Navan O’Mahony’s 1-14
Kilbride 0-08
Navan O’Mahony’s went into this game knowing what they had to do to keep matters in their own hands and, as a team, stepped up to the mark. The result sees O’Mahony’s at the top of Group D with the draw taking place this evening, Sunday, at 6pm.
It was a cagey start to the game, with Robbie Keelaghan opening the scoring with a point in the second minute, his first of eight. Kilbride responded with a point from play before Keelaghan converted a free in the sixth minute. With a number of missed opportunities for O’Mahony’s to extend their lead, it was Kilbride who equalised with a free in the twelfth minute.
Nine minutes passed without score, again with opportunities for both sides. Oisin O’Brien pointed, followed two minutes later by a point from the on-form Aodhan Mallon. A twenty-seventh minute pointed free for Kilbride left only one between the sides, until Keelaghan split the posts with a free.
An injury time goal opportunity was denied when Mike O’Reilly was fouled in the square and O’Brien made no mistake in converting the resulting penalty. This put some distance between the sides for the first time as the half time whistle went.
Navan O’Mahony’s 1-05
Kilbride 0-03
Kilbride were not going down without a fight and scored the opening score of the half from a free. O’Mahony’s first score of the half came when a Keelaghan shot landed near the goalmouth and Ivo Fitzherbert directed it over the bar. Keelaghan then added two points in as many minutes, giving O’Mahony’s the seven point advantage they needed to secure qualification.
Kilbride, however, enjoyed a purple patch, kicking three points in four minutes to narrow the gap to four points. Keelaghan broke this momentum with an impressive point but Kilbride nullified this once again.
With ten minutes on the clock, O’Brien added another score to leave five between the sides. O’Mahony’s managed to push on with Keelaghan, O’Brien and Mallon all adding to their earlier scores.
In addition to the scorers, it was a strong team performance all round. Brian Dillon, Sam Formosa, Sean Betson and Darragh Murphy played crucial roles in keeping the Kilbride defence at bay while Shane Maguire, Mike O’Reilly and Niall McGrane impressed in the middle third of the pitch. The scoring forwards were well supported by good play from Darragh Maguire, Ronan Clarke and Duggie Dillon as well as the fresh legs that were introduced.
Navan O’Mahony’s
Niall Devlin, Darragh Murphy, Brian Dillon, Sean Betson, Sam Formosa, Niall McGrane, Aodhan Mallon (0-02), Mike O’Reilly, Darragh Maguire, Duggie Dillon, Robbie Keelaghan (0-08), Shane Maguire, Ronan Clarke, Oisin O’Brien (1-03), Ivo Fitzherbert (0-01)
Conor Brady for Maguire, Craig Munnelly O’Toole for Clarke, Evan Coffey for Maguire.
