Kilmurry 2-23
Gabriel Rangers 0-13
KILMURRY are making a habit of picking up silverware. Last season, the Mid Cork club won the county premier junior football championship, followed by the Munster junior club title. Now they have added the McCarthy Insurance Group Football League Division 5 cup to a bulging trophy cabinet.
Kilmurry impressed during the league campaign, winning all eight games up until they lost to Gabriel Rangers in the final round, but two weeks later they turned the tables on the Carbery club when they clashed in the final in Dunmanway on Sunday.
The Kilmurry team celebrate after defeating Gabriel Rangers in the McCarthy Insurance FL Division 5 final at Dunmanway.
It was, incredibly, a 27-point swing in just two weeks – Gabriels won 1-17 to 1-6 on June 22nd, but lost by 16 points this time. In fact, there were only three points between the teams at half time in this league final, but then Kilmurry moved up through the gears, led by Ruadhán Ó Curraoin who has added even more of a cutting edge in their attack – he finished with 1-11, more than the entire Gabriels tally.
For Gabriels, while disappointed with the result, they – along with Kilmurry – have been promoted to Division 4 for next season. It’s two successive promotions for Gabriels as they surge up through the leagues, and the hope is they can make an impact in the upcoming intermediate A football championship. Kilmurry will also campaign at this grade for the first time, and could be one to keep an eye on.
Kilmurry's William Ronan tries to hold back Gabriel Rangers' Keith O'Driscoll during the league final.
The winners made their move in the first eight minutes after the break, swelling a three-point lead (1-7 to 0-7) to a nine-point advantage, 1-13 to 0-7. Gabriels did rally, as a two-point free from the ever-green Mark Cronin and a Keith O’Driscoll point cut the gap to six, but Kilmurry were clinical at the other end. A goal from Ó Curraoin pushed the lead out to 2-15 to 0-10, though Gabriels did see a Paddy O’Driscoll rattle the woodwork beforehand. Fine margins. Kilmurry weren’t going to be caught from here.
In the opening half, Denis O’Mullane scored Kilmurry’s goal inside the opening ten minutes, and they built a lead they never relinquished. It’s onto the championship for both – Gabriels play Mitchelstown in their Group 2 opener on July 26th, and the following day Kilmurry meet St Vincent’s in a Group 3 tie.
Cork County Board children's officer Donal McCarthy presents the trophy to Kilmurry captain William Ronan.
Scorers
Kilmurry: R Ó Curraoin 1-11 (3 tpf, 1 tp, 1f); D O’Mullane 1-0; James O’Mullane 0-3; K Kelleher, R Duggan 0-2 each; L Asling, T Collins, C Kelleher, S O’Leary, M O’Leary 0-1 each.
Gabriel Rangers: M Cronin 0-6 (1 tpf, 2f); J O’Regan (1 tp, 1f); K O’Driscoll 0-3 each; R Hurley 0-1.
Kilmurry: J McDonnell, O Keane, W Ronan, B Hinchion; T Collins, K Kelleher, A Asling; James O’Mullane, C Kelleher; R Duggan, R Ó Curraoin, L Asling; S O’Leary, D O’Mullane, Joe O’Mullane.
Subs: John O’Mullane for C Kelleher (44), M O’Leary for Collins (54), A O’Mahony for Hinchion (54), R Leahy for Asling (54), O McDonald for D O’Mullane (60), D Cahalane for James O’Mullane (60).
Gabriel Rangers: L Hegarty; C O’Sullivan, D O’Regan, R Roycroft; C Moynihan, K O’Brien, L Bowen; S Kelleher, D Green; R Hurley, P O’Driscoll, G O’Callaghan; M Cronin, K O’Driscoll, J O’Regan.
Subs: S O’Mahony for Green (ht), E Grogan for Roycroft (ht), D McSweeney for Bowen (51), L O’Brien for Moynihan (51), D O’Shea for S Kelleher (54), D Roycroft for O’Sullivan (54), E O’Brien for Cronin (56), R McSweeney for Hegarty (56), F Hogan for Regan (60).
Referee: Cormac Dineen (Douglas).
