U21 defeat sees them drop to B1 Competition

Post date: Feb 26, 2013 7:29:17 PM

Máigh Cuilinn 1-12 Kinvara 2-11

Mágh Cuilinn lost out in a hard fought battle with Kinvara, when losing a slender one point lead to a late goal in Castlegar. Máigh Cuilinn did cut the deficit to a single point a couple of times but were unable to overhaul the South Galway opposition in the final minutes.

The team saw the welcome return of Eanna Kelleghan, Conor Noone, Paraic Higgins and Cillian Mullarkey, although Martin Mulkerins and Conor Kyne and Aodhan Claffey remained unavailable, however Kevin O'Donovan, Niall Acton (injury) and Paddy Walsh (emigration) were all added to the list of absentees.

Mágh Cuilinn were first to score, Jack Kelly converting a foul on Luke Bohan but it was Kinvara who took the initiative from there on, equalising from a free, adding three from play and when a further shot came off the post, Mágh Cuilinn failed to clear and a goal resulted. Mágh Cuilinn looked in real trouble and Kinvara squandered a number of chances to go further ahead from play and placed balls. Ronan Higgins came to midfield and Emmett Kerrigan and Eanna Malone began to get a grip in the defensive spine. Conor Noone scored an inspirational point from the sideline to kick start a revival. Andrew Hurney won a free which Jack Kelly again converted. Two frees were one by putting the Kinvara defender in possession under pressure and Jack Kelly showed a reliability in contrast to his Kinvara counterpart. Then in the score of game four Mágh Cuilinn players exchanged passes from midfield down the left and across to the right where Conor Noone was through in space and he did not disappoint, rattling the net. Kinvara did equalise but a 65M from Jack Kelly sent Mágh Cuilinn to halftime with a one point lead: 1-06 to 1-05.

Kinvara started the second half strongly but there freetaking woes continued as the wides mounted despite a change of taker. To add to there frustration, Jack Kelly scored two long range efforts although Kinvara did manage a point from play in between. The pattern of most of the second half continued in this vein, Kinvara reducing the gap to one point while points from Seamus Conneely and Luke Bohan restored Mágh Cuilinn's two point advantage. Kinvara finally found their freetaking form before the pivotal score of the match game. A neat pass found the Kinvara centre forward alone in front of goal and although defenders did get back to make a desperate challenge, a cool head and a neat sidestep allowed him to finish into the net. It was Kinvara who were now two points ahead. While Jack Kelly had another free but two wides from more difficult positions reduced his record from 100% to 80%. Seamus Conneely had another point from play also but earlier if his low shot had found the other side of the post, the result might have swung the way of Mágh Cuilinn. As it was Kinvara found a response to each point and held on to win 2-11 to 1-12. The second defeat sees Mágh Cuilinn drop to the B1 competition. Their opponents will be another defeated team from round 2 of the B competition.

Mágh Cuilinn: Eanna Kelleghan, James Donohue, Emmett Kerrigan, Cillian Mullarkey, Alan Kelly, Eanna Malone, Ger Molloy, Paraic Kilduff, Seamus Conneely, Ronan Higgins, Conor Noone, Jack Kelly, Lairgnean McDermott, Luke Bohan, Andrew Hurney.

Subs: John Doran for Paraic Kilduff, Ian Noone for Andrew Hurney, Shane Richardson, John Lalor, Fintan Kelly, Alan Jackson.