Upperchurch book quarter-final berth with good win over Killenaule

FBD Insurance Senior Football Championship - Round 3

Upperchurch-Drombane 1-12

Killenaule 0-9

Upperchurch-Drombane claimed their place in the FBD Insurance county senior football quarter finals with a fully deserved win over Killenaule in round three of group one at Littleton on Sunday, their second success in the group. They go forward as runners-up to Clonmel Commercials, their second successive year making the last eight.

From the time Paul Shanahan converted a penalty after 7 minutes when Jack Butler was fouled, Upperchurch were in the driving seat, and while they could never take their foot off the pedal, they always looked likely winners. That said, goalie James Griffin made two top drawer saves at the start of the second half to deny Killenaule goals that if taken, might have changed the course of the game.

To add to Killenaule woes as they chased the game, they had Dean O Connor sent to the line for a second yellow card offence after 36 minutes and later lost Killian O Dwyer in similar circumstances five minutes from time. From a Killenaule perspective, and bearing in mind the absence of a few regulars, it simply wasn’t their day.

Paul Shanahan’s confidently struck penalty put Upperchurch 1-1 to 0-2 ahead and though Killenaule, thanks to some sweet points from John O Dwyer, levelled by the 12th minute(1-1 to 0-4), the” Church” lads, with Paul and Luke Shanahan punishing Killenaule indiscretions near goal, drove on for an interval lead of 1-7 to 0-5. All of the Upperchurch scores bar Ailbe O'Donoghue’s 17th minute point, came from frees.

John O Dwyer scored three of the Killenaule points, all from placed balls. Though playing second fiddle, Killenaule were still very much in the game but the expected second half surge never materialised. Luke Shanahan had extended Upperchurch’s lead on resuming, again from a placed ball, before Eoin Shaw was denied a likely goal for Killenaule in the 33rd minute, James Griffin smartly turning his effort away to safety.

Paul Shanahan, another free, added to Upperchurch’s tally before Dean O Connor, on receiving a second yellow card, departed the scene. In the 38th minute Killenaule’s Tom Stakelum bore down on goal but his drive was also stopped by James Griffin, two chances that would surely have raised the tempo of the Killenaule game.

Killenaule, who were significantly without the Feehan brothers, Jimmie and Paudie, and Michael Doyle, did not throw in the towel but, down to fourteen players against a team who were very confident and comfortable in possession, the odds were stacked against them. At the time of Killian O Dwyer’s dismissal in the 55th minute, Upperchurch were 1-12 to 0-8 in front, their quarter-final spot assured.

This was an impressive showing by Upperchurch Drombane and while they will be outsiders against any of the top seeds in the quarter-finals, creating an upset is well within their scope. It will be a concern that they relied heavily on the free-taking of Paul and Luke Shanahan for all but two of their scores but the frees came about because the Killenaule backs were stretched by the Church attack.

An injury to Paul Shanahan early in the second half which caused him to retire later, will also be a concern for Upperchurch-Drombane with a busy programme in both hurling and football ahead.

While the scoring feats of the Shanahans were crucial to the Upperchurch success, so too was the contributions of Matt Ryan, Ailbe O Donoghue, Loughlin Ryan, and Niall Grant while goalie James Griffin also distinguished himself with those two match-winning saves.

Killenaule’s attention now turns to the Cusack Cup when they will be hoping to have a full complement of players available. They conceded far too many fouls in their own goal area and this they will have to address if they are to advance in the Cusack Cup. John “Bubbles” O Dwyer was their most dangerous forward but Johnny Gleeson, Eoin Shaw, Tom Stakelum, Jack Hassett, and Killian O Dwyer also did their bit.

Teams and Scorers:

Upperchurch-Drombane: James Griffin; Michael Lavery, Matt Ryan, Dean Carew; Diarmuid Grant, Gavin Ryan, Ailbe O Donoghue (0-1); Ger Grant, Keith Ryan; Loughlin Ryan, Jack Butler, Aaron Ryan (0-1); Luke Shanahan (0-6), Paul Shanahan (1-4), Niall Grant.

Subs: TJ Butler for P Shanahan; Sean Ryan for N Grant; Paidi Greene for L Ryan; Conor Fahey for J Butler.

Killenaule: David McCormack; Jack Hassett, Liam Meagher, Dean O'Connor; Ciaran O'Dwyer, Killian O'Dwyer, Cian Johnson-Croke; Joe O'Dwyer (0-1), Tom Stakelum; Eoin Barry, John O Dwyer (0-4), Eoin O'Connell; John Gleeson (0-1), Owen Shaw (0-1), Darragh Fitzgerald (0-1).

Subs: Mark Heffernan (0-1) for Barry; Denis Fogarty for Johnson-Croke; Gus Browne for Gleeson.

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).