Cole warms to the task as Kinnegad progress in the cold

Coralstown Kinnegad 1-8 St Malachy's 1-5

The sun may have been shining but it was the cold that dominated as Coralstown-Kinnegad progressed to the Junior B football semi-finals after a hard-fought three-point win over St Malachy’s in Castletown Geoghegan on Sunday morning.

Scores were at a premium, particularly in the second period, even with both sides doing their best to offer attacking football. There was certainly a small element of the winter blues evident as the beaten senior county final club did the damage in the opening salvo, firing 1-5 with little reply from the intermediate champions from Dysart as both finished a man light following straight red cards nearing the end of the opening thirty.

Jack Torpey opened the account for the M4-road side, making the most of the recycled possession following an aired effort by Dan Leech. Despite playing into the blinding December sun, Kinnegad did much of the pressing, with Malachy’s often devoid of a final pass or effort on target.

It would be near the ten-minute mark before the following score. This time Leech ending a team move that began with Ronan Doyle at the back and flowed through the hands. It was three soon after when the lively Jack Cole drilled over from near the touchline under little stress. Credit must go to Rory Cole for fielding the kickout cleanly in a congested area to get things moving.

Willie Corcoran and his management could only watch as their side registered two wides before Cole added yet another white flag from a similar position to the first.

Damien ‘Boots’ Molloy saw the first effort go over his crossbar heading for the 20th minute as Shane Corcoran registered Malachy’s single on-target strike to that point. Naoise McKenna was lost through injury for the black and red and no sooner had he exited when Jack Torpey had the ball in the net, utilising quick hands from his teammates before dummying and slotting home.

A flashpoint on the far touchline began with bodies clashing into the advertising hoardings and following the melee, Mick Gordon issued red cards to both Ciarán Daly Jnr and Peter Murphy. A trading of scores between future county star Jason Macken and Corcoran ended the half at 1-5 to 0-2.

The Kinnegad men struggled to add to their tally after the restart, only firing three points. In response, Malachy’s almost reaped the benefits, reducing arrears as the time passed. In truth, missed goal chances for Leech and Torpey, combined with other efforts which struck the crossbar and post, would have put this one beyond doubt sooner. However, Malachy’s fought on and opening scores from Jack Gallagher (free) and Odhrán Gavigan brought it back to four.

Kinnegad went through their phase of ‘oh-so-close’ efforts before Gallagher goaled at the opposite end, executing a lovely lob despite being fouled.

Malachy’s were on the up and with Eoin Kiernan and Conal Fagan operating well at the back, they sensed a comeback.

Goalkeeper Alan ‘Buddah’ Mangan saw his free strike the post with two points in it before Leech punished at the other end.

Corcoran and Cole (free) swapped points in the dying moments as Malachy’s threw the proverbial kitchen sink at their opponents but to no avail. Kinnegad hang on in the end as Malachy’s season ends.

Scorers - Coralstown-Kinnegad: J Cole 0-4 (2f), J Torpey 1-1, D Leech 0-2, J Macken 0-1. St Malachy’s: J Gallagher 1-1, S Corcoran 0-3, O Gavigan 0-1

Coralstown-Kinnegad: Damien Molloy; Jack Quinn, Brian McGrath, Ronan Doyle; John Kiernan, Jason Macken, Luke Lacey; Ciarán Daly Jnr, Stephen Bracken; Rory Cole, Ronan Foley, Paddy Leydon; Dan Leech, Jack Cole, Jack Torpey. Subs Used: Michael Leonard for Bracken (inj., 51)

St Malachy’s: Alan Mangan; David Maloney, Ryan Boyne, Eoin Kiernan; Fergal O’Brien, Peter Murphy, Paul O’Sullivan; Naoise McKenna, Cian Gavigan; Ciarán O’Brien, Odhran Gavigan, Jack Gallagher; Shane Corcoran, Eoin Glennon, Conal Fagan. Subs Used: Conor Murphy for McKenna (inj., 16)

Referee: Michael Gordon (Shandonagh)