Midleton fight back to beat Killeagh in fiery finale

Three players saw red in the hard-fought Division 2 decider.

Sun, 13 Jul, 2025 - 19:40

Jack McKay

Midleton 1-18 Killeagh 0-15

It was far from a classic. But what mattered to Midleton was the scoreboard – a six-point victory and a second-half recovery after looking second best for much of the RedFM Division 2 Hurling League final.

Referee Niall Fahy was the busiest man in Castlemartyr. He reached for red three times – each one carrying likely consequences for the weeks ahead.

The opening dismissals arrived as a set. Alex Quirke’s high challenge on Seán Long prompted a flashpoint that saw Killeagh netminder Philip O’Neill sent off for his role in the melee, while Quirke received a straight red for the initial hit. Yellow cards were also flashed to Luke O’Farrell and Rob Sinclair in the aftermath.

The third red came deep in added time, Seán Long walking for dissent with their hopes already evaporated.

The first two reds were where the contest turned. Killeagh had just strung together four unanswered points to move 0-12 to 0-10 in front. They had wrestled control, Ryan McCarthy sharp, Evan Lane influential and Brendan Delaney composed in defence.

Then, everything changed.

Midleton, up against it to that point, suddenly found a spark. Points from O’Farrell and Ross O’Regan, followed by a pair of Finn frees, nudged them in front.

The game’s critical moment followed: substitute Dave Cremin played in Finn, and he drilled low to the net. Colin Walsh, O’Neill’s replacement in goal, got a touch – not enough.

When O’Farrell was pulled down for a penalty, Finn stepped up with a chance to bury the game – but Walsh produced a brilliant stop to deny him from the spot. The Midleton midfielder converted the resulting 65, but the save gave Killeagh late hope.

They went in search of a goal. And they came within inches.

A long delivery from Andy Walsh dropped on top of McCarthy, who rose highest, created space and let fly. It had goal written all over it – until Bryan Rossiter, out of nowhere, made a superb save to preserve Midleton’s cushion.

It was Killeagh’s final roll of the dice. The last red card and another Finn free closed out the scoring.

Killeagh will feel the final margin was misleading.

For 45 minutes, they were the better team. But they leave Castlemartyr empty-handed – and counting the cost, with two dismissals and an injury to Dylan McCarthy.

The first half was largely forgettable.

Conditions didn’t help. It was a scrappy, error-strewn opening quarter in the rain. Just five scores had been registered by the 15th minute – Killeagh ahead 0-3 to 0-2.

Even when conditions improved, the quality didn’t. Lane grabbed his second point from a Philip O’Neill pass before Killian McDermott equalised at 0-4 apiece.

Cormac Beausang nudged Midleton ahead for the first time, only for McCarthy to respond with the best moment of the half – catching O’Neill’s long ball under pressure and kicking over an outstanding point.

At the break, it was 0-8 to 0-6. By 37 minutes, it was 0-10 to 0-8. Killeagh pushed on – but when Finn got his goal after the red cards, the Magpies never looked back.

Scorers for Midleton: M Finn 1-10 (0-9 f, 0-1 65), C Beausang (0-1 f), L O’Farrell 0-3 each, K McDermott, R O’Regan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Killeagh: R McCarthy 0-4 (0-3 f), E Lane, R Long 0-3 each, D McCarthy 0-2 f, A Walsh, S Smiddy, S Walsh 0-1 each.

MIDLETON: B Rossiter; S Smyth, E Moloney, T O’Leary Hayes; L Dineen, C Smyth, R O’Regan; S O’Meara, M Finn; K McDermott, A Quirke, L O’Farrell; P White, C Beausang, C Walsh.

Subs: D Cremin for Walsh (42), E McGrath for White (57), A Daly for O’Meara (60).

KILLEAGH: P O’Neill; S Long, P O’Brien, B Delaney; R Sinclair, D Walsh, A Walsh; C Fitzgibbon, E Lane; R McCarthy, R Long, S Smiddy; C Leahy, D Buckley, D McCarthy.

Subs: S Walsh for D McCarthy (25 inj), C Walsh for Buckley (47), R Treacy for D Walsh (53), G Walsh Wallace for Sinclair (57), A Leahy for C Leahy (60+2).

Referee: Niall Fahy (Brian Dillons)