Looney proves to be a handful against Nemo Rangers
May 31, 2025
Last night in the superb facilities, that are the home grounds of Nemo Rangers, in Trabeg, Killavullen secured two more points in the Red FM county Division 7 Hurling league. When you say superb facilities, this is another level, impressive and thriving club house, with a bar and outside seating area, three pitches with games on them simultaneously and the place heaving with people. Good to see some Killavullen names on the centenary wall in the facility as well, after some members of the Dorgan family, from Monanimy threw their lot it with this club, when they relocated to the city.
Killavullen started very cold in the game and Nemo Rangers had the opening point in the game and then the first of early goals on the board before we had got to grips with their hard pressing athletic game. That goal, scored by Ronan Dalton from that club should not happen, a player picked up the ball, on the forty, and everyone backed off and looked after their own man, allowing Ronan to advance and give Colm, deputising on our goal for the injured Charlie, in our goals no chance. Jamie got a point back for us, but then calamity again when a long delivery into their full forward line, caught us ball watching, and in a twinkle, it was nestling in our net. 2-01 to 0-01 after four minutes was not the start that we wanted. We got another point back from a free after Darragh was fouled, and then a lifeline and a way back into the game, when Colm Looney caught a high ball, in and around their square and held off his man, and finished to the net. Nemo added a point, but Owen Magner got one back for us and gradually, we had come up to the pace of the game, on the rock hard and low cut pitch. Nemo added another point from a free, in the 13th minute but Jamie got that score back, from a dead ball situation again, against the wind. We lost Fionn Magner to an injury but where able to call on Charlie Lillis as a replacement for his first game in over 10 months after an injury sustained in our second championship game of 2024. Nemo added another free, but then we were awarded a penalty.
Colm Looney had fetched a high centre and in turning and going towards goal, he was fouled and Jamie dispatched the shot emphatically to the net. A drawn game on the 29th minute, 2-04 apiece after the slow start was an impressive come back and we took the lead with a Jamie free only for Nemo to equalise on the stroke of half time with a fine score from Shane Horgan, their impressive full forward.
After some sustenance at half time, by the viewing public and an intake of more modest fluids by the players, the second half restarted in a way similar to the first, when Ronan Dalton turned our corner back and finished with aplomb to the net. The same player fired a ball over his shoulder in the next play to push the Nemo lead out to 4 points. Colm Hannon was introduced for Cian Lane, at the interval. Now playing with the aid of the wind, Killavullen came much more into the game in and around midfield and the middle triangle between the two forties, and Jamie rattled off five frees in quick fire concession interspersed with a free back for Nemo to leave the teams on equal terms 2-10 to 3-07 by the midpoint of the second half. Colm Looney scored another goal for us then, after fetching a clever ball in from Patrick O Grady to push us ahead again, and that was the Cathylst for an impressive run of scores when Nemo could scarcely get out of their half, and beyond our forty. Nemo were missing a decent cohort of players though, away enjoying a club wedding in Spain and players of the ilk of Barry Cripps and Jerry Kerins, especially Barry Cripps are a huge loss to any team.
Owen Magner stretched out our lead with another fine point, from a player having a stellar break out year, from minor and our lead was extended by two further points from his brother Jamie and then Darragh O Grady. Mikey O Connor added lustre to the scoreline with a fine goal in the 23rd minute. Nemo got a point back and Jamie got a point from a 65 metre shot after the alert goal keeper from Nemo had turned away a shot that would otherwise have nestled in the top corner of the Nemo net. Padraig Cronin was introduced for Seamus O Mahony, who had given his all. Nemo scored another point, but then Colm Looney used his bulk to turn his man, and apply a deft flick to a ball that he had allowed to run through, and the result was another goal for us. Mikey O Connor, did not want his fellow fabricator to gleam all of the headlines, and scored two fine point scores in quick succession to bring our tally to 5-16 but lesson in life Mikey, Colm repaired the club house gates during the week, and was always going to get a favourable mention as a result, even though the three goals he scored, and the penalty won, meant he was always going to auspiciously called out in the report anyway.
Nemo got a goal back, that their over all spirited play deserved and then a point, but we got the final score of the game, when Colm Hannon showed a nice sidestep and fired a ball over the bar to bring our final tally to 5-17 as against 4-10 for Nemo.
The team and those who scored were;
Colm O Mahony
Kevin Fox
Ronan Barry
Eoin Birchill
Fionn Magner
Eoin Buckley
Eddie Cotter
Patrick O Grady
Jamie Magner (1-11, 0-08F, 0-01 x 65M, 1-00 Pen)
Darragh O Grady (0-01)
Owen Magner (0-02)
Seamus O Mahony
Colm Looney (3-00)
Mikey O Conner (1-02)
Kian Lane
Substitutes utilized were;
Charlie Lillis for Fionn Magner (injured)
Colm Hannon (0-01) for Kian Lane
Padraig Cronin for Seamus O Mahony