Stalemate or rather stuck-mate in Division 1 opening game.
March 25, 2024
A much-changed Killavullen team, from the last game of 2023, saw them draw with Ballyhooly on Sunday last, in rather heavy conditions in Killavullen. Considering the deluge of rain that has been dropped of late, the pitch held up well, testament to a sanding program implemented in 2023.
Killavullen started well, with points from Kian Lane, in the 3rd minute and a converted 65 metre shot from Jamie Magner, and then a close in free conversion from Jamie, giving us a nice lead after seven minutes. Ballyhooley were inclined to spray the ball around better though, and came thundering into the game and were rewarding with the concession of frees, some rather silly, from our point of view and too many of them, to gift the lead back to Ballyhooly, by the 15th minute, 0-05 to 0-03, and all of those scores coming from placed balls. We got a point back from another free from Jamie in the 16th minute, but Ballyhooly scored a zipper of a point from distance, from Dylan Collins, from his own half back line, and we lost Mikey O Connor to a shoulder injury. Kian Lane scored a another point, high over the bar, from a tight situation, but Ballyhooley were to tack on 3 further points by the short whistle, to leave the score at the interval 0-09 to 0-05.
Renewed energy was sought of the Killavullen players in the middle third of the field, where Ballyhooley were picking up all of the loose ball, and Ballyhooley stretched out their lead further with another long range point. Killavullen responded to the demands and a rejigged forward line, saw up earn 3 points in quick succession, two from frees from Jamie, and the third, from play, that he had to work very hard for himself. Ballyhooly responded through, and hit successive points in the 10th and 14th minute to bring their tally to 0-12. Killavullen earned another close free, when Seamus O Mahony was denied a goal scoring chance in what was a clean game but Ballyhooley went further ahead with points in the 15th and 20th minute. Colm O Mahony used his considerable size to wrestle a point over the bar and Padraig Looney scored a point from close in on goals. We possibly spurned two goal chances in quick succession but Jamie got us within two points, with another free, earned cleverly by his brother Owen, who turned sharply away from his man. Killavullen went ahead when another long delivery into the full back line of Ballyhooley caused consternation, but while their goal keeper did well to save the initial thrust, he was beaten with a follow up shot along the group, from Kian Lane. Ballyhooley drew parity with another long-range point, but Jamie edged us ahead with time almost up. Ballyhooly fought back though, and gained a draw with the final point of the game, 0-16 to 1-13, in a game in the which the referee, Justin Murphy used a lot of common sense, given the conditions.
Killavullen gave debuts to three minors in this game, and they acquitted themselves very well.
The team was
- Charlie Cremin
- Eoin O Hanlon
- Eoin Birchill
- Paul O Sullivan
- Darragh O Grady
- Eoin Buckley
- Fionn Magner
- Seamus O Mahony
- Charlie Lillis
- Padraig Looney (0-01)
- Colm O Mahony (0-01)
- Mickey O Connor
- Kian Lane (1-02)
- Jamie Magner (0-09, 0-06F, 0-01 x 65)
- Owen Magner
Substitutes
- Sean Bartley for Mikey O Connor (injured)