No messing with Kilmessan as they march on

KILMESSAN, as expected, eased into the last four of the SHC with this 3-18 to 1-14 win over Killyon, but they probably hadn’t planned for playing most of the hour with 14 players in this quarter final at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday, writes Sean Wall.

A rash off the ball challenge by Eoin Harkin on Keith Keoghan left referee Bernard Heaney with little option but show a red card to the Kilmessan man after just five minutes.

That dismissal should have evened up the contest but instead Kilmessan, playing against the breeze, produced some scintillating hurling for the remainder of the half and had one foot in the semi-final when leading 2-9 to 0-9 at half-time.

Kilmessan continued to make little of their numerical disadvantage throughout the second half as they stretched their lead even if their play didn’t have the same swagger as in the opening 30 minutes. They did more than enough though and if they can repeat that first half performance they will be a match for any side left in the race for the Jubilee Cup.

The pace, power and precision of the winners was a joy to watch at times and their two goals inside the opening 11 minutes were out of the top drawer. Both came from their midfield pairing with Kris Gorman picking up a loose ball before racing clear and hitting a shot that Killyon 'keeper Aaron Dunne probably didn’t see go past him such was the power behind it on seven minutes.

Four minutes later Darragh and Luke Horan combined to set up Declan Smyth who again raced clear before hitting an unstoppable shot to the net.

That second goal left it 2-3 to 0-2 and at that stage Killyon had a mountain to climb. With Cathal McKeown, Dylan Farrell, Keith Keoghan (free), Adam Gannon and David Raleigh on target Killyon reduced the deficit to three points 2-4 to 0-7 by the 19th minute, but that was as close as they got.

They hit five wides in as many minutes in the second quarter and that stymied their hopes as they needed to be taking every opportunity that came their way to have a chance.

Indeed Kilmessan might have had a third goal in that first half, but Killyon 'keeper Aaron Dunne performed heroics to deflect a Luke Horan penalty over the bar following a foul on Adam O’Neill after 22 minutes.

Keith Keoghan, who had a fine game throughout, reduced the deficit to five within five minutes of the restart but Kilmessan hit six successive points after that including four from Luke Horan (three frees) and they led 2-15 to 0-10 entering the final quarter.

Kilmessan’s third goal arrived from a long delivery from centre back Kyle Donnelly that broke favourably to substitute Kevin Keena and he finished to an empty net on 53 minutes. T

he game was well over as a contest at that stage however and Killyon had to wait until the 59th minute for their goal from their outstanding attacker Adam Gannon who also accounted for two points late on to put a more respectable look on the scoreboard.

However it was Kilmessan who marched on in impressive style without any of their full forward line getting on the scoring.

Kilmessan – Steven Clynch; Harry Cahill, Shane Brennan, Peter Farrell; Noah Conroy, Kyle Donnelly, Paddy Lally (0-1); Declan Smyth (1-0), Kris Gorman (1-3); Lorcan Byrne (0-1), Luke Horan (0-9 seven frees, one penalty), Darragh Horan (0-2); Adam O’Neill, Mark Horan, Eoin Harkin. Subs – Sean Doyle (0-2 one free) for A O’Neill, Jack Cottrell for L Horan both 43m, Kevin Keena (1-0) for Cottrell 50m, Cian O’Sullivan for Smyth 55m, Marty Mulhall for D Horan 56m.

Killyon – Aaron Dunne; Harry Smyth, Brian O’Reilly, Jamie Smyth; Paddy Coyne, Keith Keoghan (0-5 four frees), Jacob Ryan; Justin Coyne, Brendan Quinn; David Raleigh (0-2), Niall Smullen, Dylan Farrell (0-2); Adam Gannon (1-4), James Connolly, Cathal McKeown (0-1). Subs – Adam Farrell for Smullen half-time, Evan Burke for H Smyth 38m, Thomas Raleigh for McKeown, Ciaran Dowling for Quinn both 41m.

Referee – Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael).