Rebel Óg Fe 16 Div 2 HL Cup - 1st silverware for 2020
August 31, 2020
Killavullen and Grenagh served up a lively and entertaining game in the final of the Rebel Óg Fe 16 Div 2 HL Cup that was played with very restrictive watching numbers, in Shanballymore, on Saturday last.
Grenagh scored the opening score, but Jamie Magner equalised from a free in the 2nd minute. From the puck out, Colm Hannon gained possession and set over a lovely point. Grenagh equalised but Jamie had the radar on, and he fired over another free before Cian Lane, signalled his return from injury with a great goal in the 5th minute, and it is wonderful to see this fine player back again, after his nasty finger injury. Jamie got a silky smooth point from play and added another free, and then yet another point to open up a commanding lead of 1-06 to 0-02 by the 10th minute. Rory O Regan was strong in midfield, and he took a heavy knock, but bounced straight up again, and Jamie scored the resultant free. Grenagh worked a good point for themselves in the 13th minute but Jamie cancelled out that score with another point. The hard work and movement of the forwards was causing Grenagh all sorts of difficulties but Grenagh responded with a point in the 20th minute. Cian Lane had a roving commission that his man found hard to deal with, and he popped over a point in the in the 24th minute, and then Rory, got on the scoring list, with a fine point of his own, rather than just being the provider. Grenagh scored a free back, and then a quick fire point from play to bring their tally to 0-06, and just before the half time interval, they got the tonic of a goal, to give them believe for the second period. Jamie responded with a great catch and point from play and Ian O Mahony finished to the net smartly with some deft touches to cancel out that believe of Grenagh. The welter of excitement was not concluded for the half yet though, as Grenagh struck for another goal, and the whistle nearly in the referee’s mouth for the break. The score at the break was 2-11 to 2-6 in our favour, a promising place to be at half time.
After the restart, Jamie took off where he had left off, and scored in the 3rd minute before Colm Hannon chipped it with another point for him, to open up a sizeable 7 point lead. Jamie added to that lead with another converted free, only for Grenagh to answer that in the 9th minute with a point from a free. Killavullen backs were defending manfully now, with the full back line of Ferghal Hogan, Chris O Callaghan giving a captains and telling display and Colm O Mahony tigerish in the tackles. Out in the half line, Barry Cotter, Joe Cagney and Conor Breenan ensured that our goal was well defended at all times, and Charlie was Mister dependable in goals, very assured and dealt with everything that came his way, in a competent fashion.
Jamie added a further free in the 13th minute after James Lyons was fouled and Ian O Mahony took a very decent point to push out our advantage further in the 18th minute. Grenagh got a point back in the 20th minute but Jamie scored another free after Oisin Larkin who was industrious all day was fouled, close in on goals. Grenagh got a 3rd goal in the 28th minute to bring the margin back to 5 points, and make the Killavullen crowd, in the sparse attendance a tad nervous and especially so, when they got the next score, but Eoin O Hanlon who went through an amount of ball all day, sent over a point from distance to seal the win on the final score of 2-18 to 3-10
Afterwards, the shield for winning the league was presented to our most fantastic of Captains, Chris O Callaghan. There is no county in this grade this year, due to Covid restrictions, but Killavullen will be pleased that they avenged a significant loss to the same opposition in U14 grade last year, and that they reserved their best hurling of the year for the final.
- Charlie Cremin
- Ferghal Hogan
- Chris O Callaghan – Captain
- Colm O Mahony
- Barry Cotter
- Joe Cagney
- Conor Brennan
- Eoin O Hanlon (0-01)
- Rory O Regan (0-01)
- Colm Hannon (0-02)
- Jamie Magner (0-12, 0-07F)
- James Lyons
- Ian O Mahony (1-01)
- Oisin Larkin
- Kian Lane (1-01)
Substitutes
- Stephen Rea for Kian Lane (injured)