Kilmurry 2-12

Ilen Rovers 1-11

TOM LYONS REPORTS

IT was last year’s beaten finalists, Ilen Rovers, against the beaten semi-finalists, Kilmurry, in this cracking McCarthy Insurance Group Intermediate A Football Championship battle in Ballinacarriga.

While the winners hit two goals, Kilmurry won because they produced two superb two-pointers from the outstanding Ruadhán Ó Curraoin in the closing 20 minutes that were enough to carry them to a four-point victory.

‘The two goals really settled us down and Ruadhán, a Galway man, is a huge addition to us,’ said a relieved Kilmurry manager Brian Harte, who has taken over the intermediate team this season after a couple of years with the successful U21 teams.

‘Ilen could have won the county last year and they were always going to come back at us, we expected that. They are a serious team. Ballinora beat us by four points in the semi-final last season and went on to win it, so we know we’re not far off it.’

A cagey opening quarter produced only four scores with both defences on top. Seán Connolly opened the scoring with an Ilen point but we had to wait ten minutes for the next score – a cracking solo goal by Ó Curraoin in the 11th minute. Within three minutes he was through again following a good move to rattle the Ilen net for the second time. Adrian O’Driscoll kicked a two-pointer to close a low-scoring first quarter, 2-0 to 0-3.

It wasn’t until the 20th minute that Kilmurry kicked their first point, from the lively Joe McGinn, in answer to an O’Driscoll point for Ilen.

Ó Curraoin, Liam Wall and McGinn (free) added points for the mid-Cork men, with Kevin O’Driscoll and Adrian O’Driscoll kicking two fine two-pointers for Ilen to close the gap to two at half time, 2-4 to 0-8.

The second half began with an Ilen point from Aaron O’Sullivan but back came Kilmurry, now with the breeze, with a two-pointer from Liam Wall to stretch the lead to three.

In the 39th minute, live-wire Aidan Fahy, who covered every blade of grass for Ilen, was fouled for a penalty. When Jack Collins hammered the spot kick to the net, the game was level for the first time, 2-6 to 1-9.

It was then we saw the advantage of the breeze as Kilmurry hit the front with a two-pointer from Ó Curraoin. It was 2-8 to 1-9 entering the last quarter. When Paddy Collins pointed an Ilen free, the gap was only one. But again, it was a two-pointer that did the damage for Kilmurry, Ó Curraoin again obliged.

In the closing ten minutes, Adrian O’Driscoll pointed for Ilen but John O’Mullane followed suit for Kilmurry. Ilen worked hard but were forced into some hasty shooting by the hard-tackling Kilmurry defenders. It was the winners who closed the scoring with an insurance point from a Joe McGinn free for a three-man breach by Ilen.

‘That was very disappointing for us – if you don’t win your first game, you put yourself under pressure in the group,’ said Ilen manager Florrie O’Driscoll.

‘Very happy with the effort, happy with a lot of aspects of our game but just fell short. We managed to draw level with the penalty but then they went down the field and got a two-pointer, the crucial score.

‘I thought we were very good around the middle, won a lot of possession, but their efficiency in front of goal was the difference in a close game.’

OUR STAR: Kilmurry corner forward Ruadhán Ó Curraoin did most damage to Ilen’s chances with his pair of goals and pair of two-pointers.

Scorers

Kilmurry: Ruadhán Ó Curraoin 2-5 (2 2pt); Joe McGinn (2f), Liam Wall (2pt) 0-3 each; Jack O’Mullane 0-1.

Ilen Rovers: Adrian O’Driscoll 0-6 (2 2pt, 2f); Jack Collins 1-0 (pen); Kevin O’Driscoll 0-2 (2pt); Aaron O’Sullivan, Seán Connolly, Paddy Collins (1f) 0-1 each.

Kilmurry: Jason McDonnell; Eoin Keane, William Ronan, Gearóid O’Mahony; Alexander Aisling, Kyle Kelleher, Padraig Hinchion; Liam Wall, Conor Kelleher; James O’Mullane, Rory Duggan, Denis O’Mullane; Laurence Aisling, Joe McGinn, Ruadhán Ó Curraoin.

Subs: John O’Mullane for L Aisling (25), Tomás Collins for P Hinchion (46), Max O’Leary for A Aisling (55).

Ilen Rovers: Damien O’Sullivan; Daniel Coakley, Jack Collins, Shane Carey; Paddy Collins, Joseph Hickey, Aaron O’Sullivan; Seán Minihane, Peadar O’Driscoll; Kevin O’Driscoll, Seán Connolly, Adrian O’Driscoll; Kyle O’Sullivan, Seán O’Donovan, Aidan Fahy.

Subs: Danny O’Donovan for S O’Donovan (45), Alan Holland for A O’Sullivan (50), Simon O’Shea for K O’Sullivan.

Referee: James Bermingham (Bride Rovers).