Kilmurry see off 12-man St Nicks to take U21B title
And Asling Contest Downey, High Of A Kilmurry St High Nicks Mighty: Lawrence And Eoin Ball
Kilmurry added another piece of silverware to the trophy cabinet following victory in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork U21B football championship final at the 4G in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
They’re already looking forward to the All-Ireland junior club semi-final in the New Year.
With six starters from their Munster junior final victory over Firies, they laid the foundation for this win in a wind-assisted opening half, after which they led 0-11 to 0-1.
Unfortunately for St Nick’s they had to see out this contest with 12 players after Rhys Dunne and Diarmuid Wall received straight red cards in the 56th minute and they were followed by a red for Jack O’Sullivan three minutes later.
They also lost one of their more influential players Eoin Downey midway through the second half to injury.
This story, however, is all Kilmurry.
Despite Downey landing the opening point for St Nick’s after five minutes, Kilmurry started to gather momentum when Ryan Leahy sent over their first point from out on the right wing.
Fionn Kelleher took the ball off his own line to deny St Nick’s a certain goal too at that early stage.
The mid Cork side would reel off the next 10 points unanswered.
Wing-back Seán O’Leary was in the thick of the action, he nabbed a brace. Rory Duggan, Denis O’Mullane, Leahy, Lawrence Asling, Oisin McDonald and captain Joe McGinn on target.
O’Mullane’s kick could well have been a goal, only for the ball to be saved from going over the line.
The Blackpool club didn’t waste time after the break with the wind at their backs, Eoin O’Leary got a vital touch to a Jack O’Sullivan free to find the net.
A Dunne point cut the game to seven in the 37th minute, and while scores were not as plentiful as the first half for Kilmurry, they added the final three flags from McGinn in the 52nd, 60th and 64th minute.
Meanwhile, they kept things tight in defence, winning crucial ball that enabled them to see this one out comfortably.
: R Leahy (0-5, 0-2 frees), J McGinn (0-4), S O’Leary (0-2), L Asling, R Duggan, O McDonald and D O’Mullane (0-1 each).
E O’Leary (1-0). E Downey and R Dunne (0-1 each).
: C Desmond; F Kelleher, A O’Mahony, E Keane; S O’Leary, A Asling, M O’Leary; L Asling, C Kelleher; J O’Mullane, R Leahy, O McDonald; R Duggan, D O’Mullane; J McGinn (Capt).
Subs: J Devine for A O’Mahony (38), M Fitton for O McDonald (54), A O’Mahony for R Duggan (60), S Dineen for D O’Mullane (61), D Keane for M O’Leary (65).
: R Cronin; B Heffernan (Capt), F O’Driscoll, S Cronin; Z Lynch, E Varian, D Wall; E Downey, E O’Sullivan; C McCarthy, R Dunne, J Brosnan; J O’Sullivan, E O’Leary, C Maguire..
Subs: S Lynam for C Maguire (38), C Connolly for E Downey (46 inj), J Murphy for J Brosnan (53).
: Niall Hayes (Carbery Rangers).