Kiltale's scoring power a major factor in securing victory
Kiltale...1-22
Killyon...1-13
Among the couple of hundred spectators at St Loman's Park for this latest installment of the SHC was a couple from the USA who were eager to see a hurling game live.
They had witnessed the All-Ireland final on TV and were enthralled and intrigued so they wanted to see the real thing in the flesh as it were - and they were made welcome at the Trim venue by members of the host club.
Unfortunately for them they picked a game that could at best be described as moderately entertaining. It was certainly no thriller and will quickly fade from the memories of those who witnessed it. It's not clear if the Americans stayed until the end but it has to be doubted that they did.
Not that Kiltale will or should worry too much that it wasn't a classic. They won to make it two wins and a draw from three outings. Decent form. Encouraging.
The opening half was particularly slow burning. Kiltale led 0-9 to 0-5 at the interval and they stayed in front throughout the second-half as a misfiring Killyon battled in vain to get back into the game.
While the overall fare served up was modest but there still were some outstanding contributions most notably from Kiltale's chief marksman Jack Regan who chalked up 11 points and overall gave an top drawer display. Most of his personal haul came from frees but he also lofted over three monster points from play. Killyon goalkeeper Aaron Dunne also made a great save to deny Regan a goal.
Kiltale's puck out strategy was one of the cornerstones of their success as McGann sent laser-like deliveries to one or other of his colleagues with Regan among those to gain plenty of possession from the 'keeper's deliveries.
Some of Kiltale's long-range shooting was another feature of their victory with Padraig Kelly, Darragh O'Doherty, Cathal Brien, Philip Garvey, Conor Ryan, Cathal McCabe and Luke O'Halloran among the nine players who got on the scoresheet - a broad spread of scores that augurs well for them as the championship unfolds.
James Kelly was among the nine also. He slotted over a point and grabbed Kiltale's goal early in the second-half. A McGann puck out found O'Doherty. He off-loaded to Kelly who neatly but forcefully fired home. That put his team 1-12 to 0-8 in front where they stayed.
Killyon made a slow start to the game and never recovered. Keith Keoghan was immense for them, hitting nine points from frees but even he appeared out of sorts at times, missing a few frees you would normally expect him to score.
Dylan Farrell opportunisticially scored Killyon's goal on 42 minutes, latching on to a loose ball to fire to the net. It did gave his team hope, and reduced to deficit to four points, but they couldn't push on.
Killyon's forwards found it difficult to make headway against Kiltale's sturdy defence although the lively, enterprising Cathal McKeown did garner three fine points while David Raleigh also slotted over but for them generally it was too little too often.
At one stage in the opening half both teams went 10 minutes without scoring as the general tempo dropped. You were left wondering at the end what the Americans made of it all.
Kiltale - Shane McGann; Willie Mahady, Iarla Hughes, David Donoghue; Cathal Brien (0-1), Philip Garvey (0-1), Eoin Corrigan; Padraig Kelly (0-3), Jack Bannon; Conor Ryan (0-1), Cathal McCabe (0-1), Jack Regan (0-11 eight frees); Luke O'Halloran (0-1), Darragh O'Doherty (0-2), James Kelly (1-1). Subs - Peter Durnin for O'Halloran 41m, Eamonn Ryan for Donoghue 43m.
Killyon - Aaron Dunne; Jacob Ryan, Brian O'Reilly, Jamie Smyth; Justin Coyne, Evan Burke, Thomas Raleigh; Paddy Coyne, Brendan Quinn; Dylan Farrell (1-0), Adam Farrell, Keith Keoghan (0-9 frees); David Raleigh (0-1), James Connolly, Cathal McKeown (0-3). Subs - Ciaran Dowling for Raleigh 35m, Cian Douglas for Coyne, Coyne for Jake Ryan 55m, Ryan for Quinn 59m.
Referee - Kyle Waters (Offaly).