Killavullen avoid an ambush in West Cork
April 06, 2026
On Sunday last, Killavullen made the long journey, deep into scenic West Cork, past the ambush sites of famed Kilmichael and Béal Na Bláth to play Diarmuid O Mathúna’s in the latest instalment of the ultra-competitive Division Six of the Red FM County League. This was round 3.
Killavullen rewarded those that travelled down, with a fine battling, gusty display, and came away with a win, by three points. The pitch was very soft, the hurling was very hard and the referee, only gave a free when really merited, and entertained nothing else. It made for a compelling game. Killavullen were first to score, with a well worked goal, set up by Finn Killion, and finished to the net by Colm O Mahony. O Mathúna’s struck back with a point from open play, and we then had the misfortune to lose the influential Finn, with a hamstring injury, and he going well, in the game at the time. He was replaced by Colm Looney. Colm O Mahony got our first point of the game, and Jamie Magner added to our tally with a point from a free, in the next scoring passage of play. Our bright start was undone, when O Mathúna’s got in for a goal, a goal, that we should have cleared out of defence, earlier in the play. Owen Magner scored a point in reply and O Mathúna’s cancelled out that score with a point, from a free. Colm O Mahony was proving to be a hand full to our opposition, when he got good quality ball into him, and he scored again, and Jamie added another free after Darragh O Grady was fouled out the pitch. Owen Magner was adept at finding space, with clever dinky runs, and he brought our tally to 1-06 with a well finished point. We were rocked back though, when some hesitancy in our full ball line was punished, by an O Mathúna’s forward, when he pulled strongly on a ball in the ground when we were thinking of lifting it. Our West Cork opponents, who came up as Division 7 champions in 2025, at our expense in the final, in Ballyanly were on equal terms with a point from a free. Jamie scored a long range free in reply , earned by Mikey O Connor, who shipped some heavy challenges. O Mathúna’s though, replied emphatically, and reeled off three points in quick succession, before Padraig Looney scored a long range beauty of a point for us, to bring our tally to 1-08 as against 2-07 to the Diarmuid O Mathúna’s side.
Our management team spoke calmly at half time to our troops, and emphasised the positives that we were doing, and to curb the mistakes and over-elaboration, on the play, it was simply drawing our opponents onto us, forced the ball onto the soft ground, and developing into a ruck situation.
It worked the oracle, because collectively, our defence were immense in the second period, aided and abetted by a huge hunger of behalf of all of the team, to put themselves about. Colm O Mahony got the first score of the second half, over his shoulder, in a crowd and Jamie equalised with an unerring free from distance. O Mathúna’s got a point back, from a great infield diagonal ball to their speedy corner forward but from another free, Jamie equalised again, and Owen Magner put us back in front. Sean Palmer was introduced for Seamus O Mahony, and Kevin Fox had to replace Brian Cotter who suffered a nasty finger injury, but luckily, we had Denis Dingavan as medic on the line, and he was able to relocate the finger back into the correct joint, before any swelling would prevent such an occurrence. Jamie scored another free, from distance, but O Mathúna’s replied with a brace, of free’s to have the teams on the same score again, 1-13 to 2-10.
Colm Looney caught a great ball over the head of his opponent, and despite the fabric of his jersey being severely tested, he well struck shot went over the bar, and not under it as intended. Niall Feaheny who had busied himself all day, in and around midfield, from his half back berth scored a long distance point to put us two points in front, as we entered the home stretch. This was added to, by a sublime point scored by Padraig Looney, right out of the touchline, far side of the field, and we completed our scoring, fittingly with a Jamie Magner free, after great battling in and around midfield, led to the indiscretion from an O Mathúna’s player. Our opponents tried valiantly to score a goal, but in that second period of the game, Patrick, Ronan and Eoin were uncompromising and resolute in their defending, and there was no way past. Diarmuid O Mathúna’s did get the final score of the game, from a free, to bring the final tally to 1-17 as against 2-11
Fine result, and very fair, hard battle.
The team and scores were:
- Charlie Cremin
- Eoin Birchill
- Ronan Barry
- Patrick O Grady
- Niall Feaheny (0-01)
- Brian Cotter
- Eddie Cotter
- Darragh O Grady
- Jamie Magner (0-7) (0-7F)
- Mikey O Connor
- Finn Killion
- Paudie Looney (0-2)
- Owen Magner (0-3)
- Colm O Mahony (1-03)
- Seamus O Mahony
Substitutes
- Colm Looney (0-01) for Finn Killion (injured)
- Sean Palmer for Seamus O Mahony
- Kevin Fox for Brian Cotter (injured)