Flat opening half costly as Kilshannig prevail
August 04, 2025
In the opening game in defence of the hard won Avondhu Junior A Hurling championship of 2024, we, in Killavullen did not get off to a good start, and were undone by a supremely fit, physical Kilshannig team, that, in Bill Curtin, Kieran Twomey, Eanna O Hanlon, and especially Jack Twomey had too much raw strength, that we failed to cope with. The opening half was particularly worrying for us and we were behind at the interval by 0-16 to 0-06 and it could have been worse but for Charlie Cremin in our goals.
Kilshannig started with intent and had the opening point from Eanna O Hanlon after only 15 seconds and tacked over a 65-metre shot from Kieran Twomey in the 2nd minute. We got our opening score from Seamus O Mahony in the next play of the game but Kilshannig, answered that score back with a point from Jack Twomey, who was immense in the opening half. Patrick O Grady, by far our best player over the course of the hour, was working ferociously at midfield, and he got our second point, from distance in the 5th minute. Kilshannig were dominating in large sways of the field though and added a brace of scores from Jack Twomey and Damien Murphy by the seventh minute. Mikey O Connor caught a high ball, and for once got away from his man, to score a good point for us, in the 8th minute. Charlie Cremin was called on to pull off a great save, but Kilshannig were relentless in their directness and the Twomey brothers, first Kieran, then Jack scored a further brace. Jamie Magner scored a free for us, in the 13th minute but Kilshannig, with the bit between their teeth, to use the racing parlance, scored the next three points, from Eanna, Jack again, and then Shane Lyons. Jamie reduced the deficit with another pointed free but that was only the precursor to a great spell for Kilshannig who tacked on six points without reply from us, from Ryan Crowley, from a free, playing though not listed in the 43 players, Kilshannig had on the program. Jack Twomey scored again, before Bill Curtin used his athleticism to maraud up the field and score an impressive score, one free from Ryan, before which Charlie had pulled off a brilliant save, and had to race off his line to prevent the rebound been forced to the net, then Shane Lyons before Michael Cagney got fouled close in on goals, and Colm O Mahony scored the resultant free, to leave us tethering on the brink of a chastising beating, at the interval, 0-16 to 0-10.
Killavullen effected three changes at the break, to try to stem the tide, and Niall Feaheny, Kevin Fox and Padraig Looney were introduced. Other personnel changed positions as well, as we tried to get back into the game. Padraig hit the ground running, and had a point over the bar by the second minute of the half, and this was followed up by Eddie Cotter, who put in a manly shift over the course of the hour, to score from right out, on the touchline. Darragh O Grady forced a ball over the goal line, when he and Padraig Looney got inside the Kilshannig rear guard and we were at least now, carrying the fight to our opponents. Jamie Magner, added two further points, from free’s, to cut the deficit to three points, from 10 at the interval, by the 8th minute. One of those free’s was earned by Niall Feaheny who effected a great clearance and who had an impressive second half, on his introduction. Kilshannig scored the next score though, when Darragh O Grady had reason to believe he should have been awarded a free, for a head knock, but the play continued, and Shane Lyons scored at the other end. We were denied what looked to all observers to be a certain penalty when Jamie Magner caught a great ball, in close on the Kilshannig goals and was bundled over but nothing was given and Kilshannig got the next score from Eanna O Hanlon.
Jamie scored another free, and Padraig Looney was unlucky that a swift ground shot flashed agonisingly across the goals when a goal would have given us a real flip. Kilshannig scored two more points, before another penalty claim was waved away when Jamie caught another great ball, in close on goals, and the full back unceremoniously unended him. Even when Jamie off-loaded the ball to Darragh O Grady who legs were taken from under him, was no penalty awarded, but bizarrely a free was, and Jamie stood up, and scored the free. Strange , strange decision, that was hard to fathom. Darragh O Grady added another point for us, to reduce the margin to four points with 12 minutes remaining in the game. Kilshannig scored a free, and after a chop down by one of our backs was seen, and the Kilshannig custodian, David Kearney brought off a great save to preserve the five-point cushion. Liam Cronin scored a great point, a rallying point for us in the 24th minute, but Kilshannig scored another free to bring their tally to 0-22. We lay siege to the Kilshannig goal, had another penalty decision not given, and from the awarded free, for a foul on Patrick O Grady, that meant he had to leave the field, Kilshannig blocked the goal bound shot, and cleared their lines.
On this showing Kilshannig, if they can keep their big players injury free, and they are trying also to affect a good campaign in senior Football, will be hard to beat in the Junior A hurling championship. Clyda, also in the same quandary, might have something to say, when the two team meet, on the 15th of August. Back to the walls stuff though for Killavullen, and the next two games will be crucial, against Araglen and Clyda Rovers.
The team and those who scored were;
Charlie Cremin
Eoin Birchill
Ronan Barry
Fionn Magner
Charlie Lillis
Liam Cronin (0-01)
Eoghan Buckley
Michael Cagney
Patrick O Grady (0-01)
Eddie Cotter (0-01)
Mikey O Conner (0-01)
Seamus O Mahony (0-01)
Darragh O Grady (1-01)
Colm O Mahony (0-01F)
Jamie Magner (0-06, 0-06F)
Substitutes
Niall Feaheny for Ronan Barry
Kevin Fox for Michael Cagney
Padraig Looney (0-01) for Seamus O Mahony
Seamus O Mahony for Patrick O Grady (injured)