Francis Coughlan at Bansha
A Sam Hall hat trick helped Golden/Kilfeacle into a first Shane Hennessy Agri & Business Consultancy West Senior Football Championship Final since 1999 as they hit Aherlow for five in Bansha on Tuesday evening.
Amazingly Aherlow led by four points to nil after eight minutes but managed just one point for the remainder of the half. The game turned on two first half goals from Niall Heffernan and Sam Hall which helped Golden/Kilfeacle to a four-point half time advantage.
A Barry Grogan penalty early in the second half looked as if Aherlow would get back in the game, however a more determined Golden/Kilfeacle never allowed them to draw level and a further two goals from Sam Hall and the fifth from centre back Shane O’Connell left Golden/Kilfeacle in a commanding position at Donnacha Hornan’s full time whistle.
Aherlow playing into the village end for the opening thirty minutes look very dangerous in the opening exchanges with Mark Russell and Barry Grogan causing problems. Grogan and Stephen Carey had Aherlow two up after three minutes before Russell opened his account and Grogan added a second from a placed ball.
Golden/Kilfeacle while under pressure had created a number of chances but failed to find the target. Eanna Ormond got them off the mark in the tenth minute and while they were now enjoying more possession, they failed to add to that for another ten minutes.
They were however making their mark on the game winning numerous turnovers with Shane O’Connell Jack Lonergan and Daithi Bargary leading proceedings from the back. Tom Byrnes was making his mark around the middle while Ben Currivan was dropping back the field.
The game turned late in the first half when wing back Niall Hefferan who had gone up the field broke the tackle to slot low pass Jack Whelton.
Grogan responded with Aherlow’s first score in twenty-one minutes, however a miss hit free was intercepted by Cian Ryan who was all alone on the road side of the field and drawing the defender he hand passed to the unmarked Hall who got his first goal.
Golden/Kilfeacle were leading 2-3 to 0-5 at the interval. Early in the second half Barry Grogan converted an early penalty and it looked as if Aherlow were about to get back into the game.
Scores were slow to come by with both defences on top. Just before the three-quarter mark, Golden/Kilfeacle still held a one-point advantage however they looked to be getting on top dropping numbers back and attacking on the break.
They got huge break in the fourteenth minute following good work from Daithi Bargary the ball broke to Hall after Jack Leamy effort was blocked and he kicked goal number three.
Grogan and Hall swapped frees before Hall completed his hat trick after being put through by Shane O’Connell. Whatever hope Aherlow had was finished with ten to go when Shane O’Connell kicked Golden/Kilfeacle’s fifth goal.
Aherlow needed goals but struggled to find a way passed a well marshalled Golden/Kilfeacle defence.
Golden/Kilfeacle will now face Galtee Rovers in the West Final for the first time since 1999.
Teams and Scorers:
Golden/Kilfeacle: Sam Hall (3-1, (0-1f)), Niall Heffernan (1-0), Shane O’Connell, (1-0), Eanna Ormond (0-1), Ben Currivan (0-1), Jack Leamy (0-1f), Ciaran Byrne (0-1), Aaron Colohan (0-1)
Aherlow: Barry Grogan (1-6, (1-0p,) (0-6f)), Mark Russell (0-2), Stephen Carey (0-1)
Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, Jack Lonergan, Aidan O’Connell, Daithi Bargary, Niall Heffernan, Shane O’Connell, Mikey Bergin, Ronan Hayes, Tom Byrnes, Eanna Ormond, Jack Leamy, Cian Ryan, Sam Hall, Ben Currivan, Shane Stapleton
Subs Used: Aaron Colohan, Ciaran Byrne, Jason Morey, Sean O’Connell
Aherlow: Jack Whelton, Darragh O’Brien, Mark Hanley, Moss O’Brien, Thomas O’Donoghue, Sean Mullins, Gary Quirke, Mark Russell, Ben Carey, Jack O’Halloran, Barry Grogan, Paddy Chapman, Liam Carew, Stephen Carey, Sean Landers
Subs used: Cathal Dillon, Thomas Cooper Fahey, Mikey Nash, Sean Bourke, Tomas O’Shea, Shane Russell (blood)
Referee: Donie Horan (Eire Og)
