IFC: Determined Kilmainham on a roll
August 17, 2020
Kilmainham's Mickey Newman
Kilmainham 2-10 Blackhall Gaels 1-11
What a difference 24 hours make, from a sunny Kilmainham on Saturday to a misty Dunsany on Sunday. However, the weather didn’t dampen this much anticipated encounter.
Alan Nestor had Blackhall Gaels on the scoreboard with his first of 7 frees for the day within the minute. Kilmainham half back Johnny Quinlan had his team on level terms after good, patient build up. Within the minute Kilmainham had the ball in Blackhall net after Jamie O’Sullivan made a good break from the defence and found Conor Kilgallen. Kilgallen gave a good ball to Dylan Morgan who found his cousin Gerard Morgan who seen his shot deflected. Dean Peppard was first to react but seen his shot blocked before it found its way to Seanie Mahon. The Kilmainham Captain led by example and put the ball into the net. Blackhall responded with 2 quick points from play before Newman kicked over a fine free after Morgan was fouled. The deficit was reduced to 1 again before Mickey Newman found the net leaving his side leading 2-02 to 0-04 with 10 minutes gone. Blackhall added a goal and a Nestor free to leave the scores level, 2-02 to 1-05 at the water break. The final quarter of the half didn’t have the scoring seen in the first half with Blackhall outscoring the boys in red and black 2 points to 1, all from frees. Newman’s free on 27 minutes, after Morgan was fouled, meant his side trailed by the minimum going into the break, 2-03 to 1-07.
Nestor put his side 3 ahead after 4minutes with another pointed free and his only point from play before Newman fielded the kick out before passing quickly to Kilgallen. Newman made the run for the return pass before going for his score with 3 Blackhall players around him. And what a score it was. Over the next 10 minutes mistakes were high on both sides with the greasy conditions. Newman added a free on 13 minutes before Nestor added his 6th free of the day just after the water break. Newman had the minimum between the side on 18 minutes before Nestor added his 7th and finally free of the afternoon. The game was in the melting pot heading into the last 10 minutes. Despite losing Morgan, Kilmainham hit 4 unanswered points to turn a 2 point deficit into a 2 point victory. Newman spotted Morgan in space and sent a ball cross field and Morgan slotted over to leave the score 2-07 to 1-11 with just over 3 minutes of normal time remaining. Substitutes Barry Lynch and Paul Farrelly teamed up for the next point with the later slotting over with his left leaving the teams level once again with minutes remaining. Substitute Mark Newman put his team ahead before Newman added the insurance point from a free leaving the final score 2-10 to 1-11.
This was a game that could have gone either way and it was going to take a team with drive and sheer determination to get across the line. Once again the substitutes from Kilmainham came to the fore when introduced and made huge impacts.
We will now turn our attention to our final round game against Castletown in 2 weeks time.
Kilmainham: Terence Daly, Stephen Newman, Harry Newman, Jamie O’Sullivan, Declan Mullen, Seanie Mahon(1-00), Johnny Quinlan (0-01), Conor Kilgallen, James Hennigan, Mickey Newman (1-06;3frees), Gerard Morgan(0-01), Dean Peppard, Jamie Madden, Richie Brady, Dylan Morgan. Subs: Larry Morgan for Peppard, Darren O’Sullivan for O’Sullivan, Paul Farrelly(0-01) for Brady, Barry Lynch for Quinlan, Mark Newman(0-01) for Morgan.
Blackhall Gaels Report
Blackhall Gaels 1-11 Kilmainham 2-10
Blackhall will rue some missed opportunities as they crashed out the Meath Intermediate Championship at a wet and greasy Dunsany on Sunday.
A frantic opening quarter set the tone for this encounter as despite opening the scoring Blackhall found themselves 2-2 to 2 down after only ten minutes. However Blackhall got a foothold in the game and rallied to leave the score 2-2 to 1-5 at the first water break with Alan Nestor, Paul Kelly and a Tadhg Brosnan goal getting Blackhall back on level terms. Two frees from Alan Nestor pushed the Gaels to lead by the minimum at half time. 2-3 1-7
As the second half developed Nestor and Newman continued to trade scores with a free and point from play each. Blackhall went into the second water break with a two point before once again trading frees. However Kilmainham hit four unanswered points in the final 5 minutes to put them ahead and that is where they stayed.
Blackhall Gaels: Tommy Dalton, Tom Murphy, Paddy Brady, Hugh Smith, Liam Rattigan, Shane Whitty, Donnacha Healy, Donnacha Tobin, John Kelly, Dermot Carty, Tadhg Brosnan, 1-2, Stephen Morris, James Kelly, Alan Nestor, 0-8(7f), Paul Kelly 0-1. Subs: Jonathan Meyler for James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien for Rattigan.
