MFC Div 4 final: Kilbride's perseverance pays off
November 13, 2018
Zac McGovern lines up a shot for Kilbride in the MFC Division 4 final against Na Fianna at Pairc Tailteann
Kilbride secured their first minor Championship title on Sunday when they beat a very well fancied Na Fianna side at Pairc Tailteann to lift the Dare Maxwell Cup.
Kilbride 4-17 Na Fianna 3-10
It was Kilbride’s fourth final in a row but losing the last three didn’t dampen the lad’s spirits ahead of the game. The big stage seemed to suit this spirited bunch of lads.
Na Fianna had the favourite’s tags and probably it was the right call, but with the likes of Cian Harford, Brian Dignam and the scoring threat of Adam Malone up front Kilbride were in with a big shout. Could Kilbride reverse the result from round one was on everyone’s mind but for the first time this year Kilbride had 16 players to choose from?
Na Fianna were first to score and it took Kilbride six minutes to get their first and it came from Adam Malone with a point from play. As both teams were getting to grips with the greasy conditions it was Na Fianna who were on top and raced into a three point lead, Adam Malone reduced it with a pointed free on ten minutes and another monster from forty yards from play to leave two in it, another converted free on eighteen minutes after a powerful run from Centre back Cian Harford resulted in a foul on the edge of the D and Malone slotted over off the ground. Kilbride day got even better when another powerful run this time from the energetic Ruadhan Coffee from mid field left him through on goals and he made no mistake as he blasted low to the corner of the net to put Kilbride two up with twenty minutes played.
The celebration was short live as Na Fianna bounced back with a goal of the own, Zack McGovern got his first on nineteen minutes. It was a real battle, Sean Duffy and Hugo McPeake were excellent in defence for the Kilbride side, Pau Hayes in goals for Kilbride was excellent with his kick outs when finding James Gavin at wing back and it was from this platform that Kilbride mounted most of their attacks. And it was that man Gavin who got a great score on twenty two minutes to level things. But again Na Fianna pushed on and got three more before wing back Andrew McWeeney got a fine score after great play from Harford put him through and he slotted of from thirty five yards. Both team exchanged points, the Kilbride score coming from Adam Malone in injury time of the first half to leave it at half time
Half Time Na Fianna 1-10 Kilbride 1-8
Kilbride we quickest out of the block and quick points from Zac McGovern levelled matters with only three minutes played in the second half. Kilbride were playing excellent and as the crown increased as they waited for the senior game they were getting good value for money with the display of football from both teams. It was nip a tuck, point for point but Kilbride were showing signs of dominance, Gavin was still winning the kick outs, Ross Sheedy in the other corner was getting on top and Cian Harford from centre back was getting more time
and space to make his trade mark runs and it was on 39 minutes that an initial run created the time a space for Malone to dummy the full back and he slotted home to the corner of the net. But again Na Fianna came roaring back when a defensive mix up led to a penalty that was slotted home, It was in the next ten minutes that Kilbride won the game. Mark Dempsey first slotted home and fine points from Malone, McGovern and Ben Donnelly’s first on 54 minutes that we could see some day light appear between the two teams but still Na Fianna registered the third goal as a mix up allowed the ball to be bundled over the line to give them some hope. Kilbride defence were ruthless in the last ten minutes and with Harford dominating from centre back you could see no way back for Na Fianna and when Na Fianna and Meath minor stars pairing of Kelly and McCloskey tired Kilbride took over
and clever play didn’t allow Na Fianna to score for the resulting six minutes and Kilbride rounded off there day with further points from Ruadhan Coffee, Ben Donnelly, Malone and Zack McGovern, but there was still time for Harry Keenan who worked tirelessly across the line to get a goal of his own, Brian Donnelly was substituted to warm round of applause having worked extremely hard from wing forward with his best game in a Kilbride jersey and he was replaced by Jack Sweeney who was Kilbride’s only sub on the day.
There was tears of joy at the final whistle as History was made as the now young men from Kilbride were winners for the first time at Minor level on a final score of Kilbride 4 -17 to Na Fianna’s 3-10 and joint captains Cian Harford and Brian Dignam raised the Dara Maxwell cup in front of their team mates and the travelling Kilbride supporters.
Kilbride: Paul Hayes, Hugo McPeake, Sean Duffy, Ross Sheedy, Andrew McWeeney 0-1, Cian Harford, James Gavin 0-1, Ruadhan Coffee 1-1, Brian Dignam, Brian Donnelly, Adam Malone 1-7, Mark Dempsey 1-0, Ben Donnelly 0-2, Zack McGovern 0-5, Harry Keenan 1-0. Sub Jack Sweeney for Brian Donnelly. and the injured Timmy Farrell
In summary the score line flatters Kilbride as Na Fianna put in one hell of a shift and it was only in the last few minutes that Kilbride pulled away, best for the winners was James Gavin, Cian Harford, Sean Duffy, Adam Malone & Zack McGovern.
