Kearney on-song as Lilliput travels swiftly ended by Cill Óige

Cill Óige 2-11, Lilliput Gaels 2-10

(After extra-time)

The dreariest of days was brightened up in the early afternoon last Saturday when Cill Óige came out on top of a tense affair against Lilliput Gaels by the smallest of margins after extra time in Ballinagore GAA thanks to five from play from George Kearney and a wonderful all-round performance from Seán Conlon.

A deluge of rain did little to dampen the spirits of either side as the small crowd in attendance for this Under-19 semi-final were treated to some attacking football at both goals, despite the difficulties under foot. Two youthful sides could still boast senior-level experience from the off, while others will have put themselves in the reckoning for sterner tests at the higher-grade next year no doubt.

Cill Óige (Castledaly-Rosemount) found the opening score through Conlon five minutes in from a mark as the period of surveying the opponents was ended. Within moments, the Gaels (Dysart-Ballinagore amalgamation) had the ball in the net when Shane Corcoran was alert to take the pass from Adam Cassidy before finishing low. As the rain ceased, the tempo rose and two points in sixty-seconds from the outstanding Kearney drew the sides level – credit to Benjy Murray for creating the space initially. The Gaels were struggling to steer their way into the final-third for a period. With ten to go in the half and the scores still on par at 1-0 to 0-3, Cassidy turned goalscorer, firing through Jack Nally’s legs after the ball had been palmed into his path. As they had done following the concession of the first goal, Cill Óige responded with their own scores courtesy of a Conlon double (1 free) and a fine finish from Kearney after Andrew Geoghegan had forced the defence to ascend on his run from the full-back line. Lilliput is famed for its association with the story of Gulliver’s Travels and the Gaels produced a swift move to find their opening point of the day following the two goals. It came in stoppage time as Cassidy finished their best passage of play as Eoin Robinson, Corcoran, and Reynolds all contributed. Half-time under the grey skills at the home side found themselves one ahead, 2-1 to 0-6.

Having waited almost an entire half for one point from play, Paddy Corcoran’s side added another immediately after the restart as Cassidy fired over once again after Shane Dolan had elected not to pull the trigger. Not to be out-gunned, Evan Daly took on three Gaels defenders and just as it looked like he had lost the chance inside the 13-metre line, he bulldozed through the bodies to toe-poke the ball to the net and put Cill Óige in front, 1-7 to 2-2. With tails up, David O’Reilly curled a left-footed effort over before a spell of offensive assaults at both goals produced no scores. David Maloney, Murphy, and Adam Keane keeping their respective defences in-check.

After Benjy Murray’s wayward effort on 44 minutes, there appeared to be no danger. Daly, however, kept the ball alive before fisting over several heads into the small square. Relief for Lilliput was evident when Shane Dolan retreated to clear in the nick of time. Patrick Maloney replaced the injured Seán Jackson with fifteen to go and his first touch was a point to reduce arrears to two. Maloney, incredibly, had a goal opportunity moments later but Nally saved with his leg.

The Gaels did go into the lead when Corcoran, Reynolds, and Maloney all kicked scores before Kearney brought it to extra-time with a fine finish ending a team move through the hands.The lively forward got extra-time up and running with his fifth and final score to cap a fine personal tally and put his side ahead. It lasted less than two minutes before Corcoran hit a magnificent effort off the right from out wide. Adam Keane was black-carded and the Gaels punished with two scores to retake the lead again. Miraculously, Conlon found the net on the whistle in a move which owes everything to the incredible fielding of David O’Reilly.

With darkness descending, the final half yielded a score apiece as tempers on the sideline became very frayed. The final effort at a goal from Corcoran’s free on the 21 sailed over as the whistle sounded. Anger boiled over afterwards but once the dust settled it was Cill Óige who gathered to celebrate.

Scorers - Cill Óige: S Conlon 1-3 (1 mark, 1 free), G Kearney 0-5, E Daly 1-0, D O’Reilly, D Loddick, S Kerrigan 0-1 each.

Lilliput Gaels: A Cassidy, S Corcoran 1-3 each (1 free each), P Maloney 0-2, P Murphy, P Reynolds 0-1 each.

Teams - Cill Óige: Jack Nally; Oisín Egan, Andrew Geoghegan, Benjy Murray; Éanna Maxwell, Adam Keane, Oisín Dolan; David O’Reilly, Gabriel Murphy; David Loddick, Seán Conlon, Kevin Boland; Seán Kerrigan, Evan Daly, George Kearney. Subs used: Greg Keaveney for Murphy (52), Louis Clevett for Loddick (60+1), Mark Loddick for Murray (ET 13, inj.).

Lilliput Gaels: Aaron Jackson; Adam Clarke, David Maloney, Dylan Corrigan; Jack Gannon, Peter Murphy, Seán Jackson; Shane Dolan, Eoin Robinson; Conor Elliffe, Odhran Gavigan, Jack Mulligan; Adam Cassidy, Shane Corcoran, Philip Reynolds. Subs used: Patrick Maloney for S Jackson (44, inj.), Shane Maloney for Clarke (52), David O’Malley for Reynolds (ET 18).

Referee: Michael Gordon (Shandonagh).

Examiner's Eye on game

Man of the match

Seán Conlon (Cill Óige): Lilliput Gaels' Peter Murphy can feel pained to be on the losing side – he was exceptional. In this instance, plaudits go to the victors and were it not for the efforts of Seán Conlon, Cill Óige might not have fared as well.

Score of the Match

George Kearney’s right-footed effort with minutes to go levelled in normal time, coming at the end of a good move involving three of his forward compatriots.

Where Next?

Cill Óige face Mullingar Shamrocks in the final following their own victory over Killucan in the other semi-final.