'Listowel will be hot favourites' - Kilmurry turn attentions to Kerry challenge again
Sean Warren, Kilmurry and James O'Regan, Feenagh Kilmeedy at Cloughduv, Co Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
For the second time in 12 months, Kilmurry will contest the AIB Munster Club JFC final. As has been the case with a lot of Kerry teams in this competition, Fossa - backed by the Clifford brothers - were superior when they met last December.
Due to grade restructuring in Cork, the Muskerry side have an opportunity to go one better when they face Listowel Emmets next month.
Overall, Kerry have secured 16 titles, Cork three.
Knocknagree are the most recent Rebel outfit to win the title in 2017 (after extra-time they defeated Dromid Pearses). Prior to that, you have to go back to Canovee in 2007.
The facts speak for themselves.
So, you can understand why Kilmurry manager Cormac Linehan puts their upcoming fixture against the Kerry champions into context.
“We would consider Listowel to be on a par with Fossa,” he said. “And we saw how good Fossa were last year. We did stay with them - up to a point - but they pulled away.
“Listowel will be hot favourites for the next game.
“We will have to give it everything. Everything will have to go well for us to be in the mix, because Listowel are a fine side. We will have to show up and be on top of our game.
“We did what we had to do today, we worked hard. Feenagh-Kilmeedy are playing hurling as well, they looked tired.” Kilmurry, who lost the Cork final narrowly to St Finbarr’s, progressed with ease through Munster.
A 13-point winning margin over Sean Treacy’s of Tipperary was followed on Saturday in Cloughduv with a 26-points difference over Feenagh-Kilmeedy.
A Feenagh-Kilmeedy side that will have to regroup quickly for next Saturday’s Munster club JHC final against St Catherine’s due to a big number of dual players.
Leading by 0-9 to 0-1 at half-time, they took over in the second-half, bagging four goals with a brace each from Liam Wall and substitute Padraig Berhanu.
Nine different scorers overall.
Defenders kept it tight, supporting each other, duly starving the opposition of any decent supply. They completly blotted out any attempts at the posts, with Brian Hinchion getting up the field to kick points in either half.
Even a black card to Kilmurry’s Gearóid O’Mahony in the third quarter, failed to upset their momentum.
As well as Berhanu and Wall, Sean Warren ensured a constant scoring return.
L Wall and P Berhanu (2-2 each), S Warren (0-4), B Henchion and L Aisling (0-2 each), R Duggan, R Leahy, G Barrett and Joe O’Mullane, (0-1 each).
C Ryan (0-2, 0-1 free).
: J McDonnell; B Hinchion, K Barrett, G O’Mahony; A Aisling, W Ronan (Capt), T Collins; K Kelleher, James O’Mullane; D Cahalane, L Aisling, R Duggan; R Leahy, L Wall, S Warren.
Subs: S Curzon for R Leahy, P Berhanu for D Cahalane (both half-time), Joe O’Mullane for A Aisling, G Barrett for James O’Mullane (both 40), O Keane for S Warren (49).
D Gayer; B Donegan, M Fitzgibbon, J O’Regan; S Kelly, B Hannigan, D Boyce; P Donnelly, D Murray O’Connor; D Ryan, C O’Connor, D Coleman; R O’Connor, L Ryan (Capt), C Ryan.
Subs: M O’Connor for D Murray O’Connor, P O’Doherty for D Coleman (both 44), D Lynch for B Hannigan (48 inj), P O’Connor for M Fitzgibbon (50), L O’Gorman for R O’Connor (56).
: Seán Joy (Kerry).
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