Kilatle make a winning start in Jubilee Cup

Kiltale got the defence of the Jubilee Cup off to a winning start at PairTailteann tonight when they recorded a 1-19 to 2-10 first round victory against Kildalkey despite collecting a red card with 12 minutes remaining.

It was an unusual sort of a game in the sense that Kiltale were ahead and almost out of sight at half-time with a 1-11 to 0-4 advantage that was stretched to 1-17 to 0-6 by the end of the third-quarter.

Then Kildalkey's top scorer Conor Kearney got through for a goal and Kiltale lost Mark O'Sullivan to a red card.

That gave Kildalkey an extra boost and they bossed the closing stages with Kearney adding another goal, with the help of a deflection, and it put the three in-a-row champions on the backfoot.

Fortunately for Kiltale, they had built the platform for victory with that impressive first-half performance.

Jack Regan contributed 1-5 along with a point each from Peter Durnin, O'Sullivan, Cathal McCabe, Padraig Kelly, Anthony Forde and returning-to-action after a long absence, Philip Garvey, who lined out at full-back.

All Kildalkey could muster in the opening 30 minutes was three Kearney points (two frees) and a superb effort from Evan Fitzgerald. It also took a couple of smart saves from goalkeeper Paul Fagan to deny Kiltale more that that one goal that arrived in the 18th minute.

Kiltale's long-range passing was excellent, but they were off the mark with a number of early second-half chances as Kearney and Sean Heavey sent over while at the other end, Fagan once again made a good save from Cathal McCabe.

Kiltale settled again and added points from Regan (three), Durnin (two) and James Kelly for that 1-17 to 0-6 advantage by the end of the third-quarter.

All they managed for the remainder was a point each from James Kelly and Regan as Kildalkey sparked into life, but not soon enough for a recovery on this occasion.

Kiltale - Shane McGann; Anto Donnelly, Philip Garvey (0-1), Ciaran Ennis; Ronan Ryan, Stephen Donoghue, Conor Shirren; Anthony Forde (0-1), Padraig Kelly (0-1); James Kelly (0-2), Cathal McCabe (0-1), Mark O'Sullivan (0-1); Peter Durnin (0-3), Jack Regan (1-9 seven frees), Ross Ryan. Subs - Feraghal McCabe for Ross Ryan 52 mins, Eamonn Ryan for P Kelly 54m.

Kildalkey - Paul Fagan; David Conneely, Padraig Geoghegan, Brin Kelly; Andrew Fagan, David Harmon, Mairtin Doran; Paddy Potterton, Mark Healy; Evan Fitzgerald, Gary Kelly, Sean Heavey; Paddy Conneely, Martin Healy, Conor Kearney (2-7, 1-5 frees)). Sub - Eoin Potterton for A Fagan half-time.

Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael).