Killenaule do the damage early to lay foundations for victory
The Robins overwhelm Cahir in South Tipperary Intermediate final
Killenaule 3-18 Cahir 1-11
A blistering first half set the tone for Killenaule’s 13-points win over Cahir in the McCarra Bus Hire South Tipperary Intermediate Football Championship Final at Kilsheelan on Sunday evening.
The intensity of the Killenaule first half display matched the glorious weather, as they had the title virtually wrapped up by half time when they led by 2-11 to 1-2.
A man of the match performance from Paudie Feehan and an early scoring blitz from Luke Ryan were key components of The Robins’ hugely impressive success.
Cahir were well off the pace in the opening 30 minutes and failed to score from the 12th minute to the half time whistle. They upped their performance in the second half, with substitutions proving crucial, with Adam Hennessey one of three players coming on at the interval and knocking over four points.
Both these sides were relegated from the senior ranks last season and on this evidence Killenaule look more likely to bounce back up.
They hit the ground running and after early misses from both Oisín Shelly and Michael Doyle, Luke Ryan laid down the early marker. He hit a superb two-pointer in the fifth minute for the game’s opening score, and just thirty seconds later burst through for a great goal.
Two minutes later a Cahir move involving Kevin Grogan and Ian Flannery saw a Ciaran Condon shot saved by ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer in the Killenaule goal. Then when play switched to the other end, Darragh Doyle and Michael Doyle were involved in the move that saw Luke Ryan finish with another two-pointer – Ryan accounting for the first 1-4 of the game.
Cahir rallied, and when they hit the next three scores it looked like the attendance at the immaculately-prepared Kilsheelan venue were going to be treated to a competitive final. Niall McKenna opened their scoring in the ninth minute with a lovely goal, and they followed up with Jack Buckley putting Sean Murphy clear to score and then Buckley pointing a free to reduce the margin to two points, 1-4 to 1-2 after twelve minutes.
But after that their scoring dried up, as Killenaule hit 1-7 without reply up to the half-time break. Team captain Jimmy Feehan was rock solid at the heart of the defence, with great support from Killian O’Dwyer and Padraig O’Dywer. Paudie Feehan was winning a huge amount of ball around midfield and upfront Luke Ryan, Michael Doyle and Tom Stakelum were proving too hot to handle for the overworked Cahir defence.
Joe O’Dwyer and Owen O’Dwyer pushed the lead out to four points before a two-pointer from Paudie Feehan, following a brilliant mark from Cian Johnson Croke, made it 1-8 to 1-2. Michael Doyle from play and a free extended it further before the Slieveardagh side struck for their second goal, Tom Stakelum giving Cahir goalkeeper Craig Guiry no chance with a superb shot.
The restarts weren’t helping Cahir, as Killenaule hoovered up their kickouts to keep play in the Cahir half. Another two-point attempt from Paudie Feehan was just wide before Oisín Shelly burst through the centre to make it 2-11 to 1-2 at the interval.
Cahir manager Johnny McMahon and his selectors knew that changes were needed and introduced Adam Hennessey, Mickey O’Connor and Ger Quinn for the second half. However, the impact wasn’t immediate and over the first seven minutes of the second half Killenaule extended their lead by three points, with scores from Luke Ryan and two from Michael Doyle, one a free.
Cahir then hit a purple patch, with the subs making a significant impact. Hennessey hit the first of his four second half points eight minutes in – it couldn’t be termed a revival but an encouraging response from the team. In the next move Hennessey was again involved, fouled when taking a pass from Kevin Grogan, and Buckley pointed the free.
A similar one-two followed when Grogan fed Hennessey for a point and it was four on the bounce when Buckley pointed another free following a foul on Oisín Maher. It wasn’t quite panic stations for Killenaule but they were still relieved when Michael Doyle converted a free following a Cahir breach to leave it 2-15 to 1-6 midway through the half.
Points from Hennessy again, a Buckley free and Dylan Butler, to a Killenaule reply from substitute Charlie Barrett, reduced the margin down to ten points, 2-16 to 1-9. But Killenaule ensured the win when Eoin Shaw pointed, and then Barrett, also becoming a super sub, took a pass from Paudie Feehan to kick the side’s third goal. Hennessey with his fourth point of the half, and Buckley’s fifth from a free, wrapped up the Cahir scoring, with Killenaule’s Darragh Doyle pointing with the last kick of the game.
Cahir will be disappointed with their first half display but encouraged by the second, when the brave decision to introduce three subs together energised their performance and will give them hope for their county championship campaign where they are in Group 1 with Rockwell Rovers, Fethard and Eire Óg Anncarty.
The winning of the game for Killenaule came in that first half when their movement and pressure on the Cahir defence paid handsome dividends, and will put them in good stead for their county campaign clashes in Group 2 with Clonmel Commercials’ second team, Moyne/Templetuohy and Clonmel Óg.
Scorers: Killenaule: Luke Ryan 1-5 (2x2pt), Michael Doyle 0-5 (3f), Charlie Barrett 1-1, Tom Stakelum 1-0, Paudie Feehan 0-2 (1x2pt), Darragh Doyle, Owen O’Dwyer, Oisín Shelly, Joe O’Dwyer, Eoin Shaw 0-1 each.
Cahir: Jack Buckley 0-5f, Adam Hennessey 0-4, Niall McKenna 1-0, Dylan Butler, Sean Murphy 0-1 each.
Killenaule: John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer; Shane Ryan, Killian O’Dwyer, Cian Johnson Croke; Padraig O’Dwyer, Jimmy Feehan, Darragh Doyle; Owen O’Dwyer, Paudie Feehan; Tom Stakelum, Joe O’Dwyer, Oisín Shelly; Michael Doyle, Luke Ryan, Tony Ryan. Subs: Tom Keaveney for Joe O’Dwyer (35), Charlie Barrett for Tony Ryan (47), Danny Shelly for Oisín Shelly (50), Eoin Shaw for Michael Doyle (52), Mark Stakelum for Owen O’Dywer (58).
Cahir: Craig Guiry; Sean Leahy, Jesse Kiely, Eanna Heffernan; Colin McEniry, Oisín Maher, Pa Meehan; Eddie Kendrick, Stephen Grogan; Ciaran Condon, Jack Buckley, Ian Flannery; Sean Murphy, Kevin Grogan, Niall McKenna. Subs: Mikey O’Connor for Heffernan (HT), Adam Hennessey for Condon (HT), Ger Quinn for Flannery (HT), Dylan Butler for Stephen Grogan (48), Nic Reidy for Kevin Grogan (51).
Referee: Willie Fitzharris (Fr. Sheehy’s).