Goals do the job for Kilcar
Under 18 football championship first round
Aodh Ruadh 1-8
Kilcar 4-7
26 July 2017
John Hughes reports from Father Tierney Park
In the end it was a combination of luck and slightly superior finishing power in the final third which saw Kilcar take this first round championship clash in Father Tierney Park.
The first half saw the conditions making it difficult for either side to put much together in the way of fluent football.
It was Kilcar who opened the scoring early with a Shane Gillespie draw on the loose ball flashing in at Mark Gallagher's bottom right hand corner with just a minute on the clock.
Aodh Ruadh answered that five minutes later when Shane Dorrian's shot was parried out by Colm Garvey, but only as far as Dylan Gallagher who palmed deftly home.
Good fortune smiled on Kilcar again shortly after as a half hit shot by Aaron McShane found it's way to the back of the net.
Aodh Ruadh finally found a bit of rhythm after that and Dylan Gallagher helped them on their way with a well-struck point as the game moved into the second quarter.
A Ciaran Gillespie free restored Kilcar's goal advantage with 19 minutes gone, however a silky left-footed shot from Dylan Gallagher three minutes later kept Aodh Ruadh hot in the chase.
A minute later Odhran McGarrigle won a free which Shane Dorrian converted and shortly after it was all square thanks to another Dorrian dead ball.
Aodh Ruadh took the lead with five minutes of the half left, Dylan Gallagher sending over a precisely measured effort.
However an Odhran Doogan free made it a level game at the break, Aodh Ruadh 1-5 Kilcar 2-2.
Aodh Ruadh struck first in the second half when Shane Dorrian did well to win the ball and feed Dylan Gallagher. Gallagher still had plenty of work to do, but he somehow curved an unreal shot just in at the right post.
Six minutes later Gallagher was on the mark again with another sensational individual effort.
However Kilcar got their noses back in front when Brian O'Donnell got on the ball and rifled a low shot through a crowded penalty area and in at Mark Gallagher's right post.
On the three-quarter mark Kilcar turned the kick out and Gary Molloy broke through before laying off to Brian O'Donnell who had the relatively simple job of slipping home the Towney lads fourth major.
Ryan O'Donnell added a point after 48 minutes and then Brian O'Donnell blasted over a fine shot from the right sideline three minutes later as Kilcar started to put a bit of daylight between the sides.
A Ciaran Gillespie free and then two well struck points from Shane Gillespie made it 4-7 to 1-7 with three minutes left.
A minute into added time Odhran O'Neill ended a 24 minute barren scoring spell for the hosts with a nicely judged point, but by that stage the game had been well decided in Kilcar's favour.
Dylan Gallagher was unfortunate to be on the losing side, working hard and taking some sumptuous scores. Shane Dorrian also grafted manfully too. Elsewhere Mark Gallagher made a great stop from Shane Gillespie after 43 minutes and couldn't do much about Kilcar's other goals.
Kilcar were well served by the precision restarts of Colm Garvey, while Brian O'Donnell and Shane Gillespie were both full value for their handsome scoring returns.
| Vital Statistics |
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| Teams |
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Aodh Ruadh Mark Gallagher; Adam Clarke, Sean Taylor, Stephen Anderson; Michael McKenna; Cian McGloin, Patrick McCaffrey; Conall Sweeny, Shane Gillespie; Odhran O'Neill (0-1), Shane Dorrian (0-2f), Odhran McGrarrigle; James Sheerin, Dylan Gallagher (1-5), JJ Goan. Subs: Garbhan McCloskey for James Sheerin 9m; . Frees conceded: 15 Wides: 4 Kick outs won: Total - 12; Own - 9; Opposition - 3. |
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Kilcar Colm Garvey; Keelan Curran, Dylan O'Gara, Cormack Leamy; Kenny Doogan, Ryan O'Donnell (0-1), Odhran Doogan (0-1); Brian O'Donnell (2-1), Paddy McShane; Aaron McShane (1-0), Gary Molloy, David Love, Ciaran Gillespie (0-2f), Shane Gillespie (1-2), Eoin McCormack. Frees conceded: 15 Wides: 12 Kick outs won: Total - 19; Own - 7; Opposition - 9. |
| Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs) |
Last modified: Friday, 22 May 2020 at 2:31pm