Scoil Dara win a thriller
Scoil Dara Kilcock captain Bobby O'Shea leads the celebrations after their win over Tullow CS.
An ability to take their goal chances was key as Scoil Dara Kilcock won a hugely entertaining South Leinster Senior Football C Final at Kerdiffstown Park on Friday. On the other hand their opponents have every reason to feel they left this one behind them.
After resisting their opponents early pressure Tullow CS scored 1-2 without reply with Jack Corcoran netting after Kilcock lost possession out the field. The Rathvilly lad still had it all to do but he drew the keeper nicely and tucked the ball into an empty net. Daire Byrne and Ethan Hutton also raised white flags.
The game was turned on its head when Scoil Dara secured two goals in quick succession. With a slick passing movement Declan Byrne tipped the first home with his finger tips and on nine minutes Cormac Murray found the top right-hand corner of the net with a good finish.
Tullow CS turned it around with Aaron DoAwling, Corcoran and Jack Byrne all raising white flags. At the interval they led 1-6 to 2-1 and were good value for their narrow advantage. Conor Finn was Kilcock’s only other scorer in the half.
Both full-forwards exchanged points early in the second half as Tullow were unlucky to see a close range flick come off the bottom right-hand post and the eventual winners held firm.
Brynn Nolan scored a nice point but Scoil Dara clearly sensed that they were gaining an edge and some of their possession football helped suck the energy out of their rivals. Captain Bobby O’Shea pointed for Kilcock and they got a huge boost at the start of the last quarter when Tullow erred close to their own goal. Quick as a flash Scoil Dara took possession and O’Shea was on hand to shoot home.
It had to be a blow for the Tullow side but they fought hard to regain the initiative. Dowling and Jack Corcoran pointed to give them a two-point lead.
In reply, Murray’s free left only one in it as the game moved inexorably towards full-time. Once again Tullow CS lost possession inside their own 22 metre line. They paid the full penalty. Initially it looked as if a brave block was going to save their bacon. But just to confirm it was not going to be Tullow’s day, Ryan McTernan was on hand to pick up the loose ball and shoot his side’s fourth goal. Murray added another point to all but seal the victory.
In one last Tullow CS attack, they forced a 13 metre free but Dowling’s strong effort was blocked and Scoil Dara lived to take the spoils.
C Murray 1-4 (2fs), B O’Shea 1-1, R McTernan, D Byrne 1-0 each, C Finn, C Allen 0-1 each.
J Corcoran 1-3, A Dowling 0-5 (3fs), D Byrne, E Hutton, L O’Brien, B Nolan, D Ruane 0-1 each.
(all Kilcock unless stated otherwise): Dara Fitzgerald; Michael Smith, Brian Quinn (Summerhill), Bobby Gallagher; Luke Madden (Summerhill), Eoghan Conroy, Charlie Allen; John Hyland, Declan Byrne; TJ O’Keeffe, Bobby O’Shea (Summerhill), Rory Hughes; Jake Doherty (Na Fianna), Cormac Murray (Summerhill), Conor Finn. Subs: Robbie Dunne for O’Keeffe (h/t), Stephen Flattery (Summerhill) for Doherty (35), Ryan McTernan for Finn (52).
Callum Bolan McIntyre (Rathvilly); Paddy Nolan (Grange), Darragh Corcoran (Rathvilly), Fergal O’Toole (St Patricks); Kyle Moloney (Ballon), Daire Byrne (Rathvilly), Joseph Gibbons (Rathvilly); Dylan Ruane (Fighting Cocks), Adam Cleary (St Patricks); Jack Corcoran (Rathvilly), Brynn Nolan (Rathvilly), Freddie Gibson (Ballon); Luke O’Brien (St Patricks), Aaron Dowling (Fighting Cocks), Ethan Hutton (Coolkenno). Subs: Cian Murphy (St Patricks) for O’Toole (h/t), Rian Nolan (Rathvilly) for Nolan (41), Padraig Eustace (Fighting Cocks) for Gibson (53), Sean Hourihane (Ballon) for Ruane (59).
Larry Murphy (Setanta).
