Kilfeacle storm back from 21-0 down for important Munster League win over Mallow

Munster Junior League 

Kilfeacle & District 35 Mallow 24

On Sunday last Kilfeacle and District welcomed Mallow to Morrissey Park for a Munster League fixture.
Mallow won the toss and elected to play with the strong breeze. From the very start they were winning every battle in the lineout, the scrum, the possession, the territory and the intensity.

Kilfeacle, on the other hand, needed time for all the changes to bed in. Mallow did not afford them that luxury.

Mallow scored their first try in the eighth minute after an excellent lineout manoeuvre saw them get an excellent rolling maul going for a pushover try. Their out half duly converted for a 7-0 lead.
In the 16th minute Mallow were awarded a penalty try, as Kilfeacle were deemed to have illegally brought down an advancing five metre scrum. The score was now 14-0.

In the 20th minute things went from bad to worse when a very fortuitous deflection from a Mallow kick for touch eluded the Kilfeacle players and bounced kindly for the onrushing Mallow winger to score in the corner, which with the aid of the strong breeze was converted for a huge 21-0 cushion.
Kilfeacle captain Jack McLaughlin marshalled his troops and led by example. In the 30th minute “the boys in blue” scored a marvellous team try, finished under the posts by Kevin Kinnane. Timmy Clarke duly added the conversion.

During the final 10 minutes of the half Kilfeacle were unlucky not to score again but some very good defending kept them at bay.

After the last play of the half had been signalled by the referee, Mallow were awarded a penalty just three metres inside the Kilfeacle half. Mallow’s out half used the strong breeze expertly and watched as his long range attempt split the posts to bring the half-time score to 24-7 in favour of the visitors.
Kilfeacle, who now had the strong breeze to aid them, started the second half in the manner in which they finished the first. In the 50th minute, after a long period of concerted effort, a well- worked lineout and subsequent rolling maul saw Kevin Kinnane score his and Kilfeacle’s second try. Timmy Clarke added the conversion to make it 24–14.

From the restart Kilfeacle were straight back on the offensive. In the 58th minute one of Kilfeacle’s up and coming players, Rian Doody, crashed over to score a try. Timmy Clarke added the conversion to make it a three-point game at 24-21 to Mallow.

This try seemed to give the home team heart and now everyone believed that the game was there for the taking.

Bonus point win keeps Clonmel in hunt for All-Ireland League promotion play-off place

Kilfeacle once again laid siege to the Mallow line. In the 68th minute, after another huge team effort, Kilfeacle were rewarded when Kevin Kinnane received a millimetre-perfect pass from Ben White and made a 15-metre surge for the line to touch down to heap more woe on a gallant Mallow side. This was to be Timmy Clarke’s day with the boot as well, as he watched this conversion find its mark. Kilfeacle had wrenched the lead from Mallow, and the score was now 28 points to 24.

There were still 10 minutes left on the clock. Six minutes later Kilfeacle had emptied their bench and were still in the ascendency when a penalty advantage was awarded to them in the middle of the pitch. Quick thinking by Darren Lowry caught the opposition off guard. He never allowed them time to reset their defence before sending a peach of a crossfield kick in the direction of Killian Noonan. Killian outjumped his much taller opponent and batted the ball down to the tirelessly supporting Kelan O’Connor, who went over for a try. The conversion kick by Timmy Clarke saw him maintain his 100% record on the day and brought the score to 35-24 for Kilfeacle.

The display that the Kilfeacle team gave during this game and the manner in which they played could be measured by the applause they received from both sets of supporters and their opponents as the wearily made the way of the pitch.

After the game Conor Keyes, first team coach said, “We bounced back from a bad start and the team showed that they could play and were very unlucky not to score more. Mallow had the capability to win but a very resolute Kilfeacle defence held them out for the entire second half and they deserve praise for this hard-fought win. Our subs, who have all been introduced, added a new steel, renewed hunger and a sense of urgency to the proceedings. We are building a very young and promising squad which makes the future look exciting.”

CORK CON UP NEXT
Kilfeacle’s next game is on Sunday at 2pm, the replay of the Munster Junior Cup third round tie against Cork Constitution RFC.

The team as ever are proud and humbled by the amount of support they receive and hope that their supporters will continue to come along and support them.

Kilfeacle’s squad: Diarmuid O’Donnell, Ricky Whitney, James Ryan, Bob Purcell, Rian Doody, Ben White, Simon Barry, Jack McLoughlin, Kevin Kinnane, Timmy Clarke, Kelan O’Connor, Killian Noonan, Gavin Heuston, Darren Lowry, Kevin Doyle, Keith Bourke, Dubhan O’Grady, Darragh Kennedy, Brian Barron, Brendan Barron, Adam Crowe, Jack Armshaw and Shane Farrell.