Second-half surge sends Kildavin-Clonegal into Intermediate semi-finals
Niall Hickey scores a first half goal for Kildavin-Clonegal Photo: Michael O'Rourke
Kildavin-Clonegal overturned the result of their group game when they produced an excellent second half performance in this Intermediate Football Championship quarter-final at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
An early Jamie Coakley goal at the O’Hanrahan end for Éire Óg set the tone for an exciting contest and their opponents hit back with two three-pointers of their own through Joe Roberts and Niall Hickey in the 10th and 15th minute.
Helped by two further goals from Jacob Curran Éire Óg led by 3-8 to 2-3 at the change of ends.
It took a while for the eventual winners to get into a rhythm but Éire Óg handed their opponents four points when conceding frees and subsequently 50 metres for interference of the free-taker on two occasions. With Roberts in the vicinity he backed himself when converting both two-point frees.
Coakley looked to have steadied his side with a two-pointer of his own but at the end of the third quarter an Éire Óg kick-out went wrong and Roberts was in for another goal.
The YIs still lead by 3-10 to 3-7 but their rivals reeled them in. Roberts nailed another free and a two-point free from another placed ball. Liam Roberts and Coakley exchanged one-pointers but Kildavin-Clonegal were not going to be denied.
On 60 minutes, Daniel Murphy, with his second point, put the Wexford border ahead and another Joe Roberts free gave them the breathing space to go on and clinch a place in the last four.
J Roberts 2-9 (3-2pfs 2fs), N Hickey 1-0, D Murphy 0-2, D Cronin, L Roberts 0-1 each.
J Coakley 2-3 (1-2pf), R Quinlan 0-4 (3fs), J Curran 1-2 (1-2p), R D Finn 0-2.
Conor Hendrick; Darragh Roberts, Lorcan Kinsella, Gavin Byrne; Liam Roberts, Niall Hickey, Cillian Murphy; Liam McGuill, John Kirwan; Alex Callaghan, Daniel Cronin, Fionn Doyle; Joe Roberts, Daniel Murphy, Conor Doyle. Subs: Paraic Hickey for Callaghan (h/t), Jake Nolan for Cronin (h/t), Jack Byrne for Doyle (32).
Evan Kearns; Ryan Donnelly Finn, Daire Dooley, Ryan Fitzgerald; David Dunphy, Eoghan Byrne, Alex Donnelly Finn; Kelvin Chatten, Cialan Brady; Eoin Maddock, Leon Fitzgerald, Jacob Curran; Ivan Murphy, Ronan Quinlan, Jamie Coakley. Subs: Cillian McGrath for Dunphy (43), Jody Murphy for Curran (47), Niall Swan for Dooley (57), Ruarc Murray for Maddock (59).
James Foley (Kilbride).
