Wayward shooting prove costly in good Division 1 football game.
April 24, 2024
Killavullen were left to rue some wayward shooting, in a one-point defeat by Liscarroll – Churchtown Gaels, in a Division 1 football league game, played in Killavullen last night. Over the course of the game, a plethora of wides from Killavullen undermined a good team performance, and the concession of three goals was also decisive.
Killavullen started very well, had loads of possession in the middle third of the field, and had the opening two points of the game, both from play from Padraig Looney. LC Gaels replied with a point before Eoin Birchill, and he with the Senior All Ireland Inter Firm medal, now in his back pocket, courtesy of the win of Boston Scientific over Astellas, Killourglin recently, got our third point. Our opponents responded in the 13th minute with another point, before Padraig got another point, after an impressive show and go, and a burst of telling speed. A lot of that good work was undone, when LC Gaels got a fortuitous goal, from distance that lobbed right underneath our crossbar, to deceive our goalkeeper, Michael Walsh. We responded with a good point from Owen Magner, and the LC Gaels custodian saved well, from Eoin who was through on goals. LC Gaels got another point, from Colin O Brien, who was influential at midfield. Charlie Lillis kicked a fine point from distance for us, but our opponents did the same, and then, Charlie repeated the dose, after been found in a modicum of space by Colm O Mahony. On the 30th minute mark, LC Gaels got in for another goal, that in a tight game was pivotal, and they, playing cleverly, with 13 or so persons behind the ball, and breaking quickly, together as a unit, got another point, to bring their tally for the half to 2-05. Colm O Mahony added a point in first half stoppage time to being up our tally to 8 points, but we had seven wides in a profligate first half, which was our Achilles heel.
On the resumption, LC Gaels were first to score with a break away point in the 4th minute and scored another goal, when we lost possession near our goal in the 7th minute to open up a significant gap of seven points. We were unlucky to hit the top of the cross bar from a free, and the ball rebounded into the square and was cleared. A further three wides in this period added to our exasperation on the night. On a cleverly executed break away, LC Gaels added another point to bring their tally to 3-07. Eoin Birchill led the fightback, with a score in the 15th minute, and a close in free conversion, after a foul on Eddie Cotter in the 16th minute. Michael pulled off a full-length diving save, to keep up, our momentum, after another break out, by our Western opponents. Jamie Magner got another point back for us in the 17th minute but LC Gaels survived a few close encounters, and added another point, that they orchestrated on another break in the 22nd minute.
Jamie got another point back for us, in and around the 24th minute in a period, where we had oodles of possession, but were repelled by a resolute defence. Dominic Bolster gave us a lifeline with a low shot that found its way to the net, in the 27th minute of the half and Eoin Birchill brought the margin down to a solitary point, with a free in the 30th minute. We had all of the ball for the two minutes of injury time, but were kept outside the scoring zone, by a packed defence, and one wayward pass, out over the side line, was the cue, for the referee, Colm Maher to blow the final whistle. Twelve wides over the game was a decisive factor, in a very competitive game, very capably handled by the experienced referee.
Final Score: Killavullen 1-13 ; Liscarroll – Churchtown 3-08
Well done to all concerned.
The team was
- Michael Walsh
- Cian O Connor
- Fionn Magner
- Sean Palmer
- Sean Bartley
- Eoghan Buckley
- Liam Cronin
- Liam Fox
- Jamie Magner (0-02)
- Owen Magner (0-01)
- Eoin Birchill (0-04,0-02F)
- Padraig Looney (0-03)
- Eddie Cotter
- Colm O Mahony (0-01)
- Charlie Lillis (0-02)
Substitutes
- Ultan Cottey for Eoghan Buckley
- Dominic Bolster (1-00) for Colm O Mahony
- Thomas Fennell for Fionn Magner