Kill march on to Junior football decider
Grangenolvin's Nathan Doyle and Kill's Mark Lee in aciton during their junior football semi-final. Photo: Sean Brilly.
Tom Cross Transport Junior Football Semi-Final
Having lost to Straffan in the final two years ago, Kill are back in the Tom Cross Transport Junior Football final after a fully deserved three-point win over pre-match favourites Grangenolvin in Manguard Park on Saturday afternoon.
Kill laid the foundation for their win with a dominant first half display which saw them open up a five point lead before a lethargic Grangenolvin scored twice in injury time to narrow the gap to three.
But three crucial early second half points settled Kill and those, along with a magnificent save from goalkeeper Mike Jones, proved important as Grangenolvin piled on the pressure in the final quarter to bring the gap down to two with three minutes remaining.
It was Kill though who prevailed with top scorer Paul Kirwan nailing a late free and their defence holding firm in the face of a couple of late Grangenolvin attacks.
Grangenolvin had a decent start and points from an Oran Bergin free and Nathan Doyle from play sandwiched a Kirwan point to give them an early lead.
But Kill were much more fluent and six points in a row including four from play from Derry Lenihan, AJ Jordan, Sam Lafferty and Kevin Corrigan to add to two frees from Kirwan put them 0-7 to 0-2 ahead.
Grangenolvin finally ended 23 minutes without a score when Fionn Bergin scored the first of two frees in injury time to leave them only three behind at the break.
Half-Time: Kill 0-7 Grangenolvin 0-4.
Kirwan’s free, followed by a fine point from AJ Jordan and another from Kirwan from play put Kill back six clear in the opening ten minutes of the half.
A brilliant finger-tip save from Kill goalkeeper Jones from an Oran Bergin shot appeared to put the death-knell in Grangenolvin chances but three times in a row frees were brought forward for ill-discipline and each time Fionn Bergin punished them from close range. He added another to leave just two points between the teams by the 55th minute.
Nolan’s free gave Kill some respite but substitute Lee Doyle registered only a second point from play for Grangenolvin and set up a grandstand finish but when Stephen O’Leary was fouled, Kirwan lofted a fine free from 30 metres between the posts to put the seal on a big win for his side.
Mike Jones; Ciaran Devoy, Justin Halligan, Luke Purcell; Finn Ryan, Kevin Corrigan 0-1, Derry Lenehan 0-1; Jack Healy, Sam Lafferty 0-1; AJ Jordan 0-3 (2fs), Stephen O’Leary, Mark Lee; Cian Lawlor, Paul Kirwan 0-6 (4fs), Alan Wren. Owen Thompson for Purcell 50, Liam O’Carroll for Wren 53.
Timmy Doyle; Keith Holligan, Lewis Gannon, Gavin Ivory; Daniel Cullen, Cillian Bergin, Brian Cullen; Keith McGloin, Conall Bergin; Dylan Costigan, Nathan Doyle 0-1, Wayne Dooley; Oran Bergin 0-1 (f), Fionn Bergin 0-6 (6fs), Tomás Cullen. Lee Doyle 0-1 for Dooley 35, James Gannon for Cullen 45, Paul Huntingdon for Costigan 45.
Owen Murphy.
