Kildalkey make it look easy as they retain Jubilee Cup

Before the start of Sunday’s SHC final the general consensus was that this would be one of the closest deciders in years. That there would be little between the teams. Even the bookies, who are not wrong too often, sided with Kilmessan making them firm favourites. There were suggestions that Kildalkey’s victory last year was a once off, that they would find it hard to repeat the feat especially against a team like Kilmessan who have tradition and history on their side. Kildalkey put all that in the pot, mixed it together and came up with a powerful motivational Halloween cocktail that left their opponents bewitched and bewildered. Seldom in recent times have we seen a senior hurling final won in such a comprehensive fashion with one team taking control of the game and steamrolling their opponents into submission. The first touch and the striking skills displayed by Kildalkey was first rate. So good, in fact, that Kilmessan never looked like taking this contest. Forget the scoreline for a minute. It should also be remembered that Kildalkey shot nine wides in the opening half an still went in at the break with a 1-11 to 1-4 advantage. If they had been more accurate they could have had this title signed and sealed at the interval. How often could we have said that about the contests between these two sides in recent times. As it was, the Village side had to work for it in the second-half as Kilmessan launched a mini-revival. Yet at no point did Pat O’Halloran’s team look like relinquishing the crown. Hunting in packs, displaying a voracious hunger for possession, Kildalkey put their own distinctive imprint on this game right from the start. They mopped up most of the breaking ball in midfield, soaked up whatever pressure Kilmessan exerted and hit back with devastating consequences. No doubt feeding on their experience of playing in finals in recent years, Kildalkey, at times, played like a team without nerves. They believed that they could win and they had the ability and the steely determination to back it up. Having won it last year they knew they could do the business again. Kilmessan found it difficult to get into the game with injuries disrupting their preparations. Yet on Sunday even their talisman Stephen Clynch played below his best. Unable to get any time or space Clynch couldn’t influence the game in the way only he can. Ger O’Neill also was subdued and the Kilmessan forward line had to work all afternoon from only a meagre supply. The spread of Kildalkey scores gives an indication of just how well they clicked. Seven players contributed to the win, all of the six starting forwards got on the scoresheet as well as David Brady. The youngster started at midfield and played well firing over a couple of excellent points from distance. And it was the range of Kildalkey scores that suggested that this was a team right on song. Brady, Gary Kelly, Padraig Geoghegan, just over a week back from Australia, Derek Doran, Dan Fagan and Sean Heavey all slotted over high quality points from a variety of angles and distances. The Kildalkey attack could afford to waste some excellent chances yet still build up a big score. Yet this was far from a game where the in-form forwards stole the limelight. Once again the Kildalkey backline stood tall. Goalkeeper Gary McNally had little to do simply because the men in front of him set up their own Maginot Line and did not let much past them. Conor Dunne, Stephen Forde and Daire Lahart performed heroics in the win over Trim in the semi-final - and they did it again in this encounter. Maurice Keogh, Enda Keogh and Mairtin Doran were excellent while in the midfield exchanges Brady and Padraig Keogh excelled. Once Kirby pointed from distance inside a minute Kildalkey were on their way. Kirby went on to bag five more points from frees, one memorable effort from about 10 metres inside his own half. Derek Doran showed early on he was up for this one. He fired over two superb points in quick succession in the opening minutes and proved elusive as an eel. Brady, Kirby and Fagan tagged on further scores as Kilmessan struggled to keep up with the hectic pace of the opening half. Then the first major breakthrough on 18 minutes. The ball was played in from the right wing by Geoghegan. The towering Fagan, who has transformed himself into a crack marksman, rose high to take possession, turned and fired home. It was replica of the goal he bagged against Trim. Kilmessan hit back like the Kilmessan of old - with a goal two minutes later that suggested they could make a game of it. Nicky Horan stepped up the take a free about 30 meters out. A point looked a certainty. Instead he appeared to mis-hit the ball. Kevin Keena won possession and fired an exocet to the net, the ball fizzing through a crowded goalmouth, to leave his side trailing 1-2 to 1-6. Danny Maguire had earlier slotted over points for Kilmessan. The platform was there for Kilmessan to push on. Instead it was Kildalkey who found another gear. Points from Kirby (three) Kelly and Geoghegan gave them their commanding interval lead. All afternoon Heavey had tortured the Kilmessan defence with his runs and he really came to the fore after the break scoring five first-rate points from play to help keep his side in the lead. The fact that Kilmessan narrowly out-scored their opponents 1-9 to 0-10 in the second-half indicates their rugged determination not lie down easily. O’Neill slotted over a fine point while Paul O’Brien, Horan and Clynch also split the posts. Yet the gap remained significant. Christopher Curtis came up to crack home a goal with a sizzling '65’ just at the end. Eoin Marsh, Maguire and Kevin Keena featured for them. Kilmessan can look back on chances such as when Maguire had a ball cleared off the line by Forde in the first-half. Overall they can have few complaints. It was game, set and match to Kildalkey well before the final whistle. SCORERS Kildalkey - N Kirby 0-6, five frees; S Heavey 0-5; D Fagan 1-1; D Doran 0-4; D Brady 0-2; P Geoghegan 0-2; G Kelly 0-1. Kilmessan - N Horan 0-6; K Keena 1-0; D Maguire 0-2; E Marsh 0-1; S Clynch 0-1; C Keena 0-1; P O’Brien 0-1; G O’Neill 0-1. TEAMS Kildalkey - G McNally; C Dunne, S Forde, D LaHart; M Keogh, E Keogh, M Doran; S Corrigan, P Keogh; G Kelly, N Kirby, P Geoghegan; D Doran, D Fagan, S Heavey. Subs - S Corrigan for Brady 61 mins; P Conneely for D Doran 62m. Kilmessan - C Curtis; P McGovern, D Donnelly, E Marsh; M Horan, S Clynch, P Farrell; R Reynolds, R Donnelly; J Keena, N Horan, K Keena; C Keena, D Maguire, G O’Neill. Subs - P O’Brien for Reynolds 39 mins. Referee - Gerry O’Brien (Wolfe Tones).