Winning Sequence comes to an end.
May 01, 2026
Killavullen’s running sequence of wins in the Avondhu Division 4 hurling league, came to an end earlier tonight, in Killavullen, against Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels, by narrow margins, but ultimately, the concession of two goals, and several free’s was the nucleus of the defeat. Killavullen started very impressively and had the opening score of the game, from Colm Hannon before Sean Palmer added to the tally with a converted free. Kian Lane and Colm added further points before LC Gaels got their opening score in the 10th minute. Joe Cagney was industrious with his brother Mike and Eanna McInerney, in and around midfield and this trio paved the way for Joe to score another point, for us, and that was followed up by a point, from another free from Sean. LC Gaels came more into the game, and picked off two points in quick succession, with the first being from a free and the second from open play. Barry Cotter gave Eanna a great opportunity to score from the wing, which he duly did, with a deft clearance but LC Gaels responded with a point, and had the margin down to two points, with another point, in the 22nd minute of an entertaining half. The lead was reduced further with a converted free, before we lost Kian Lane to a hamstring injury, to be replaced by Darragh O Grady. Some of the Killavullen players were playing their third match of the week, after games on Monday and last night, Thursday of this week, and that toil certainty was evident in some tired bodies on the field, wearing blue and white. We escaped some nervous moments at the back, and on two occasions, we were lucky not to concede a goal, but Barry was coolness personified, between the sticks. Darragh scored for us before Colm managed to score from an awkward angle, as the ball ricocheted off the post, and over. LC Gaels replied with a point and then, despite some close marking, Colm fetched a great ball from the air, and scored another fine point, to leave the score at the break 0-10 to 0-07 in our favour.
Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels got the opening point of the second period, with a converted free before Sean Palmer, and then Darragh opened up a four-point lead for us. That evaporated in an instance when LC Gaels forced a goal that should have been cleared but we dallied and duly got punished. Seamus Fox scored a huge, long range free, and Eoin O Hanlon came on, for Darragh O Connor. LC Gaels reduced the arrears with a converted free and then equalised with a point from open play. Our opponents took the lead with another free, but we restored parity with a point from open play, after Tomas Fennell found Darragh in space in and around midfield. LC Gaels went ahead by a slender lead again, with another point, before Michael Cagney scored from a crowded space after good work from Kevin Fox. We lost the influential Eanna to sickness, he had been laid low with a bug all week, and he was replaced by Conor Barrett. Michael Cagney scored another point for us, and then Colm Hannon with a neat turn and twist put us a point ahead with less than eight minutes left to play. Liam Martin replaced Barry Cotter and Darragh pushed our lead out to two points, with another converted free.
We lost Michael Cagney to a cruel hamstring issue, cruel in the fact that it is a persistent problem and he was after playing a very fine game. He was replaced by Darragh, but LC Gaels scored a goal, to regain the lead again. We pressed valiantly to get an equaliser, but left space that our opponents exploited and tacked over two points, to press ahead by three. We tried valiantly to get a goal back, but whilst we did manage a point, from Joe Cagney, it was not to be enough.
The team and scorers were.
- Barry Murphy
- Pa Angland
- Darragh O Connor
- Barry Cotter
- Seamus Fox (0-01, 0-1F)
- Tomas Fennell
- Michael Cagney (0-02)
- Eanna McInerney
- Joe Cagney (0-02)
- Kevin Fox
- Sean Palmer (0-03, 0-02F)
- Colm Hannon (0-04)
- Kian Lane (0-01)
Substitutes
- Darragh O Grady for Kian Lane (injured)
- Eoin O Hanlon for Darragh O Connor
- Conor Barrett for Eanna McInerney
- Liam Martin for Barry Cotter
- Darragh O Connor for Michael Cagney (injured)