Clane bounce back to form after opening round disappointment

Clane 2-14 Kilcock 0-8

Clane emerged 12 point winners over a lacklustre Kilcock in the opening group D game of the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championships. Second half goals from Adam Fanning and Sam McCormack were enough to see Clane over the line.

Kilcock did finish with 13 men after two late black cards but it had no effect on the final score.

The opening half was slow to get going and after Brian McLoughlin pointed a free on four it was another 10 minutes before we saw a score.Sam Reilly and a Danny Egan 45 opened up a three point gap Sean O Sullivan pointed a free for Kilcock on 18 and when he repeated the feat on 26 they were Kilcock's only first half scores.

The wind was strong and in Clane's favour during the opening half and they took advantage to add five more scores before the break.Tadhg Montgomery became the second Clane back to score on 19.Brian McLoughlin added a further three from play,free and a mark and when Sam McCormack converted a 30th minute free Clane went to the dressing room 0-8 to 0-2 to the good.

Despite playing against the wind Clane were better after the break. Ciaran Murray did ad an early Kilcock point but Clane hit 1-3 without reply.Sam Mc Cormack showed great skill to get his shot away but Adam Fanning was on hand to tap home the rebound for the games opening goal.Kilcock responded with 4 points in a row and if David Dukes goalbound effort was the right side of the post we could have had a tight finish.

Clane finished out the stronger and when Brian McLoughlin was fouled Sam McCormack dispatched the late penalty with ease.

Clane were comfortable 2-14 to 0-8 winners as they join Moorefield at the top of Group D 

CLANE: Cian Burke,Sam Reilly 0-1,Sean Callan,Stephen Brerton,Harry O Neill 0-1,Chris Byrne, Tadhg Montgomery 0-1, Adam Fanning 1-0, Shane McCormack, Sean Tighe,Sam McCormack 1-2 (2 frees,1 penalty), Hugh Prendergast, Brian McLoughlin 0-5 (3 frees,1 Mark),Danny Egan 0-1 (1 '45),Shane O Sullivan 0-1. SUBS: Eoin Walsh 0-2 for Brerton, 47; Jack Devey for Prendergast, 47; Sean Christanseen for  Byrne, 57; Cormac Vizzard for O'Neill, 57; Eoin Towhig for Sean Tighe, 58 

KILCOCK: Fionn Talbot, Paddy Kelly, Johnny O' Sullivan, Cameron Nairn, Cormac Divilly, Jason Gibbons, Joe Fitzmaurice, Mark Gibbons, Luke Sheridan,David Duke, Brendan Gibbons 0-1, Ciaran Murray 0-1,Sean O Sullivan 0-6 (5 frees), Danny Maguire, Adam Doyle. SUBS Keith Farrell for Fitzmaurice, 42; Michael Stokes for Doyle, 52

REFEREE: Kieran Harris