’Shea featuring strongly. Two points in as many minutes by Jack Kearney and Eanna O’Hanlon restored parity by the 33rd minute.

Fermoy who had some fine displays by Jack Scannell, Ronan Morrisson, James Molloy, Dale Dawson, Conor O’Driscoll, and the Lardner brothers regrouped very well and it was very much tit for tat for the next 17 minutes with very little separating the teams.

Dale Dawson with a difficult free edged Fermoy in front with Kilshannig replying through a Darragh O’Sullivan free in the 38th minute 1-4 to 0-7. Dawson gave Fermoy the lead once again with another free with Kilshannig responding when good work by Eoin Healy resulted in a fine point by Colm O’Shea.

However it was the Glantane side that upped their efforts greatly in the last ten minutes. Eanna O’Hanlon with a free moved them in front and they followed with three more points by Eanna O’Hanlon, Darragh O’Sullivan and Kieran Twomey to emerge winners by a four point margin. KILSHANNIG: K McMahon, K Barrow, B Curtin, S Murphy, J Murphy, C O’Shea 0-1, C Murphy, K Twomey 0-2f, E O’Hanlon 0-4 (2f), C Taylor, C McMahon, B O’Shea, J Kearney 0-1, D O’Sullivan 0-4 (1f), J O’Hanlon. Subs: E Healy for C Taylor (inj), D O’Riordan for J O’Hanlon, C O’Sullivan for C McMahon (inj)

FERMOY: R Sargent, R Morrisson, R O’Sullivan, L Aherne, N Collins, J Scannell, A Creed, G Lardner, S McCarthy, C O’Driscoll, D Lardner, J Molloy, C De Roiste (1-0 pen) D Dawson 0-5 (4f, 1 ‘45’), D O’Callaghan. D McCarthy for C O’Driscoll, B Twomey for C De Roiste.