No safe Harbour for Kilshannig
Harbour Rovers 2-18 Kilshannig 0-10
AN impressive display by Harbour Rovers saw them run out easy winners over Kilshannig in a one sided Hibernian Hotel JAHC quarter final at Killavullen on Saturday evening.
Despite the sides being tied early on at 0-1 and 0-2 each when Dermot Twomey and Stephen Condon traded minors it was Harbour Rovers that gained control from here with Brian Gallagher, Philip Blackburn, Dave Pyne, John O’Sullivan, Jerome Fitzgibbon and the Condon brothers Thomas and Stephen in splendid form.
In the eighth minute they struck for the games opening goal when a timely clearance by Dave Pyne found Stephen Condon out on the flank and after cutting in along the end line Condon finished to the net from a tight angle that raced them 1-4 to 0-2 in front.
Over the next couple of minutes points were swapped between Stephen Condon (2) Kevin O’Flynn and Kieran Twomey as the winners maintained a five point cushion at the end of the first quarter.
This continued to be the trend in the run up to the break with Jerome Fitzgibbon, Stephen Condon, Dermot Twomey, Kieran Twomey, Seán Finn and Kevin O’Flynn on target with some well taken points by the 27th minute as Harbour Rovers maintained a five point advantage.
In the closing moments the winners stretched their lead. Stephen Condon and Padraigh Hannon added points with Condon having his sides second goal in injury time following good work by Jerome Fitzgibbon and it gave them a interval lead of 2-12 to 0-7.
On the changeover Kilshannig were expected to mount a serious onslaught but they found it hard to make headway against a stubborn Rovers back line. Kevin O’Flynn (2) and Killian O’Hanlon had points by the end of the third quarter to trail 2-14 to 0-10 – Dave Pyne and Stephen Condon were on target for the winners.
Kilshannig went in search of goals in the last quarter, but there was no denying Harbour Rovers. In the 48th minute a good clearance by Philip Blackburne was picked up by Dave Pyne who set up Ross Murphy for a long range point.
They added three more points before the final whistle by Shane O’Riordan (2) and Stephen Condon to run out convincing winners. They will now meet Ballyhooly in the semi-final.
HARBOUR ROVERS: D O’Sullivan, J Coughlan, B Gallagher, P Blackburne, B O’Keeffe, T Condon, S Finn 0-1, D Pyne 0-1, J O’Sullivan, P Hannon 0-1, S Dunne, S O’Riordan 0-3, J Fitzgibbon 0-2, D Gallagher, S Condon 2-9 (0-6f) Subs: E O’Donoghue for S Dunne, R Murphy 0-1 for S Finn (inj), C Dennehy for J Fitzgibbon, J Flavin for D Gallagher
KILSHANNIG: J Quinn, B Curtin, R O’Mahony, B Guerin, C Murphy, E Burke, B O’Hanlon, E O’Sullivan, C O’Shea, K Twomey 0-2, K O’Hanlon 0-1, E O’Hanlon, J Kearney, D Twomey 0-3, K O’Flynn 0-4 (0-3f) Subs: C Casey for C Murphy (inj), T O’Regan for J Kearney, J Kearney for B O’Hanlon (inj)
REFEREE: Cathal Egan (Glen Rovers)