Treble joy for Kildalkey as another title is secured
O'Mahonys no match for in-form Village side
They did it. Kildalkey created their special place in the history of hurling in the Royal County at Pairc Tailteann today by completing a truly unique treble. The three major adult hurling titles in the one year.
With the JHC and SHC already in the bag they approached today's IHC final replay at Pairc Tailteann knowing victory would secure the all-so-elusive treble.
Nick Fitzgerald's side duly produced a big big performance to win with comfort (1-18 to 1-10) and wrap up the club's first IHC crown since 1971.
Back in '71 the Kildalkey team that won the IHC was, of course the club's first team not like now.
Everybody agreed the Village side were the better team by some distance against O'Mahonys - and the scoreline at the end confirmed that.
The only caveat, or point of confusion, was the margin of that victory. During the second-half referee Owen Ganly halted play and went over to the fourth official Ciaran Flynn. A brief conversation took place and very soon afterwards the scoreboard, which read 1-17 to 0-5, was changed to 1-15 to 0-5. Just like that two points were wiped off the Kildalkey tally.
The game continued on with the scoreboard at the end reading 1-16 to 1-10, although a number of sources in the pressbox all agreed that, in fact, the final tally was indeed 1-18 to 1-10.
Kildalkey's diligent statistician, Martin Carr (who also managed the junior team to success) also had it at 1-18 to 1-10 and the club were going to make representations to have the official score changed to that tally. We are not sure how such lobbying worked out. Overall referee Ganly had a very good game.
In a way what the final scoreline doesn't really matter. What matters, from a Kildalkey perspective, is that they won and completed the circle.
They could have easily lost the drawn game but there was never any real danger they would let the chance to make history slip through their fingers this time. They should have won the drawn game in normal time yet in the end they were fortunate to get a replay. Such are the vagaries of sport.
This time they started with a fierce intensity O'Mahonys simply couldn't match. Sure, there was a brief O'Mahonys revival late in the game but there was never any real prospect Pat Nolan's side would repeat the Houdini act of the previous week when they rescued themselves with a late surge in normal time to force extra-time.
Kildalkey were in the zone from the throw-in. They led 1-4 to 0-1 after nine minutes helped along by a well-executed Ross Flynn goal on eight minutes. They were 1-10 to 0-4 in front on the 20th minute mark and 1-11 to 0-5 in front at the interval.
O'Mahonys did give themselves the faintest sliver of hope when Darragh Connell powered the ball to the net from a free on 54 minutes. It was forlorn hope, without substance. Kildalkey subsequently closed up shop and marched on.
A lot of factors go into ensuring any team wins a game - tactics, focus, the motivation of the players, match-ups, the effectiveness of the players in carrying out a plan. There's something else in modern hurling that can be the crucial - the puck out strategy. Kildalkey's worked a treat, pretty much from start to finish. O'Mahonys didn't.
Time and again goalkeeper Kildalkey's custodian Colm Barry picked out colleagues with laser-like accuracy. It was from one of his puck-outs Kildalkey scored their goal. Barry found Luke Rickard with a long raking puck-out. Rickard unleashed a shot, O'Mahonys goalkeeper John Foley saved. The ball broke to the alert Flynn. He made the net dance. The Village were on their way.
Another fine example of Barry's perceptiveness could be seen on 18 minutes. He found Mairtin Doran with a puck out. Doran, in turn, picked out Richard who fired over. Direct, lethal hurling at it's best. Much the same thing happened a minute later. A Barry clearance ended with Ryan Byas shooting over.
Matty Cully was one of Kildalkey's heroes in the drawn game, the young player showing calmness and composure way beyond his years to score from a late, late 65 and force the replay. He had a big say in Kildalkey's victory today, slotting over nine points in total, seven frees. It all helped the keep the scoreboard ticking.
Again Kildalkey were greatly helped by their contingent of seasoned campaigners including Enda Fitzgerald, Mairtin Doran, Maurice Keogh, Derek 'Duxie' Doran and Padraig Geoghegan. Experience, cuteness and craft are always useful additions to any team and it was no different in this context.
Duxie was a real handful for the O'Mahonys defence-, as usual. He fashioned two fine scores from play while Geoghegan was particularly prominent in the opening half, scooping up a world of ball around midfield and beyond. He also landed two fine points from play. Among the younger crew Ryan Byas gave a busy, all action display. Kelvin Lynch another. So many heroes in blue. A classic team display.
Little went right for O'Mahonys. They just couldn't reproduce the controlled aggression that drove them on in the drawn game. Their cause was undone partly by unforced errors and they missed good chances, racking up 10 wides compared to Kildalkey's eight.
Darragh Connell was a big presence for them throughout. He grabbed his goal with a powerful shot from a 20-metre free and clipped over four points for good measure. Jack Walsh, and Cormac Keyes were others to add to O'Mahonys account.
Only in occasional flashes did the Hoops show the kind of form they displayed in the drawn game.
Nothing it seems was going to stop Kildalkey from claiming victory this time around. Nothing was going to halt their march to victory - and a place in history.
SCORERS
Kildalkey - Matty Cully 0-9, six frees, one 65; Ross Flynn 1-3; Derek Doran 0-2; Padraig Geoghegan 0-2; Ryan Byas 0-1; Luke Rickard 0-1.
Navan O'Mahonys - Darragh Connell 1-4, two frees, one 65; Cormac Keyes 0-3 frees; Jack Walsh 0-2; Evan Cully 0-1.
TEAMS
Kildalkey - Colm Barry; Shane Reilly, Enda Fitzgerald, Tiernan Bird; Cian Colhoun, Mairtin Doran, Matt Rickard; Kelvin Lynch, Ryan Byas; Luke Rickard, Derek Doran, Ross Flynn; Matty Cully, Maurice Keogh, Padraig Geoghegan. Subs - Sean Heavey for M Keogh half-time, Enda Keogh for Fitzgerald 41 mins, Ben Rickard for Flynn 57m, Andrew Fagan for Cully, Will Power for D Doran both 59m.
Navan O'Mahonys - John Foley; Dermot McKenna, Ben McEntaggart, Finn McNally; Darragh Connell, Jack Walsh, Sam Formosa; Evan Cully, Evan Brady; Conor O'Dwyer, Jack McConnell, Cormac Keyes; Sean McDermott, Shane McCarthy, Jack Flynn. Subs - Paddy Dillo for McKenna, Finn Malone for McDermott 39m, Thomas Cully for O'Dwyer 47m, Andrew Snow for McCarthy 52m.
Referee - Owen Ganly (Trim).
* Photos from big game taken by Gerry Shanahan. Report and post-match quotes also in next issue of the Meath Chronicle