Duke goal proves decisive as Kilcock hold off Nurney comeback
Kilcock, Hanlon Concrete Senior Football League Division 3 champions. Photos: Sean Brilly
Kilcock are the Hanlon Concrete Senior Football League Division 3 champions after they overcame Nurney by two points on Saturday at Cedral St Conleth's, Newbridge.
Kilcock, who enjoyed ten wins on their way to promotion, were pushed all the way by a Nurney side who were dominated throughout the second half - but two points was as close as they got.
Kilcock's full forward duo of Sean O'Sullivan and Shane O'Rourke had them two points up inside four minutes before Sean Murphy got Nurney off the mark seven minutes in.
County midfielder Brendan Gibbons stepped up after eight minutes with his only score of the game as he edged Kilcock two ahead.
15 minutes had elapsed when O'Sullivan combined with David Duke for the latter to fist the ball into the net, although he was perilously close to the square. After consultation between referee Kieran Harris and his umpires, the goal was allowed stand.
Mickey Conway from a free added Nurney's second point, but O'Rourke had the last say of the half with his second point. Kilcock lead 1-5 to 0-2 at the interval.
Duke, the goal scorer in the opening half, put Kilcock six up within two minutes of the restart, but Nurney hit a purple patch over the next five minutes as two Mikey Conway frees either side of an Andrew Behan point helped close the gap to four.
Two Shane O'Rourke white flags before the 45th minute helped keep Nurney at arms lenght, but Kilcock would only manage two further points over the closing quarter as they invited Nurney to have a go.
Mikey Conway added two further frees for Nurney and a fine point from centre back Brian Reilly closed the gap further. Kilcock were struggling as Jessie Moore took control around the middle with some excellent fielding.
Conway and Shane O'Rourke shared four points between them over the closing five minutes. Conway turned back the years with eight points over the hour, but there was to be no leveller.
A three-up infrinegment allowed Nurney a chance to close the gap, but they went short and worked the ball back to Theo Hanlon on the arc, who wasn't able to find the score as his shot drifted wide of the post.
The final whistle had Kilcock 1-10 to 0-11 in front, but in truth, with championship on the horizon, this was a game that left more questions than answers for both sides over the hour.
Kilcock will approach championship with confidence as they moved on to 11 wins out of the last 12 matches.
Nurney are also up to Division 2 for next year and Alan Jordan's side will be a test for anyone.
Jack Kelly; Dylan Morrow, Johnny O'Sullivan, Eoghan Conroy; Finn Dowling, Jason Gibbons, Hugh Dowling, Brendan Gibbons 0-1; Mark Gibbons, Danny Byrne; David Duke 1-1, Chris McCarthy, Andy Dalton; Sean O'Sullivan 0-3 (1f, 1'45), Shane O Rourke 0-5 (1tp).
Joe Fitzmaurice for McCarthy (37).
Eoghan Fitzpatrick; Neil Kelly, Daragh Conway, Noel Lawlor; Ciaran Callan, Brian Reilly 0-2, Steven Conway; Owen Kealey, Tadhg Hagney; Damien Berns, Michael Conway 0-8 (1tpf, 6f), Jessie Moore; Andrew Behan 0-1, Cathal Hagney, Sean Murphy 0-1.
Theo Hanlon for Callan (37), Kevin Conway for Berns (44).
Kieran Harris
