Kill in full control against Robertstown
The eventual winners put up an impressive 1-18 points tally
Kill 1-18
Robertstown 1-8
Kill comfortably progressed past Robertstown to reach the semi-final stage of this year’s Junior Football Championship. They will face high-flying Grangenolvin with a place in the final on the line.
Kill set out their stall early with a point from Kevin Corrigan after 19 seconds of play.
10-minutes later and the eventual winners were 0-5 to no score ahead. Points were added from Finn Ryan, AJ Jordan and two Paul Kirwan frees.
Although the slow start was not the ultimate undoing of Robertstown, early signs were not good.
They did however hit three of the next four scores in this game as Kill wilted slightly.
DJ Percival had the biggest moment of his side's first half with a goal-bound effort that was brilliantly denied by Mike Jones. Brion Kennedy picked up the rebound to grab a point to leave this game 0-7 to 0-4 after 26 minutes.
Kill surged late in the half. Scoring first through Sam Lafferty, who kicked a superb long-range score before two more Paul Kirwan frees. The Kill corner-forward was faultless from set-pieces on the day, his side led 0-10 to 0-4 at the break.
That momentum carried into the second half and Finn Ryan got the game’s first score after the restart.
Another two Kill frees and one scored at the other end left these side’s separated by eight points at 0-13 to 0-5 in the 40th minute.
This game was ambling along as the side’s traded scores with very little rise in temperature. Mark Kelly and Sam Lafferty added to their respective side’s tallies.
All in attendance then got a lesson in perseverance when DJ Percival hit the deck with possession of the ball. In the absence of a whistle, Percival managed to get a kick-pass away while lying on his side which found Jason Butler in space. The second half substitute squared it to Brion Kennedy, who coolly found the net.
Kennedy’s goal made it 0-14 to 1-6 with 10 minutes to go.
Kill, to their immense credit, squashed any hopes of a comeback with three points in as many minutes, and done so without reply.
Cian Lawlor, Owen Thompson and Paul Kirwan all registered from play in that crucial spell.
Two minutes later Kill hit the net themselves when Thompson turned provider. The tricky wing-forward found Mark Lee and Lee nailed the subsequent finish into the corner of the net.
DJ Percival got his side’s last two points with one from Paul Kirwan going the other way as Kill ran out 1-18 to 1-8 winners.
Scorers: Kill, Paul Kirwan 0-7 (0-5 frees), Sam Lafferty 0-3, Mark Lee 1-0, Finn Ryan 0-2, AJ Jordan 0-2, Kevin Corrigan 0-1, Jack Healy 0-1, Cian Lawlor 0-1, Owen Thompson 0-1.
Robertstown, DJ Percival 0-5 (0-3 frees), Brion Kennedy 1-1, John O'Sullivan 0-1, Mark Kelly 0-1.
KILL: Mike Jones; Ciaran Devoy, Owen Thompson, Luke Purcell; Finn Ryan, Kevin Corrigan,, Derry Lenehan; Jack Healy, Sam Lafferty; AJ Jordan, Dara Challoner, Mark Lee; Stephen O'Leary, Cian Lawlor, Paul Kirwan. Subs: Alan Wren for Dara Challoner (15 minutes), Jake Nolan for Sam Lafferty (45 minutes), Harry Kirwan for Stephen O'Leary (55 minutes), Stephen Corboy for Jake Nolan (56 minutes), Adam Lee for Owen Thompson (59 minutes).
ROBERTSTOWN: Ciaran Ward; Anthony Moran, Niall Kane, Cole Lyons; Dara Cosgrove, Mark Kelly, Conor Walsh; Shane Ward, Joe Kavanagh; James Keely, Brion Kennedy, Dean Bagnall; Peter Hogarty, DJ Percival, John O'Sullivan. Subs: Jason Butler for Dean Bagnall (38 minutes), Diarmuid Healy for Cole Lyons (41 minutes), James Carthy for James Kelly (44 minutes), Richard Price for John O'Sullivan (50 minutes), David Percival for Conor Walsh (57 minutes).
Referee: Niall Colgan