Not to be in County Junior Football Q-Final
November 06, 2023
Killavullen just came up short, by a solitary point in our County Junior Football Quarter Final Clash against Ballygarvan yesterday in Pairc Ui Rinn, in a game, where we were unable to reach the very high standard of play, that won us Divisional honours against Charleville, two weeks ago.
Ballygarvan opened the scoring from a free in the 2nd minute, but we equalised in the sixth minute, similarly for a close in free, after Liam Cronin was fouled, and Eoin Birchall, our captain converted. We took the lead in the 13th minute from another Eoin conversion, this time after he was fouled himself but that lead only lasted for a minute, before our South East opponents, equalised, from their full forward. Ballygarvan took the lead, in the 17th minute and we lost a player to a black card, from another free, in a game, that was fair from a classic at this juncture and we slipped further behind in the 23rd minute when their corner forward scored.
We rallied though, and came more into the game in our midfield and half back line area and that gave us more of a foot hold in the game, and allowed us to attack more, but without penetration. The pitch was firm but slippy and that caught out several players on the day, who gathered possession, but could not get traction to get away. We got a point back from Eoin, from another free , that was moved forward 10 metres, for dissent after Liam Fox, was fouled and Eoin was unerring in his kick. We gained parity in the 28th minute when Patrick O Grady was fouled in this instance. In a half where we started tentatively, we took the lead with another Eoin free in the 31st minute to give us a one point lead at the interval 0-05 to 0-04 in a game, that both sides were capable of playing better football, than what manifested itself in that period.
At the half time interval, the U8 teams from both clubs played out two mini games on the pitch, which they thoroughly enjoyed, and credit must go to Dave McCarthy, our juvenile chairperson for organising.
On the resumption, the pace of the game went up a notch or two, and we got a massive reprieve when James in our goals pulled off a great save from a penalty after their goalkeeper had made the long trek from his own goals forward to take it. The penalty was well struck, but James dived expertly to his right to save. We edged ahead by two points, when Eddie Cotter was fouled and Eoin again was successful with his kick. Padraig Looney was sprung from the bench, for Billy Norris, and Padraig was involved in the play immediately. We took a giant step forward when Eddie Cotter saw his shot from close in, and at a tight angle ricochet off the cross bar but Padraig was lurking with intent, gathered the rebound and fired it into the net. 1-06 to 0-04 now, in the 8th minute of the second half.
Ballygarvan crucially through, got the next score, a point from a free almost immediately and we lost Patrick Angland to the hamstring injury that was curtailing his movements, and was a doubt before the game, to be replaced by Kian Lane. Ballygarvan scored another point from a free in the 15th minute of the half, before they took a significant forward momentum, in the game, when they broke well from a Killavullen attack in the 17th minute. The Ballygarvan midfielder raced the length of the field and off loaded to the newly introduced corner forward who drilled the ball low across and beyond James to roar them right back into the game. Seamus O Mahony was introduced for the injured Eoin Buckley but Ballygarvan scored from their midfielder in the 21st minute and added to that lead when another one of the impressive subs scored in the 25th. Our goose looked cooked, when they scored again in the 26th minute but Padraig Looney, making a statement since his introduction scored from play, our opening point from play, in the 58th minute of the game. Rory Regan was introduced for the injured Patrick O Grady. Chasing the game, we were more porous at the back, and got another short lived reprieve when a shot from a Ballygarvan forward came off the cross bar and into the grateful hand of Liam Cronin. A goal would have killed the game, but Ballygarvan got the next score, a point from play from Evan O Connor, their Cork Under 20 panelist who for once got away from Cian O Connor, who marked him very well, over the hour. Eoin scored another free for us in the 61st minute, and Padraig scored another point in the 62nd, and we had one further chance, but the pass was over cooked, and Ballygarvan came out with the ball, and the referee blew the final whistle.
Disappointing outcome, and far below the standard that we played in the Avondhu Final, so nothing to do only regroup, and go again, in 2024. Still, Divisional Champions in 2023 is no mean feat.
Final Score – Killavullen 1-09 to 1-10 for Ballygarvan
The team was
- James Angland
- Cian O Connor
- Fionn Magner
- Patrick Angland
- Paul O Sullivan
- Liam Cronin
- Sean Bartley
- Liam Fox
- Brian Cotter
- Jamie Magner
- Eoin Birchill (0-07, 00-7F)
- Patrick O Grady
- Eddie Cotter
- Billy Norris
- Eoin Buckley
Substitutes Used.
- Padraig Looney (1-02) for Billy Norris
- Kian Lane for Patrick Angland (injured)
- Seamus O Mahony for Eoin Buckley (injured)
- Rory Regan for Patrick O Grady (injured)
Substitutes / Panel Members Un-used in this game.
- Niall Murray
- Michael Walsh
- Colin Carey
- Conor Griffin
- Ian O Mahony
- Ultan Cottey
- Sean Palmer
- Charlie Lillis
There was a fine attendance from Killavullen as always at the game, which was a Junior Football Q-Final double header. The latter game involved Canovee and Lisgoold in which Canovee played out a statement win. Castlemagner won out against Barryroe in the other quarter final, that was played in Macroom.
