Kiernan’s major decisive in surprise win for Killucan

Killucan 1-9 Coralstown/Kinnegad 0-11

Both of this year’s section ‘B’ qualifiers have progressed to the semi-finals of the Flanagan Cup following Killucan’s unexpected – but deserved – win over neighbours Coralstown/Kinnegad in the second match of last Sunday afternoon’s football double-header played in miserable weather at TEG Cusack Park.

In truth, despite the game having senior status, it failed to match the drama and all-round quality of the preceding intermediate contest (Shandonagh v Ballymore). This won’t bother Killucan, of course, who edged the game by the narrowest of margins despite the absence of the injured Eoin Keyes – now set to miss the remainder of both the Killucan footballers’ and Raharney hurlers’ campaigns.

The opening fare was somewhat ragged, albeit the ball was greasy in the extreme, with just a point exchange from frees between Ger Leech (from his hands) and Aron Kiernan (from the ground) in the opening eight minutes.

A fine brace from the lively Leech (open play and a tricky free) put Liam McNeill’s charges in front. Brían Cooney was denied a goal by David Bryan, before a point apiece from Devin Hill (a free) and Rory Keyes (despite being pressurised) levelled the contest with 19 minutes on the clock.

Hill was unlucky to see his rasping shot come back off the crossbar in the 19th minute. The hard-working Shane Fleming fly-kicked his side in front a minute later.

Kiernan equalised with a delightful 45-metre free from the ground, but the red and white-clad outfit nudged ahead in the 29th minute when a Fleming delivery was added to close to goal by the fist of sub Ciaran Daly Jnr. Coralstown/Kinnegad led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the interval.

Hill levelled the game again in the 33rd minute after the umpires had initially waved his close-range shot wide. Joey Boyle and Fleming soon traded quality points to keep the sides on level terms.

Keyes doubled his tally in the 42nd minute, and a good smothering save by Bryan from Fleming left the men in saffron and white ahead by 0-7 to 0-6 at the end of the third quarter.

Fleming levelled the scoring yet again from a great 45-metre free taken from the ground, but Stephen Morley’s troops received a major boost in the 48th minute when a high delivery from Robbie Greville appeared to be heading over the crossbar. However, the ball dipped and an alert Kiernan was on hand to slap it to the net.

Coralstown/Kinnegad responded in the best possible fashion with three unanswered points from the boots of the impressive Josh Gahan and a great brace from Leech (one each from play and a free). A great angled point from Hill and a fisted score from Kiernan in the second minute of added-time put Killucan two clear.

A last-gasp Fleming ‘45’ was intended to set up a goal chance, but the ball deflected off David Giles’ leg for a point, and it was Killucan who marched on to meet the holders and red-hot championship favourites, St Loman’s, Mullingar, in the semi-final.

Scorers – Killucan: A Kiernan 1-3 (0-2f), D Hill 0-3 (1f), R Keyes 0-2, J Boyle 0-1. Coralstown/Kinnegad: G Leech 0-5 (3f), S Fleming 0-3 (1f), C Daly Jnr, D Giles and J Gahan 0-1 each.

Killucan: David Bryan; Andrew Flood, Sam Smyth, Luke Darby; Cormac Boyle, Robbie Greville, Sean Quinn; Sean Leech, Joey Boyle; Darren Finn, Killian Doyle, Aron Kiernan; Devin Hill, Eamonn Cunneen, Rory Keyes. Subs used: Sami Clarke for Finn (57), Frank Boyle for Flood (58), David Weir for Cunneen (60+1).

Coralstown/Kinnegad: Sean Martin; Jason Lynch, David Giles, Ciaran Daly Snr; Liam Daly, Josh Gahan, Eoghan Bracken; Stephen Bracken, James Maxwell; Shane Fleming, Ger Leech, Eoin O’Brien; Brían Cooney, Wayne Fox, Jack Torpey. Subs used: Ciaran Daly Jnr for Torpey (27), Podge Quinn for O’Brien (44), Callum Cruise for S Bracken (46), Danny Woods for L Daly (52), Colm Murray for Cooney (60).

Ref: Keith O’Brien (Moate All Whites).