Report by: Alan Walsh
Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-18 ……. Ballyskenach 3-9
WITH 53 minutes gone in this keenly contested Offaly S.H.C. clash at Clareen on Sunday last, a mild shock looked to be on the cards as brave Ballyskenach, boosted by a spectacular David Carney goal - most definitely a candidate for goal of the year, led by 3-9 to 1-12.
However, fancied Kilcormac/Killoughey, who struggled to crack the staunch resistance of their opponents, finished well and they blasted over six points on-the-trot to secure a hard earned win. The Double K's are now sitting pretty on top of Group 1 with three points.
Ballyskenach, minus two key players in the guise of John Dooley and Donal Golden, lost their way badly in the closing 7 minutes and they appeared to press the self destruct button as they panicked and gave away a series of silly frees. But nevertheless, they should take encouragement from this display and they should be well capable of troubling Seir Kieran and St. Rynagh's in their remaining matches.
In the final analysis, K/K's John Leahy was the difference between the teams. He helped himself to an impressive individual tally of 12 points, with nine of these coming from frees. Indeed, Leahy scared five (four from frees) of K/K's final six points.
Ballyskenach hurled with the wind in the first half and a 5th minute goal from a David Franks penalty got them off to the perfect start.
However, 'Skenach were guilty of careless defending six minutes later when K/K's Damien Barron sent a free from a fair distance out to the net. After 24 minutes the sides were level at 1-5 apiece. Two minutes later, a goal of a softish nature by David Carney helped Ballyskenach to a 2-6 to 1-8 interval advantage.
Kilcormac/Killoughey found it extremely difficult to haul in Ballyskenach and it was still level at the three quarter mark – 1-11 to 2-8. A converted free by Leahy edged the Double K's ahead, but they were then numbed to silence following Carney's awesome goal that gave 1998 All Star 'keeper Stephen Byrne no chance. Peter Murphy added a point and K/K now trailed by three points, 3-9 to 1-12, but just as they did against Seir Kieran, they held their nerve well and deservedly came out an top.
This result represented a case of sweet revenge for K/K as in 1999 Ballyskenach shocked them in the championship quarter-final at Banagher and it sets them up well for the remainder of the campaign.
Henry Kilmartin was the pick of the Kilcormac/Killoughey full back trio, with Seamus Kiely initially, and later Seamus Spain, both struggling to curb the influential David Carney. Colm Cassidy handled the pacey Brendan Murphy very well, with Shane Hand and Kevin Rigney also performing solidly. Paul Bracken had an impressive first half at midfield, with Martin Murray working hard throughout. KI K struggled upfront, with John Leahy being the one to stand out.
Best performers for Ballyskenach were Cathal Murphy, Mick O'Hara, David Franks and David Carney.
The Scoring
Boosted by the wind, Ballyskenach began impressively and they led 1-2 to nil after 6 minutes. David Carney pointed following a poor clearance by K/K's Kevin Rigney, and then Stephen Byrne was punished as he got no distance into a clearance and this enabled Carney and Bill Lalor to feed Eugene Kirwan who was fouled by Henry Kilmartin for a penalty. This was ruthlessly dispatched to the net by David Franks, and the same player swiftly added a pointed free.
Kilcormac/Killoughey responded well. John Leahy fired over the first of his 12 points from a 7th minute free won by Paul Leonard, and when Leahy was fouled four minutes later, Damien Barron caught the Ballyskenach rearguard napping as he drilled a free from 30 yards all the way to the onion bag.
It was tit-for-tat for long spells and by the 24th minute the sides were deadlocked at 1-5 apiece. Brendan Murphy, David Franks (free) and Liam O'Toole, from a lovely sideline cut, raised white flags for Ballyskenach, with Kilcormac/Killoughey hitting back through Paul Bracken (2) and John Leahy (2).
Ballyskenach went back in front in the 26th minute. Noel Murphy gave an intelligent handpass to David Carney, who despite getting a bad contact with the sliotar, beat Stephen Byrne for a goal.
Leahy and Franks pointed frees at either end to leave a goal in it, 2-6 to 1-6, but by the interval, K/K had the deficit down to the minimum, 2-6 to 1-8, following scores by Leahy and Damien Barron.
The Double K's tied matters with a Tony Spain point seconds after the resumption,
and they took the lead for the first time in the 39th minute. Paul Bracken was
fouled by Peter Murphy, and Leahy converted the free. David Carney equalised,
and there was still nothing between the sides after 45 minutes as points by
David Franks (free) and Martin Murray left the score at 1-11 to 2-8.
John Leahy (free) edged K/K back in front with a point, but in the 49th minute they were hit by a bolt of brilliance from David Carney who scored a sizzling goal. Peter Murphy followed up with a point, and suddenly, with just seven minutes remaining, Ballyskenach were three points to the good, 3-9 to 1-12.
Instead of panicking, K/K held their shape and they scored six unanswered points to take victory. John Leahy registered five of these points, four from frees as Ballyskenach resorted to needless fouling, and sub Mark 'Chunky' O'Brien scored the other in the 59th minute. Trailing by a goal, 1-18 to 3-9, there was still life in Ballyskenach and a low struck free from David Franks was saved and Bill Lalor was wide from the rebound.
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: Stephen Byrne; Seamus Kiely, Henry Kilmartin, Seamus
Spain; Kevin Rigney, Shane Hand, Colm Cassidy; Paul Bracken (0-2), Martin Murray
(0-1); Paul Leonard, Tommy Bracken, Damien Barron (1-1, 1-0 free); John Leahy
(0-12, 0-9 frees), Mark Hand, Tony Spain (0-1).
Subs.: Mark O'Brien (0-1) for Paul Leonard, (42 mins), John Rigney for Tommy
Bracken, (49 mins) and Mark Leonard for Damien Barron (57 mins).
BALLYSKENACH: Tom O'Toole; Eugene Hannon, Mick O'Hara, Ollie Ryan; Mark Kirwan,
Cathal Murphy, Barry Keeshan; David Franks (1-4, 1-0 penalty, 0-4 frees), Liam
O'Toole (0-1, sideline cut); Peter Murphy (0-1), Noel Murphy, Brendan Murphy
(0-1); Bill Lalor, Eugene Kirwan, David Carney (2-2).
Sub.: Derek Middleton for Eugene Kirwan, (52 mins).
REFEREE: Edward Doyle, Clara.