Senior AFC: Cill na Martra 1-18 Kiskeam 0-9 Turning in an assured and quality filled team performance, Cill na Martra eased to their first victory at the Senior A grade, at the expense of an underwhelming Kiskeam outfit. The winning margin, which swelled to a dozen points by the final whistle, was made possible as they kicked each of the final six points, while conceding just twoduring a dominant second half. This despite playing against a strong breeze and up the slight fall in the Clondrohid pitch.
Played under glorious sunny Saturday evening conditions, the wind assisted the reigning Munster Intermediate champions in the opening half and they used it quite well to open up a lead that would never fall below two points. For Kiskeam, it appears their challenges at this grade will continue. Having failed to qualify for knockout football last term, they’re already under pressure after succumbing to the Muskerry men.
The opening score arrived inside two minutes when Seán Ó Fóirréidh ghosted through the middle to clip over, right-footed. The next play yielded the games only goal as Ciarán Ó Duinnín fed Maidhcí Ó Duinnín, who fired low to the net via the butt of the far post. There was a decent reply from the Duhallow outfit, with Eoghan Daly, Anthony Dennehy and Maurice Casey kicking three of the next four scores.
However, it felt like there was extra work, an extra pass and extra energy exerted to find the posts, while Cill na Martra were more assured in their forays into enemy territory. By the quarter hour, it was 1-6 to 0-5 as again Ó Foirréidh raided through the middle before fisting over. His performance, which saw him deputise for captain Gearóid Ó Goillidhe, was top-class.
His forwards were sharp with the openings created. Daniel Ó Duinnín received a black card in the closing stages of the half for a body collision, but crucially, his teammates found the next score to make it 1-9 to 0-7 at the interval – this time Tadhg Ó Corcora was on the end of a counterattack. There was hope for Kiskeam early in the second-half when Dennehy finished with aplomb early on, but this was as good as it would get.
Cill na Martra took over, and showed the sharpness of a side that competed well in Division One of the County League, with Kiskeam suffering relegation in recent weeks. The margin could have been wider but for some defensive interventions as well as a brace of saves from Anthony Casey in the goal. Jason Mac Cárthaigh sent over a beauty with the outside of the boot while everything for Kiskeam was a fraction too wide, too long or too short.
The late scores from Seán Ó Fóirréidh, Maidhcí Ó Duinnín and Shane Ó Duinnín ensured a comfortable winning margin which immediately boosts their hopes of qualifying from the group stage. Cill na Martra face Ballingeary in round two, on August 18th, with Kiskeam meeting Carrigaline on the same afternoon. Scorers for Cill na Martra: M Ó Duinnín 1-3; S Ó Duinnín 0-5; S Ó Fóirréidh 0-4; J Mac Cárthaigh 0-3 (0-2f); D Ó Duinnín (mark), T Ó Corcora 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kiskeam: A Dennehy 0-3; S Sullivan 0-2 (0-1f); E Daly, M Casey, M Herlihy, T Dennehy 0-1 each. Cill na Martra: M Ó Deasúna; A Ó hUidhir, T Ó Corcora, F Ó Faoláin; D Ó Conaill, S Ó Fóirréidh, C Ó Fóirréidh; D Ó Duinnín, G Ó Goillidhe (Capt); J MacCárthaigh, C Ó Duinnín, M Ó Cathasaigh; E Ó Conaill, M Ó Duinnín, S Ó Duinnín. Subs: D Mac Lochlainn for Ó Cathasaigh (inj – 30); G Ó Goillidhe for E Ó Conaill (36); C Ó Cróinín for Ó hUidhir (52); F Ó h-Éalaithe for Mac Cárthaigh (56).
Kiskeam: A Casey; D Murphy, J O’Connor, J Daly, AJ O’Connor, S Meehan, M Casey; T Dennehy, D Fitzgerald; E Daly, T Casey, M Casey, S Sullivan, M Herlihy, A Dennehy. Subs: K O’Connor for Daly (inj – 18); G Casey for M Casey (36); A Carroll for Herlihy, R Carroll for M Casey (both 48); D Linehan for O’Connor (60). Referee: Liam O’Shea A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork.
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