Confident Kilmallock defy underdog tag to dispatch Doon

Coláiste Iosaef (Kilmallock) 4-10 Doon CBS 1-13

But yesterday their tightly-knit, talented unit suggested that those expectations could be about to change.

Doon had only four starters from the side that powered to last year’s semi-final but were still favoured to get this season’s campaign off to a winning start. However, it wasn’t to be.

Playing against a stiff breeze in the first half, Coláiste Iosaef kept the half-time deficit to just two points (1-8 to 1-6), then went on to record a comfortable and well-deserved six-point win.

This was a game of three distinct periods of dominance, but crucially, two of those were by Kilmallock. They started off impressively and were 1-4 to 0-3 ahead after 16 minutes. The goal came from nippy corner-forward Timmy Byrne and two of the points from long-range frees driven by man of the match Gavin O’Mahony, who was majestic at centre-back.

The second quarter was dominated by Doon, an authority they maintained for the first ten minutes of the second half, at which point they led by six points (1-12 to 1-6) and looked to be headed for victory. Their corner-forwards were prominent, powerful Tommy O’Donoghue bagging 1-1 while Miceál Ryan, a Limerick U-16, notching nine points from all angles. Then came the goals for Coláiste Iosaef, and the game turned.

First, it was full-forward Shane O’Donnell knocking home the rebound from a superb Michael Buckley save, then O’Mahony rifled home a close-in free, and finally, Byrne capitalised on the defence’s failure to clear.

It was a good day out for Kilmallock, for whom keeper Stephen Heffernan, wing-backs Liam Bennett and Kieran O’Rourke, also impressed, along with midfielder Eoin Birchill, 15-year-old centre-forward Paudie O’Brien, and John McManus, when shifted outfield. For Doon, midfielder Paul Fitzgerald, Michael O’Neill and James Carr were best, though they need to find scoring support for their corner-forwards if they’re going to match last year’s effort.

Scorers: Colaiste Iosaef: T Byrne 2-1; G O’Mahony 1-3 (0-2 frees); S O’Donnell 1-2 (0-2 frees); P O’Brien 0-3; J McManus 0-1. Doon CBS: M Ryan 0-10 (0-8 frees 0-1 65); T O’Donoghue 1-1; M Fenton, P Fitzgerald, 0-1 each.

COLÁISTE IOSAEF: S Heffernan; P Cleary, L Hurley, V Hurley; L Barrett, G O’Mahony, K O’Rourke; G Quigley, E Birchill; W Egan, P O’Brien, D Slattery; J McManus, S O’Donnell, T Byrne. Subs: J. O’Dea (L Hurley, inj. 30); S Kelly (Quigley 45).

DOON CBS: MR Buckley; T O’Brien, MP Buckley, C O’Brien; M O’Neill, M Crowe, J Carr; M. Fenton, P Fitzgerald; E Moloney, J Butler, C Ryan; T O’Donoghue, J O’Donnell; M Ryan. Subs: E Gleeson (C Ryan 27); T Cranley (O’Donnell 50).

Referee: M O’Connor (Na Piarsaigh).