Advancement to league final, after win over Mitchelstown
May 09, 2026
Killavullen advanced into the Cavanagh’s of Fermoy, Avondhu Division 1 football league final, with another win, in the league, this time over a plucky Mitchelstown team, in a game played in Mitchelstown. It was a cool night, but thankfully, the torrential downpours that hit Kildorrery and Doneraile, as the spectators travelled from Killavullen to the game, did not venture as far North as Mitchelstown, in a game that necessitated lights for the second half.
Killavullen started with purpose, and scored a nice point courtesy of Niall Feaheny, in the second minute of the game., which was followed in the next minute, by a score from Eddie Cotter. Our dominant play, and the ability to move the ball through the hands at pace in and around the middle third was rewarded when Liam Cronin and Padraig Looney combined, to set up Niall in the inside line, who turned sharply, advanced past his man, and finished cooly to the net. Mitchelstown replied with a point from open play, in the 8th minutes, that Liam Cronin cancelled out with a fine point, from distance. Our opponents got their second point of the game in the 14th minute whilst at the other end, Sean Palamer made a great run, and cut in from his wing, and hit a good goal bound shot, only to see the Mitchelstown custodian make a fine intervention and parry the ball to safety. Padraig Looney and the influential Ronan Barry stepped up to score points from distance, that curled delightfully over the bar, but Mitchelstown retaliated with the next three points, the first of which was from a free. Eddie Cotter scored a point, that was disputed but, it was chalked down in the only place that matters, the notebook, of the vastly experienced referee, Dave Twomey. Niall Feaheny scored from distance from a free, after Brian Cotter was fouled, and he well up the field, from his half back berth, and just before the break, Eddie Cotter finished emphatically to the net, after Jamie Magner fed him, with a raking pass. The score at the interval was 2-07 to 0-06 but that should have been more for the domination of Killavullen at times, especially in the opening 20 minutes, but some wayward passing, and complacency in shooting, and the wrong shot selection, resulted in six wides in that opening period.
The very good lights of this venue were turned on for the second period, to illuminate, what had become a dull night, but the dreaded thunders storms stayed away. Mitchelstown bought out some new players, that had earlier been played minor hurling in Ballygiblin, and the number 25, in particular marked himself out, as a player with real potential. Then again, he was in the Cork minor football set-up in 2025. Mitchelstown got the opening two points of the second period, before Niall scored a point for us again, after linking up well, with Owen Magner. Mitchelstown brought the margin down to just three points, with a goal, that had been threatening since half time, and we replaced Owen Magner with Mark Nagle. Padraig Looney scored a nice point, after a telling run down the centre of the pitch in the 16th minute of the game, but the margin was back to two points, when Mitchelstown got a two-point score, with an impressive kick from distance. We lost Padraig to the dreaded hamstring issue, that is all too prevalent with the heavy schedule on dual players, and he was replaced by Finn Killion, making his way back to fitness, after the same injury malaise. We were awarded a rather fortunate penalty when a Mitchelstown defender touched the ball on the ground, within the small parallelogram, but unfortunately, the well struck shot, from Mark Nagle grazed the outside of the post, with the goalkeeper well beaten. The nervousness of the Killavullen supporters on the line, was not helped by a numbers of wasteful wides and lose of possession in prominent areas, but the tensions were eased somewhat by a booming kick, from Brian Cotter, from well outside the arc, that sailed over the crossbar with loads to spare, in terms of distance to register a two point score. Colm Hayes, also returning from injury replaced Niall Feaheny who succumbed to cramp. Mitchelstown reduced the arrears again to a single goal with a point from a free, before great play in and around midfield from Ronan Barry isolated Eddie Cotter who scored from out on the wing, to mimic what his brother had down, though in this instance, it was ruled to be only a one-point score.
Colm Hayes scored a lovely point, with time almost up, after a period of sustained possession from Killavullen and we finished out the game, with two points in succession, from Mark Nagle to leave the final score at 2-15 to 1-11.
Killavullen will meet Charleville in the league final and will need to step up considerably on this performance, especially in terms of minding the ball better. Both Charleville and Killavullen have gone through the six games of the league thus far, without dropping a point, but Charleville have been very impressive thus far and free scoring, amassing a whopping tally of 21 goals in their six games to date. Killavullen are readily forewarned as to their prowess and considerable threat.
The team and scorers were.
- Michael Walsh
- Tomas Fennell
- Kevin Fox
- Fionn Magner
- Brian Cotter (0-02)
- Pa Angland
- Sean Palmer
- Liam Cronin (0-01)
- Ronan Barry (0-01)
- Owen Magner
- Padraig Looney (0-02)
- Jamie Magner
- Seamus Fox
- Niall Feaheny (1-03, 0-01F)
- Eddie Cotter (1-03)
Substitutes
- Mark Nagle (0-02) for Owen Magner
- Finn Killion for Padraig Looney (injured)
- Colm Hayes (0-01) for Niall Feaheny (injured)