Flags a flying, scoreboard working, and we are off for 2021
June 07, 2021
Killavullen started the delayed playing season of 2021 earlier tonight with a home Division 1 football league game against Kilshannig. The field and general grounds area, thanks to Timmy Kinsella and Tommy Cremin was in pristine conditions, with new nets fitted, the scoreboard working and flags fluttering, marking the boundary positions of the field.
As with all years, starting out, there were changes in personnel from year on year, with changes with trainers and coaches also. Some personnel who would be expected to start, were not available, due to the Bank Holiday weekend.
Kilshannig opened the scoring in the 2nd minute but we equalised from a free from Liam Cronin in the 5th minute. Our opponents went ahead again only for Padraig Looney to equalise for us, with a point from an acute angle, in the 8th minute, when he fisted the ball over the bar. We went ahead for the first time, from Padraig again, after capitalising on a great pass from Eoin Birchill. Kilshannig survived a scare when the ball came down from the upright and despite a scramble in the goalmouth area, the Kilshannig net stayed intact, and the ball went out for a 45 Metre free, that we failed to score from. Kilshannig, with the youthful Tommy Cunningham playing very well in midfield equalised in the 12th minute and then raced into a two-point lead 0-05 to 0-03 by the water break, in the 16th minute. We had an opportunity for a green flag, but Colm O Dea, in the Kilshannig goals denied our Eddie Cotter with a great save.
Eddie got the opening score of the second quarter before Seamus Fox equalised again, in the 18th minute, and we regained the lead again, when Padraig Looney claimed an inside mark, after an astute pass from Seamus Fox. Paul O Sullivan then gave us a two point lead, when he scored with his left foot, in the 22nd minute, and said afterwards, that is what he spent his lockdown doing, practising with his left foot. The same players scored another point with his right foot, to bring our first half tally to 0-08. Kilshannig, got inside our defence in the 25th minute, and forced a brilliant save from our goalkeeper Padraig Coakley. Kilshannig did cut into our lead with another point before Colm O Dea brought off another point blank save, when he denied Seamus Fox from close quarters and somehow managed to tip his shot on to the cross bar and away. Kilshannig got the final score of the opening half, another white flag, to leave the score, at the short whistle of the referee, John O Riordan, at 0-08 to 0-07.
Right at the start of the second period, Tommy Cunningham scored the equaliser for Kilshannig, when he raced through from midfield. Mark Nagle curled a lovely leading point for us, after a great move from several Killavullen players, notably finishing off with slick interplay between. Liam Nagle, Fionn Magner, onto Noah Butler and culminated with Liam Cronin and Paul O Sullivan. Padraig scored another point from a free before Paul O Sullivan used his shutdown project again to score another point and then Mark got another point to leave the score 0-12 to 0-08
Killavullen had the bench to effect changes and duly made modifications, that altered the game. The hard working Noah Butler was withdrawn for Liam Fox, Seamus O Mahony replaced Cian O Connor and Sean Woulfe was readied on the bench as well, for Seamus Fox.
Right on cue, Seamus scored the opening goal of the game, when he took advantage of an overlap situation, in a move that started in the defence by Fionn Magner and Billy Norris. Seamus was then withdrawn for Sean.
Kilshannig got another point back, but then Seamus O Mahony showed up well immediately and showed what a potential talent this young man is, when he used good feet to score a lovely point, with his right foot, after soloing forward with his left. Kilshannig got their 10th point and we answered that, with Padraig scored another point in the 17th minute of the game, which was a booming shot from distance, that Maurice Fitzgerald would have been proud of, except Padraig was not born when Maurice was strutting his stuff.
Padraig got another point from a free, and then Seamus O Mahony rounded off the scoring with a goal, that he expertly finished.
The final score was 2-16 to 0-10.
The team was
- Padraig Coakley
- Liam Eoin Nagle
- Billy Norris
- Patrick Angland
- Eoin Birchill
- Fionn Magner
- Noah Butler
- Paul O Sullivan (0-03)
- Kevin Fox
- Eddie Cotter (0-01)
- Liam Cronin (0-01)
- Seamus Fox (1-01)
- Mark Nagle (0-03)
- Padraig Looney (0-06; 0-03F)
- Cian O Connor
Substitutes
- Liam Fox
- Sean Woulfe
- Seamus O Mahony (1-01)
- Liam Taylor
Killavullen would be well please with their opening league salvo, and especially of the defence that kept out Kilshannig from raising any green flags. We made clever tweaks as well during the game, which aided the team set up.