Killavullen bow out of Junior A Football championship
September 22, 2026
On Friday evening last (11th Sep) in a well prepared Shanballymore venue, Killavullen could not live with Charleville’s power game, when they turned in on, for 20 minutes in the second half, and were roundly beaten in the end, on a final score of 1-15 to 0-10.
The opening half was a cagey affair, without any side impressing. Charleville got the opening score from a free in the 4th minute and added to that lead with a point from open play in the 10th minute. Killavullen were guilty of some carless dispositions in this period, and too often, they gave up their width on the pitch and were funnelled by experienced Charleville defenders into central areas, where Charleville are incredibly strong and robust. That invariably had only one conclusion, and we gave over turnovers in prominent positions, all too often. We got our opening score of the game in the 16th minute, from a great run and finish from Brian Cotter, one of the few on the Killavullen team, that had the speed and strength to punch holes. Charleville scored again, from their midfielder on the night, who was impressive, but we got a score back from a free after Eddie Cotter was fouled, the free soaring high and accurate, kicked by Eoin Birchill, swinging delightfully over the bar, from a tight angle. Eoin drew us level again, after Niall Feaheny was fouled and, in a game, where we were second best in many of the aerial duels, we took the lead, when Mikey O Connor scored in the 25th minute. Charleville equalised in the 28th minute, and the scores stayed the same until the short whistle, blown by the experienced referee, Joe Mulcahy.
Padraig Looney, soon to be Australia bound, was introduced for Sean Palmer. We took the lead in the 1st minute of the second period, when Eoin sent a superb two-point score over the bar with a bit to spare but it seemed to be the ignition, for our opponents to open up their considerable arsenal of talents. Danny O Flynn, tremendously fit and he having many years on a considerable body of Killavullen players, went forward and scored a great point by cutting in from his wing. Their goal keeper, then scored a two-point free, in the 3rd minute of the half, sliding the ball, nonchalantly over the bar, before we missed a score, when a free came off the inside of the post, and away to safety Charleville scored another point from a free, and then again, from open play, and we could scarcely get out of our half. The full court press from Charleville was impressive and unrelenting. The only goal in the game was set up and finished by Conor Buckley who used his strength to shrug off defenders. Finn Killion was introduced for Colm O Mahony. Charleville scored again, another two point score, from a free, this time from Darren Butler. No let up from Charleville who now sensed that the game was theirs for the taking and they forged further ahead with scores from open play, then a converted 45 metre shot, and another two point free from Darren again.
Eddie Cotter, who challenged his brother to be our most influential players on a tough night for Killavullen, scored a fine point for us, and Tomas Fennell replaced Patrick Angland in our defence. With 10 minutes to go, Charleville withdrew the considerable body of their team, that play hurling, and we scored the last three points of the game, from Eoin Birchill, one from a free and the other from open play, a two-point effort.
On this form, Charleville will be very hard to beat in Avondhu Junior A football, they are supremely fit, they are big, big men, can dominate around midfield, and they can play ball. They know when to run, and when to hold the ball, and draw the opposition out, and they seem united. The Killavullen effort was disjointed, and instructions from the line, not taken on board, and it will take a considerable effort to arrest what is an alarming drop off in standards, from a young team, that promised so much when they won the North Cork final, in 2023 comfortably beaten the same opposition as tonight. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.
The team and scorers were;
- Michael Walsh
- Kevin Fox
- Conor Griffin
- Fionn Magner
- Brian Cotter (0-01)
- Pa Angland
- Liam Cronin
- Ronan Barry
- Colm O Mahony
- Sean Palmer
- Eoin Birchill (0-07, 0-05F)
- Owen Magner
- Mikey O Connor (0-01)
- Niall Feaheny
- Eddie Cotter (0-01)
Substitutes used
- Padraig Looney for Sean Palmer
- Finn Killion for Colm O Mahony
- Tomas Finnell for Pa Angland.