'We were going to die with our boots on' insists Kilcormac-Killoughey manager
HELPING HAND: Kilcormac-Kiloughey manager Shane Hand after their win. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Ashley Cahill
This was a statement performance from Kilcormac-Killoughey that will be seen by many as a testament to the waves of coming talent that the club possesses, but for manager Shane Hand, yesterday’s county final victory was simply a reflection of a transformation in attitude from his players.
Last year, an anaemic second half saw them succumb to a 0-26 to 2-13 defeat in the county senior final to Shinrone, this year they scorched the same opponents to win by 18 points, having led by 24 midway through the second half.
“Hurling is hurling, Shinrone hurlers are just as good as the KK hurlers. If you go back to last year, the team that works harder is going to win these games.
"Last year Shinrone outworked us and we were determined that whatever else happened, we were going to die with our boots on today” he said after his side’s landslide victory in Birr.
“We have some seriously talented individuals, people look at Charlie (Mitchell) and Adam (Screeney) inside, but they got a few huge turnovers today and they were worth more than scores”.
In the tackle, in the air, in their movement of the ball and in their finishing, the side that lost three county finals since their last win in 2017 were dominant.
Screeney and Mitchell lined out in the two corners but it was in the half-forward line in particular where they made hay early on, with former county senior star Conor Mahon at his imposing best at centre forward, while Jack Screeney also chipped in with some excellent points.
Damien Kilmartin’s physical power and Colin Spain’s relentless industry gave them a foothold at midfield, while Shinrone – under the tutelage of Roscrea native and former K-K player Trevor Fletcher – were starved of possession. Short puckouts were ravenously devoured, while they couldn’t find a way to win any of their own long restarts either, with Kilcormac-Killoughey in sensational form at half-back.
With five minutes to play before half-time the score was 0-12 to 0-5 and Shinrone were on life support, only still in the hunt because of a couple of excellent saves from goalkeeper Eamonn Cleary.
However that all changed in the last few minutes before half-time, when Kilcormac-Killoughey scored 1-5 and put themselves well and truly out of sight.
Brecon Kavanagh won a turnover ball at the back and set up Cathal Kiely for a long clearance, and full forward James Gorman used his aerial ability and strength to hold off his man and field the ball on the edge of the small square, before sweeping it past Cleary from close range.
Screeney, Mitchell and Mahon all had points added within 90 seconds of that score, and not even the most ardent Shinrone fans would have felt that the 15-point interval lead was retrievable. What they mightn’t have imagined was that things would get much worse.
Kilcormac-Killoughey continued in the same vein for the third quarter, pushing the lead out to 24 (3-22 to 0-7) by the 46th minute.
Charlie Mitchell scored the first goal with a slick finish and while the second was credited to Cathal Kiely, Mitchell was on the scene, causing consternation as Kiely’s long ball dropped onto the astroturf in the small square and ricocheted off post and crossbar before traversing the goal-line.
Dara Maher, who was unflinching in his persistence and defiance even as Kilcormac-Killoughey plundered scores, was rewarded for his spirit with two goals from late frees, while Jason Sampson also found the net as Shinrone avoided the ignominy of suffering a record margin county final defeat.
“Look at the rugby last night, sport is cruel. It was cruel to us last year, it was cruel to Shinrone today” said Hand, though Shinrone might feel that the cruelty originated out of Kilcormac-Killoughey’s palpable hunger and aggression from start to finish.
C Mitchell (1-4), A Screeney (0-7, 4f, 1 65), C Mahon (0-6), J Screeney (0-3), J Gorman (1-0), Cathal Kiely (1-1), Cillian Kiely (0-2, 2f), D Kilmartin, B Kavanagh, T Geraghty (0-1 each).
D Maher (2-1, 2-1f), D Morkan (0-3, 3f), J Sampson (1-0), D Cleary (0-2), K Sampson, L Watkins (0-1 each).
C Slevin; O Mahon, B Kavanagh, T Spain; J Quinn, Cillian Kiely, E Grogan; C Spain, D Kilmartin; J Screeney, C Mahon, Cathal Kiely; A Screeney, J Gorman, C Mitchell.
P Geraghty for Gorman (44), G Healion for C Mahon (50), T Geraghty for Cathal Kiely (52), K Leonard for J Screeney (58), S Guinan for Kilmartin (58).
E Cleary; D Crean, D O'Meara, D Landy; M Cleary, C Doughan, D Maher; D Cleary, L Watkins; K Sampson, D Morkan, J Sampson; S Cleary, A Cleary, P Cleary.
D Doughan for D Cleary (41), C Cleary for P Cleary (41), J Cleary for Watkins (47), JP Cleary for Morkan (47), D Murray for S Cleary (53).
B Gavin (Clara).
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