Win over Grange in Division Three football league
April 18, 2024
On a dry but cool evening in Killavullen, on Tuesday night last, (16th), Killavullen had another victory in the Avondhu Division 3 football league when they beat Grange on a final score of 0-15 to 0-05. Grange were numerically tight for players, and Killavullen had a panel of 20 largely young players, who had the legs of their counterparts, and that was telling.
Killavullen had the opening score of the game from Seamus O Mahony, and his brother Colm bisected the posts with a lovely point moments later. Killavullen were playing down towards the scenic Monanimy castle in this half, and the breeze was behind them. Noel Barry in the Grange goals brought off a good save from Billy Norris, shortly thereafter, and we spurned another goal thread, when a close in shot cannoned back off the cross bar. Killavullen were dominating possession at this stage, and any attacks that Grange made were repealed by our half back line, of Ultan and the two Sean’s, Palmer and Bartley. Grange brought their full forward out the field, and our full ball, Cian followed him, leaving Thomas and Donal minding the house, in and around the square, and they coped admirably. Seamus and Colm traded a brace of points apiece to leave the score at the break 0-06 to 0-00.
With the aid of the wind, Grange came much more into the game, and got on the score sheet, with a lovely floated point, from distance, from their free taker, Gavin Dawson, from a 45 metre shot. He scored another close in free but Colm, got one back for us. Two further close in frees for Grange had the score at 0-07 to 0-04 after ten minutes of the second half, and a much more competitive game. Killavullen has the substitutes to influence the game though, and their energy was pivotal in Killavullen getting up the field again, and reflected that, in general play, and the score board. Seamus scored another point, and then, Dominic Bolster got a fine point from distance. Billy Norris, pulling the strings in the full forward line helped himself to a point from close in, after Killavullen had worked the ball over and back the field, laterally several times, to eventually create space for the scorer. Kian Lane was lively on his introduction, and scored another point from the side of the field, nearest the Ross River. Grange got a point from play, and in an effort to get back into the game, increasingly went for goals. Darragh, our shot stopper had other ideas though and that last point from Grange, was when Darragh somehow contorted his body, and pushed a certain goal, over the bar.
Killavullen saw out the Grange onslaught, and got further points, from Mikey O Connor, Colm again, Seamus from a free, after Owen Magner was fouled, and finally Colm again. Three games played now in this division, and two wins, but more importantly, a huge amount of game time, for these younger players. Ciaran Murphy was the very capable referee, who remarked afterwards, that it was a pleasure to be the man in the middle, as both teams, valiantly tried to play the game, in the spirit intended.
1. Darragh O Connor
2. Tomas Fennell
3. Cian O Connor
4. Donal Cronin
5. Ultan Cottey
6. Sean Palmer
7. Sean Bartley
8. Dominic Bolster (0-01)
9. Colm O Mahony (0-06)
10. Owen Magner
11. Seamus O Mahony (0-05, 0-01F)
12. Shane Walsh
13. Michael Walsh
14. Billy Norris (C) (0-01)
15. Ian O Mahony
Substitutes
- Evan Sheehan for Donal Cronin
- Kian Lane (0-01) for Shane Walsh
- Mickey O Connor (0-01) for Ian O Mahony
- Colm Looney for Mike Walsh
- Colin Carey for Billy Norris.