Kilcormac/Killoughey edge out Carrig & Riverstown after very competitive contest
Kilcormac/Killoughey pushed hard before claiming Division 2 League title
K. Buggy Coaches Division 2 Hurling League Final
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY 2-18
CARRIG & RIVERSTOWN 1-16
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY'S dominance of the top ranks of Offaly hurling continued in Rath on Friday evening when they overcame a battling Carrig & Riverstown side in an entertaining K. Buggy Coaches Division 2 Hurling League Final.
Kilcormac/Killoughey have won the last two Offaly Senior and Senior B hurling titles and their second string side proved that bit sharper than Carrig & Riverstown in a very competitive game, which featured a lot of good hurling.
Both of these sides will be in contention for the Senior B title later in the year and they will be pleased to have got a very good work out ahead of the start of the championship in a couple of weeks time.
In the end the main difference between the sides was the Kilcormac/Killoughey took the chances that came their way while Carrig & Riverstown squandered too many of theirs, particularly in the third quarter when the game was very much in the melting pot.
The sides were level nine times in the first half but crucially in first half injury time Kilcormac/Killoughey struck for their first goal and that gave them a 1-10 to 0-10 half time lead.
Carrig & Riverstown equalised inside five minutes of the restart but then hit a series of wides while Kilcormac/Killoughey bagged 1-4 without reply to give themselves a seven point advantage going into the final quarter. Carrig & Riverstown kept plugging away and were rewarded with a goal but they couldn't get closer than a four point margin. Their wides tally mounted to 12, in comparison to just five for their opponents, and they came to rue those misses come the final whistle.
Both sides will be happy with a lot of aspects of their game and they will go into the championship in confident modes. Kilcormac/Killoughey showed greater all round sharpness in their forward line and were more clinical with the possession they had. They had a good spread of scorers with seven different players scoring from play, Their used their experience and physicality to good effect and some of their combination play was very good.
Carrig & Riverstown also had some very good build up play but their attacks were more inclined to break down and some of their shooting was disappointing. They relied on the accuracy of Willie Gleeson from placed balls for almost half their scores. While they will be disappointed to have lost, they will still know that they will have a major say come championship time and with a few tweaks they are capable of claiming that title.
Both goalkeepers used their long puck outs to very good effect. The wind was from the road end and when backed by it, both were landing the ball close to the 20m line at the other end and both directly contributed to scores from their puck outs.
Shane Melia, Killian Leonard and Karl Guinan were prominent in the Kilcormac/Killoughey defence, Mark Mulrooney had an excellent game at midfield scoring three points, while J.K. Kilmartin, Shane Guinan and Lochlann Kavanagh played well in attack.
Mike Fitzgerald, Brendan Hoctor and Joe Hoctor worked tirelessly in the Carrig & Riverstown defence, Peter King did well at midfield while Cathal King, Mark O'Brien and Willie Gleeson were best in attack.
Carrig & Riverstown almost got the perfect start when Joe Hoctor cut through the heart of the Kilcormac/Killoughey defence before shooting low but Shane Mulrooney pulled off a fine save. Carrig & Riverstown were awarded a 20m free which Willie Gleeson pointed. Kilcormac/Killoughey were level after four minutes when Dylan Hand pointed a '65' but a good move from the back resulted in Cathal King restoring the Carrig & Riverstown lead.
Kilcormac/Killoughey then hit three points in a row from Mark Mulrooney, J.K. Kilmartin and Killian Leonard but Carrig & Riverstown replied in kind with three of their own, two from Willie Gleeson frees and the third a fine effort from Mark O'Brien. Richie Bracken brought the sides level again by the midway point of the half.
Willie Gleeson and Lochlann Kavanagh exchanged a brace of frees each and Carrig & Riverstown had another half goal chance when Willie Gleeson made a fine catch and made a quick pass to Mark O'Brien but he was unable to connect properly with the ball and it went wide. Peter King did put them back in front but Dylan Hand levelled matters again before Shane Guinan put Kilcormac/Killoughey back in front. The lead changed again with Lee Hogan levelling and Willie Gleeson pointing another free before Thomas Geraghty tied the sides for the ninth time in the half with a point from a difficult angle.
With the half in injury time, Dylan Hand landed a free from his own 45m line deep in the Carrig & Riverstown goalmouth and when the ball broke loose to the right, Shane Guinan gathered, forced his way through before firing low to the net to give his wide a 1-10 to 0-10 half time lead.
Carrig & Riverstown responded well at the start of the second half and Willie Gleeson pointed a free and a '65' before Andrew Coakley levelled in the fifth minute. Kilcormac/Killoughey came close to a second goal when J.K. Kilmartin passed to Thomas Geraghty but his effort flew across the goals and wide.
Dylan Hand pointed two frees, both of which had been moved forward for dissent, while Carrig & Riverstown were hitting four wides at the far end. Lochlann Kavanagh added another point and then when J.K. Kilmartin made a great catch from a puck out, he delivered a good ball into Lochlann Kavanagh and he rounded his man before batting the ball to the net. Mark Mulrooney quickly added a point and suddenly their lead was out to seven,, 2-14 to 0-13.
Willie Gleeson ended an 11 minute scoreless spell from a free but they hit two more wides after that while Lochlann Kavanagh was on target again at the opposite end.
Carrig & Riverstown did get in for a goal with 10 minute left when Joe Hoctor fed Willie Gleeson and his shot from an angle squeezed past Shane Mulrooney at the post. Kilcormac/Killoughey responded immediately with a Shane Guinan point but straight from the puck out the ball came to Mark O'Brien and he drilled in a great shot but it just cleared the crossbar. A second goal at that stage would really have thrown the cat among the pigeons.
Thomas Geraghty added another point from a sharp angle and Cathal King responded for Carrig & Riverstown, who kept the pressure in search of a second goal but Kilcormac/Killoughey repelled all their efforts and then added the final point in injury time when Mark Mulrooney notched his third point from play to ensure they claimed the Division 2 crown.
MATCH ANALYSIS
THE TEAMS
KICORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: Shane Mulrooney; Harry Sweeney, Danny Spain, Shane Melia; Killian Leonard, Karl Guinan, Alan Spain; Tadhg Donoghue, Mark Mulrooney; Dylan Hand, J.K. Kilmartin, Richie Bracken; Lochlann Kavanagh, Shane Guinan, Rory Gleeson. Subs. Thomas Geraghty (for Danny Spain, 9 mins), Cathal Kiely (for Dylan Hand, 54 mins).
CARRIG & RIVERSTOWN: Liam Hoare; Tommy Hogan, Mike Fitzgerald, Dylan Hogan; Brendan Hoctor, Joe Hoctor, Caelum Larkin; Peter King, Timmy Carey; Andrew Coakley, Cathal King, Mark O'Brien; Lee Hogan, Willie Gleeson, David Egan. Subs. Cathal Hanlon (for Tommy Hogan, half time), Dan England (for Lee Hogan, half time), Sean Connaughton (for Andrew Coakley, 60 mins).
REFEREE: Matthew Farrell
MAN OF THE MATCH
There were some excellent performances on both sides. Joe Hoctor, Cathal King and Willie Gleeson were all very prominent for Carrig & Riverstown while Karl Guinan, Mark Mulrooney, J.K. Kilmartin and Shane Guinan were strongly in contention for Kilcormac/Killoughey but by a narrow margin I've gone with Lochlann Kavanagh. He was lively in the first half but when the game was still very much in the melting pot in the second half, he was the one that came up with the scores that pushed Kilcormac/Killoughey clear and ensured they claimed the title.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Kilcormac/Killoughey's second goal just before the midway point of the second half was the decisive score. Carrig & Riverstown had done well to level after conceding a goal on the stroke of half time, but as they missed chances Kilcormac/Killoughey began to take theirs and Lochlann Kavanagh's goal gave them breathing space with a point immediately after pushing them seven points clear. While Carrig & Riverstown did fight back, it was too much of a mountain for them to climb.
REFEREE WATCH
Matthew Farrell handled the game very well. He moved the ball forward for dissent on a number of occasions and liaised well with his umpires before making decisions. He explained his decisions well to the players and was firm and consistent throughout.
WHAT’S NEXT
Attention now turns to the forthcoming championships, with both scheduled to play their opening Senior B Championship game on July 12th.
VENUE WATCH
The pitch in Rath looked in excellent condition on a breezy evening that was also a little damp. As usual there were plenty of stewards on duty to look after parking and the crowds and the cup of tea/coffee on arrival was very welcome.
STATISTICS
Wides; Kilcormac/Killoughey 5 (3 in first half) Carrig & Riverstown 12 (5 in first half)
Yellow Cards: Kilcormac/Killoughey 2 (Killian Leonard, Lochlann Kavanagh) Carrig & Riverstown 1 (Peter King)
Black Cards: None
Red Cards: None
THE SCORERS
Kilcormac/Killoughey; Lochlann Kavanagh (1-4, 0-2 frees), Shane Guinan (1-2), Dylan Hand (0-4, 0-3 frees, 0-1 '65'), Mark Mulrooney (0-3), Thomas Geraghty (0-2), J.K. Kilmartin, Killian Leonard, Richie Bracken (0-1 each).
Carrig & Riverstown; Willie Gleeson (1-9, 0-8 frees, 0-1 '65'), Cathal King, Mark O'Brien (0-2 each), Peter King, Lee Hogan, Andrew Coakley (0-1 each).