O'Brien inspires Kilcullen to victory
Ciaran O'Brien scored 2-7 for Kilcullen during their over St Kevins this evening Photo: Martin Rowe
A brilliant individual display by Ciaran O’Brien, that included two second half goals, was enough to inspire Kilcullen to hard earned win over St Kevins.
The defeated Kevin's hit the crossbar in either half and played their part in what, after a scrappy started, turned out to a very entertaining encounter.
O’Brien had been lively in the first half but Kevins led 1-7 to 0-8 at the break after a tenth minute goal by Dylan Brereton, and the same player smashed a shot off the bar in the 20th minute and Kilcullen were fortunate that the rebounded landed straight in the chest of full back Jack Dooley when there were forwards waiting to pounce.
After Enda Keane opened the scoring in the second half for Kevins, O’Brien got the first of his goals in the 34th minute when Sean Knight picked him out and he showed good strength before tucking his shot into the bottom corner.
The pivotal minutes arrived early in the final quarter. Kevins were desperately unlucky when Conor Murray’s rocket of a shot crashed off the underside of the bar and bounced away, but Kevins kept the ball alive and Declan Flaherty pointed to make it 1-12 apiece.
A Thomas Hickey free put Kilcullen ahead and then the same pair who linked for Kilcullen’s opening goal did so again in the 50th minute. A second two pointer of the game a minute later by Hickey put Kilcullen six ahead.
Three points in a row by Conor Murray gave Kevins hope in the closing minutes but O’Brien brought his tally to 2-7 in injury time with the final score to secure the win.
Cormac Barker; Darragh Burke 0-1, Jack Dooley, Scott Fleming, Sean Corrigan, Conor Bolton, Tim Carey; Sean Corrigan, Ciaran Melinn 0-1; Cathal Brophy 0-1, Sean Knight, Sean Hurley, Ciaran O’Brien 2-7 (4fs), Thomas Hickey 0-7 (2tp, 2fs), Paul Bell. Subs: Nathan O’Reilly for Fleming, 49; Dave Marshall for Hurley, 55; Darragh Kelly for Hickey, 59.
Aaron Fox; Conor Gordon, Tom Barron, Diarmuid Smyth, Alan Bennett, Niall Keane, Dean Regan; Jamie Smyth 0-1, Enda Keane 0-1; Conor Brady, Barry Noone 0-5 (1tp, 1f, 1’45), Dylan Brereton 1-0, Cormac Noone 0-2 (1tp), Declan Flaherty 0-2, Conor Murray 0-4 (1f). Subs: Ciaran Smyth for Brady, 38; Mark Grace for C Noone, 42; Kevin McNamee for Regan, 46; Kevin Ward for Flaherty, 58.
Fergus Devereux.
