A slow start but a good second period ensures we prevail
August 23, 2025
Last night in Charleville, Killavullen were to overcome Deel Rovers in the second game in the Junior A Football championship, but with Killavullen having received a walkover from Kilworth in round 1, it was ultimately their opening championship game of 2025.
They started cold in the opening half, and over elaboration in some of the passing, and some misdirected efforts meant we coughed up possession, rather two easily. The team from Milford got the opening score of the game from the lively corner forward Ben Geary, and you could say the same about the other corner forward as well, because Tommy Curran was speedy, and a fine footballer to boot. We got our opening score from play, from range from a booming kick from Padraig Looney who was well outside the arc, and the ball sailed with spare space easily over the cross bar to put us ahead in the fourth minute. The second score for Deel Rovers came from a free, from the vastly experienced Henry O Gorman. Milford took the lead again with another point from open play, from their midfielder Brian Murphy only for Padraig to equalize for us in the 12th minute. We went ahead, a lead that we never relinquished afterwards when Padraig raced through on goal, and his shot, at pace and speed, just went over the crossbar, when his mind was set on a goal. Good point still though, we had become much more competitive in the midfield area and expansive in attack with good support from willing runners in the half back line, in Sean Palmer, Jamie Magner, and especially Brian Cotter from his centre back berth. We spoiled several chances which just one pass too many, allowed Deel Rovers to funnel back, but then, Seamus O Mahony got fouled, and Eoin Birchill kicked a fine score to stretch our lead. Eddie Cotter scored a neat point after tidy play up along his wing instigated by Sean Palmer, through Owen Magner that isolated Eddie in space. Deel Rovers replied with a point from Brian Murphy again, but Eoin scored another point after a prolonged period of possession from Killavullen, drew the third attacker from our opponents up the field, and the vigilant referee / linesman called it out, and Eoin scored the resultant free. We had another chance of a goal, from Colm O Mahony that was saved before Deel Rovers got the final score of the half, from Ben Geary again, to leave the score at the interval 0-07 to 0-05.
Killavullen left the field at the break for the sanctuary of the dressing room, and to fix some wrongs, and motivate themselves for a better second period, and that certainly seemed to work the oracle. Eoin Birchill scored a close in free, and then, in the sixth minute of the half, Padraig Looney scored the goal, that had been threatening for a while, to open up a commanding lead. Colm O Mahony combined with his brother and Fionn Magner to tack over the next score. Deel Rovers replied with a free from close in, but that score was wiped out by Owen Magner shortly thereafter from open play, a play that originated in our own full back line, with Tomas Fennell, the man that chose to forego leaving certificate celebrations for a few hours, and play with his team mates and Patrick Angland leading a swift counter attack, that moved up the field, and demonstrated good footballing acumen, in the clever use of space.
The next score was again initiated by good use of space when Seamus O Mahony was found in close to goal, he still had a lot to go , to beat the opposing defenders, but a quick turn, and an early well placed shot that found the goals, on the goal keepers near side, in off the post, giving the custodian no chance was just rewards for Seamus’s hard running in that second period. Eoin added to our lead with another point, from a free, and Eddie Cotter, now operating at midfield added to our tally. Deel Rovers replied with another point, in the 16th minute of the half. Seamus scored two points in a row, on the 17th and 18th minute to stretch out our lead, and Colm Hayes was introduced for Mikey O Conner. Deel Rovers were awarded a penalty after the player going through was fouled, and the penalty was dispatched, right in the lower right hand corner, leaving Mike Walsh in our goals with no chance from the afore-mentioned Tommy Curran. Our reply was impressive though as Colm O Mahony was to score a goal quickly thereafter when he was thorough on goals, and he, another Leaving Certificate student, cooly dispatched the ball over the line, not with force, but with a deft flick. Eoin Birchill added a point from play before Deel Rovers finished out with a two-point score, that drew some debate – the debate was not on whether it was a point or not, but the fact that it bounced over the bar. The referee though, the vastly experienced Denis Motherway was correct in his interpretation of the rules though, brought in in 2025.
The final score was 3-15 to 1-09.
“A ball cleanly kicked from play or a free over the bar from on or outside this arc, and without touching another player on either team (it may bounce over) is worth two points. Referees will signal the score with two hands in the air and the score umpires will wave an orange flag for the two-point score. The score is allowed as long as the standing foot of the kicker is placed on or before the 40m arc. A ‘45’ is worth one-point.”
From the "Football Review Committee".
Killavullen play Charleville next, in the concluding game of the group, - the winners will advance to a semifinal – the losers will play in a Q-Final. That game against Charleville is earmarked for the 14th of September. Small matter of hurling next, for most of these players, but some Junior B Football must also be played, before then, starting with Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels on Saturday, the 23rd and then Glanworth, on Thursday, the 28th of August.
The team was;
- Michael Walsh
- Tomas Fennell
- Fionn Magner
- Pa Angland
- Sean Palmer
- Brian Cotter
- Jamie Magner
- Mikey O Connor
- Ronan Barry
- Owen Magner (0-01)
- Padraig Looney (1-04, 0-02 x 1)
- Seamus O Mahony (1-02)
- Eddie Cotter (0-02)
- Colm O Mahony (1-01)
- Eoin Birchill (0-05, 0-04F)
The substitutes were;
- Colm Hayes for Mikey O Connor