IrelandNet.ie

Fourteen Man Kilcormac Edged Out In Fiery Battle

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Alan Spain in mid flight during his side's loss to St Fergal's, Rathdowney with Keith Bagnell on the ground. MT05301

St Fergal's, Rathdowney 1-11. Colaiste Naomh Cormac, Kilcormac 1-9.

THE concession of a sloppy goal only two minutes into the game proved to be the rock on which Colaiste Naomh Cormac perished on last Friday when they fell short in their quest of a Leinster final place.
There was very little between the sides but that early Stephen Phelan goal in the opening minutes proved to be a deficit that the Kilcormac school couldn't peg back. It was a fiery encounter from start to finish helped in no small part by referee Brochan Reilly who lost control of he game and was guilty of some strange decisions to both sides.
The Laois man dismissed Cillian Kiely on 43 minutes after his wild pull ended up catching one of his own men but Reilly was adamant of his punishment. Indeed the wild pull from Kiely seemed to stem from frustration as Reilly had only awarded Rathdowney a very dubious free in the previous play. From the puckout, Kiely was dismissed and with it seemed to go their chances as they were already a point down.
But credit the Kilcormac students for not given in. Dylan Murray was in exhibitional form in the forward line and his frees coupled with a superbly taken goal set up a grandstand finish.
St Fergal's did well to hang on and once again had luck on their side when the referee blew for full time after only playing a mere 30 seconds injury time despite numerous stoppages in the second half.
Both sides relied very heavily on their free takers but to be fair to Dylan Murray and Aidan Corby, they won a lot of their own frees. Murray was particularly impressive for Kilcormac and took his goal with aplomb also.
Kilcormac can feel hard done by but it is also worth nothing that St Fergal's hurled well and took their chances at the death to give them a two point cushion. Lee Cleere and Corby's late scores got them over the line as they now advance to the final.
The Rathdowney sod wasn't easy on both sets of players either. Both teams found it hard to play any real flowing hurling with the length of the grass certainly contributing to this.
The Kilcormac defence was solid for the majority of the game. Cillian Kiely and Jordan Quinn anchored the rearguard with Joe Daly and Sean Lowry solid in the corners. James Kilmartin and Alan Spain held their own in the middle of the field while up front only Dylan Murray made any impression on the scoreboard but Harley Dalzell did put in a good shift at wing forward.
The Kilcormac school were hit with an early sucker punch after Stephen Phelan eventually finished the ball to the net after a goalmouth scramble in which Kilcormac failed to clear their lines. That had them on the back foot straight away but Dylan Murray did notch up two frees inside the opening five minutes to leave the scores 1-1 to 0-2.
Kilcormac were playing with the aid of a strong breeze but were wayward with some long range shooting and went 20 minutes without scoring. Dylan Murray eventually pointed a free in the 25th minute but by that time St Fergal's had also pushed on and had 1-3 on the board.
The half ended in controversial fashion. Cillian Kiely drove over a long range free with a minute to go before full forward Dan Mahon had the ball in the net after Kiely delivered a long free down on top of him. Their joy was short lived however as referee Brochan Reilly amazingly disallowed the goal despite been positioned in the centre of the field.
Dylan Murray added a free in injury time and although Kilcormac were been wasteful, they only stood a point down at the break on 1-3 to 0-5.
They got back on level terms shortly after the restart when Harley Dalzell won a free for Murray to drive over and they seemed really fired up to take the game to Rathdowney in the second half.
The hurling was now been upped a gear and no quarter was been asked in the physical stakes either as the lure of a Leinster Final burned bright.
Murray and Corby both traded a couple of frees each and with just under 20 minutes to go they remained deadlocked at 1-5 to 0-8. Corby won and scored an extremely soft free in the 43rd minute and from the puck out Cillian Kiely was given his marching orders for a wild pull that actually ended up catching one of his own men.
Corby hit another free a minute later and it wasn't looking good for the Offaly men. They stormed in to a commanding four point lead before the 51st minute and just as they though they were home and dry - Dylan Murray popped up with a super goal and bring them back to within a point. James Kilmartin had sent in a high ball, Murray caught and turned his man before coolly slotting to the net.
Unfortunately Kilcormac couldn't push on as the 15 men of Rathdowney helped themselves to two late points with Kilcormac's only reply coming from another Murray free.

Subscribe to read full newspaper »

Send this page to a friend »