SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-16; Kilcummin 2-10.
Last week we scored 1-15, all from play, in our win against Kerins O’Rahillys. This week we also scored 1-15 from play, but added one more from a free – which happened to be the very first score of the game – a 4th minute free by David Mannix after a foul on Alan Nestor.
With Kilcummin just hovering above the drop-zone (9th on the table) and ourselves battling to make it to the League Final (2nd on the table) this round 10 Co. League game was always going to be a keenly contested encounter at Connolly Park. And so it turned out to be.
As half time approached, we looked to be well in command with six points to spare (0-9 to 0-3). But Kilcummin put over three quick points, all from play, in a two minute spell, which reduced our half time lead to three (0-9 to 0-6).
We can be very pleased with our first half performance with some very well-taken scores – Alan Nestor, David Mannix and Sean Ryan with two each, and Fiachna Mangan, David O’Sullivan and Conor Jordan with one each. And all this made possible with some brilliant support play by Pa McCarthy, Ronan Shanahan, Fearghal MacNamara , Jack O’Shea and Jack Morgan.
Two goals by the visitors within four minutes of the resumption put them from being six points down, some eight playing minutes previously, to now lead by three.
However we responded well and were back in the lead within five minutes after Mikey Collins pointed and a well-taken goal by David O’Sullivan from a David Mannix cross. Kilcummin equalized again in the 41st minute from a free.
Then in a twelve minute spell (43rd to the 55th) we added a further six points, to one for the opposition. Fiachna Mangan, David Mannix and Pa McCarthy, all with two each, were our scorers, with some good support play from Shane O’Callaghan and Seán Dukes in particular.
Kilcummin added two late points to reduce the deficit to three and make for a tense finish, and a brilliant 58th minute save by Darragh O’Brien kept that lead intact and, with one more round to be played (away to Templenoe) kept our prospects of reaching our fourth consecutive Co. League Final very much alive.
Team: Darragh O’Brien, Ronan Shanahan, Fearghal MacNamara, Seán Ryan (0-2) , Pa McCarthy (0-2), Jack O’Shea, Jack Morgan, Barry Walsh, Conor Jordan (0-1), Alan Nestor (0-2), Fiachna Mangan (0-3), Michael Collins 0-1, David Mannix (0-4 – one free), David O’Sullivan (1-1), Shane O’Callaghan (Capt).
Subs used: Seán Dukes (35m).
Prior to the game there was a minute’s silence in remembrance of the late Anne O’Keeffe Galvin, former Club Footballer, and mother of Eoghan and Paul Galvin, members of our current SF squad.
