*Kilmaley’s Tommy Barry. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
There was no shortage of talking points when neighbours Kilmaley and Éire Óg did battle in the opening round of the senior hurling championship at a wet Cusack Park this Saturday evening.
Kilmaley 3-18
Éire Óg 3-15
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Kilmaley emerged as deserving winners of a tie which produced six goals and some impressive individual displays.
When Éire Óg look back on this one they will reflect on a first half when they conceded three goals which ultimately proved costly.
Their success in the Clare Cup clearly helped Kilmaley as they were the more settled outfit for much of this game. That said they will admit that they struggled for a period in the second half but they recovered to finish strongly in a game in which nine players shared in their final tally.
The winners had the opening two points and they struck for their first goal in the ninth minute when Daire Keane fired a rasper to the roof of the net to give them a 1-4 to 0-2 lead. Goal number two came at the midpoint of the half and this put the winners 2-5 to 0-3 clear.
A foul on Shane O’Donnell who caused huge problems for the Kilmaley defence throughout the tie, led to a penalty which David Reidy converted four minutes later but Kilmaley had this cancelled out within two minutes when Gearoid O’Grady supplied the finish on the way to his side’s half time lead of eight points, 3-9 to 1-7.
Whatever was said in the Éire Óg dressing room at half time certainly got a reaction and five minutes into the new half there was just one score between the sides after the Ennis men had hit 1-3 while conceding just a point. Darren O’Brien was the goalscorer after Shane O’Donnell had created the opening.
A brace of Michael O’Malley points pushed the winners five clear but two from Shane O’Donnell left the score at 3-13 to 2-13 at the three quarter stage.
Éire Óg closed the gap to two with five minutes remaining but Kilmaley finished strongly and four unanswered points had them six clear with the game in injury time.
In the third of three added minutes substitute Kevin Brennan got in for a goal which was allowed despite protests that there was a square infringement.
Overall Kilmaley deserved victory on a day when Conor Cleary, Mikey O’Neill, Michael O’Malley, Brian McNamara and Daire Keane made valuable contributions. Shane O’Donnell was Éire Óg’s best player while David Reidy, also did well.
Scorers Kilmaley; Michael O’Malley (0-8, 6f, 1 line ball) Daire Keane (1-2) Cian Moloney (1-0), Tommy Barry (1 line ball), Brian McNamara (0-2) each, Sean Kennedy, Sean Ronan, Eanna McMahon, Brian Cahill (0-1) each
Scorers Éire Óg: Danny Russell (0-6, 5frees), David Reidy (1-3, 1-0 penalty) Shane O’Donnell (0-3), Darren O’Brien, Kevin Brennan (1-0) each, Tom Downes, David McNamara, Jarlath Collins (0-1) each
Kilmaley:
1: Bryan O’Loughlin
3: Colin McGuane
22: Martin O’Connor
2: Noel Casey
5: Aidan McGuane
6: Conor Cleary
24: Brian McNamara
8: Mikey O’Neill
4: Tommy Barry
13: Sean O’Loughlin
9: Brian Cahill
11: Michael O’Malley
18: Daire Keane
15: Gearoid O’Grady
12: Cian Moloney
Subs:
10: Éanna McMahon for Cahill (half time)
7: Sean Kennedy for O’Connor (52)
19: Sean Ronan for Moloney (58)
17: Joe Carmody for S. O’Loughlin (60)
Éire Óg:
1: Philly Walsh
2: Jarlath Collins
3: Ciaran Russell
4: Aidan McGrath
5: Niall McMahon
6: Aaron Fitzgerald
9: Cian O’Dea
15: Darren O’Brien
19: Tom Downes
10: David McNamara
11: David Reidy
13: Gavin Cooney
12: Oran Cahill
11: Shane O’Donnell
14: Danny Russell
Subs:
21: Conor O’Halloran for Downes (18)
22: Mikey Maloney for McGrath (27)
7: Liam Corry for Fitzgerald (half time);
20: Eoin Guilfoyle for McMahon (40),
18: Kevin Brennan for Cahill (56)
Referee; Joe Mullins, Clonlara
