Killimordaly men display mettle in tough conditions

Killimordaly 0-16Four Roads 0-10

ALAN DOOLEY IN ATHLEAGUE

AS the Killimordaly club prepares for its centenary celebrations this weekend, the current crop of players wrote their own piece of history at Athleague on Sunday as they captured the Connacht Intermediate Club hurling championship title after holding off the gallant challenge of Roscommon kingpins Four Roads.

An entertaining contest, a credit to both sides given the incessant rain and bitterly cold conditions, hung in the balance with a little over five minutes left on the clock as Four Roads threatened a late rally, but Killimordaly killed off any hopes of a breakthrough victory for the Roscommon men as they struck for five of the game’s last six points, all impressively coming from play.

This late salvo underlined the fact that while Four Roads spirit and application were first rate, it was the Galway side who had the classier stickmen in the vital forward berths. All six of Killimordaly’s starting forwards managed to score, while Keith Kennedy put in a colossal shift at centre half back and was only just pipped for Man of the Match honours by his captain Declan Connolly.

Connolly’s workrate and distribution were first class throughout, while Eanna Ryan popped up with crucial scores in either half and the accurate Paul Madden completed a game-winning half-forward line. Given that Killimordaly had been forced to start without the influential trio of full back Iomar Creaven, midfielder Nigel Daly, and forward Clement Earls, the eventual victory was made all the more noteworthy.

Within 40 seconds of the throw in, Four Roads corner back Shane Curley gave a glimpse of his prodigiously long striking by firing over a free from roughly 100 metres out. Throughout the contest Curley was a threat from long range and his crisply struck sideline cuts were also a launchpad for attacks – to Killimordaly’s credit they limited his opportunities with some disciplined defending from the front.

Niall Earls got Killimordaly off the mark soonafter with a point when a goal beckoned, and then the same player levelled matters for a second time with a sixth minute free after Jamie Lawlor had edged Four Roads in front. Earls and Enda Rogerson then converted frees at either end to maintain the deadlock, before Eanna Ryan’s first real involvement saw him crack over a super point, followed quickly after by another Earls free.

While the Killimordaly half back line were dominating with Kennedy popping up again and again in the right position to clear, when Four Roads did manage to bypass them and get closer to goal, the threat of full forward Johnny Coyne was clear to see. Coyne helped set up Robbie Kelly for a clear shot on goal on 17 minutes but Paul Kilkenny dealt with it smartly.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.