Better Days Ahead as we start with Div 1 Football league win
March 17, 2024
After all, of the recent rainfall, the pitch in Milford was in remarkably good condition, testament to the work that this club have done, and are currently doing, for the Division 1 football league game, on Sunday last. Killavullen were short a few players but would have been delighted with their replacements, as they came away with the two points.
Eoin Dillion, talismanic player in hurling and football for Milford, opening the scoring with a free in the 3rd minute, but Killavullen responded with a point from Eoin Birchill, and a real peach from Shane Walsh, after a delightful cross-field pass from Dominic Bolster. Michael Walsh, deputising in goals, for us, made a great point blank save before we went further ahead with another point from open play, from Eoin. The same influential player was getting on the end of some good team moves, and he is very accurate, and was so again, for another point, in the 18th minute. Eoin Dillion scored another point from a free in the 20th minute, but quickly Killavullen worked the ball forward to Seamus O Mahony who slotted over. Deel Rovers, the Milford team who won Division 2 in 2023, were back on the same score as us, when they worked the ball well through the lines, and one of our defenders was on the wrong side of his man, who finished emphatically to the net. Killavullen responded well, with a point in the 30th minute but Eoin Dillion brought the score to a co-score situation with another free in the last minute of the half, and leave the score at the interval 1-03 to 0-06.
Killavullen upped the work rate considerably in the second period, led by the spine of the team down the centre of the pitch. Eoin Birchill scored again in the opening two minutes, before Shane Walsh scored another point for us, in the 5th minute. Sean Barthly scored an exquisite point, out on the wing, with his left foot, a point that his hero, Dessie Dolan, form the land of his father, in Westmeath, would have been proud of. Owen Magner and Colm O Mahony were introduced for Colin Carey and Shane, and the impetus from these introductions and the increase in the work rate was beginning to tell around the field. Eoin tacked on further points from play, and then again from a free to stretch the lead out to 0-11 to 1-03. Milford replied with a converted free, before Thomas Fennell was introduced for Ultan Cottey. Killavullen stretched out the lead with a clever point, from the reintroduced Colin Carey before Milford gained another point back. Colm O Mahony got a point to close out the scoring for us.
The final score, was 0-14 to 1-05 and it was a good work out for both teams. The reference to the heading at the start of the page, was to the horse, Better Days Ahead, who won last week in Cheltenham, for Gordon Elliott and having previously, been in the ownership of TJ Nagle of our parish.
Well done to all concerned.
The team was
- Michael Walsh
- Cian O Connor
- Fionn Magner
- Sean Bartley (0-01)
- Sean Palmer
- Jamie Magner
- Ultan Cottey
- Liam Fox
- Dominic Bolster
- Charlie Lillis
- Eoin Birchill(0-08, 0-04F)
- Shane Walsh (0-02)
- Colin Carey (0-01)
- Seamus O Mahony (0-01)
- Eddie Cotter
Substitutes
- Owen Magner for Colin Carey
- Colm O Mahony (0-01) for Shane Walsh
- Thomas Fennell for Ultan Cottey
Colin Carey for Eddie Cotter