Kilara Óg win out in Minor League Hurling decider
July 02, 2019
The inside forwards of Jack Kearney and Michael Sheahan from Kilara Gaels possess blistering speed, and no little hurling ability and they were the architects in chief in the defeat of Killavullen in the Minor hurling League final, played last night, July 1st in Ballyhooley. However the Kilworth / Araglen combination have other strings to their bow as well, and overall are a fine team.
We opened the scoring with a Mikey O Connor free, before our opponents equalised and then Colm Looney and a score from a very tight angle by Seamus O Mahony pushed up ahead again. Kilara got a point from a free, before a long delivery into the square, bounced on the hard surface, and eluded everybody, and found its way to our net. Kilara tacked over another free and then a point from play, before Mikey got us back in the scoring groove again, with another pointed free. Kilara placed two further efforts over the bar to race into a 1-06 to 0-04 lead. Brian Cotter sent a booming free over the bar from an incredible distance but Kilara scored again to keep their noses in front. Killavullen though, staged a revival with a beautiful point from Liam Fox, followed by a Mark Nagle score, a converted 65 by Mikey O Connor, and then a free from Mikey after Darragh O Grady was upended. Kilara got another pointed free to restore their two point lead, but Liam Fox reduced that lead again but not before Kilara got the final point of a very even and fine half of hurling, 1-09 to 0-10 at the interval.
After the interval, Kilara were first to score, but then, we got a real life line when Killavullen scored a bizarre goal. A Mikey O Connor free hit the post, and came down into the crowded goal mouth area, and appeared to strike Colm Looney on the helmet, but either way, it trickled over the line for a goal for us. Now, with scarcely 8 minutes gone in the second half, the sides were level. Kilara got another score from a free, before Mikey did the same at the other end. Kilara though, were dominating the space in the middle of the field, and got two points from play before Mikey again, split the posts with another free. Kilara got two further points but Mikey again replied. Kilara got another point to bring their tally to 1-18 but Brian Cotter struck for another long range point to bring the deficit back to 1-14. The decisive score of the second period was scored next by Kilara, and it was a real beauty, Jack Kearney took off on a mazy run, and his staggering pace drew him clear of his pursuers, and he finished with aplomb to the roof of the net. Mikey O Connor replied with a free, Kilara scored another point, and Mikey had the last score of a very entertaining game to bring our tally to 1-16 but Kilara were full value for their win, over the hour as they possessed key assets throughout the nucleus of their team, and had those afore mentioned individuals, Kearney and Sheahan to do the scoring, and cause consternation's.
The team was
- Padraig Cronin
- Conor Griffin
- Chris O Callaghan
- Ben Hunter
- Michael Looney
- Brian Cotter (0-02F)
- Michael Cagney
- Darragh O Grady
- Fionn Magner
- Colm Looney 1-01)
- Liam Fox (0-02)
- Mikey O Connor (0-09, 0-07F)
- Mark Nagle (0-01)
- Jamie Magner
- Seamus O Mahony (0-01)
Substitutes –
- Cian Lane for Mikey Looney
- Cian O Connor for Colm Looney
- Colin Carey for Mark Nagle
- Michael Walsh for Seamus O Mahony