A determined and skilful Easkey side
refused to let a tentative first half hold them back as they stormed into the
second half of today’s All Ireland club junior hurling final to complete a ten point
turnaround and book their place in January’s All Ireland final against Cork’s
Ballygiblin.
In a game played through a biting
cross field wind on the relatively exposed grounds at the Louth GAA Centre of Excellence
at Darver, the final result was fully deserved with the west Sligo men getting
stronger as the game progressed.
Christy Ring All Star forward Andrew Kilcullen Kilcullen was at the heart of the Easkey effort, notching
2-9 in total (2-6 from play) with his second goal scored minutes after half
time being the catalyst for his side’s second half dominance.
Although Easkey were first to score
with a Kilcullen point their London opponents Kilburn had the better of the early
exchanges spurred by two goals from centre forward Mark O'Dwyer and the reliable
place ball technique of Colin Nelson which gave them a 2-3 to 1-2 advantage by the
quarter-hour mark. The Easkey goal had come from Kilcullen with wing back Ronan
Molloy getting the point.
It got worse before it got better for
Easkey as Kilburn extended their lead to seven in the 22nd minute when
corner forward Donal Reale found the net. A quick exchange of pointed frees between
Nelson and Kilcullen maintained the margin going into the last five minutes of
the half but Easkey finished stringer with two points from Kilcullen – one a
free and a point from Mikey Gordon bringing the gap back to four at the break,
3-4 to 1-6.
The lead was back to seven three minutes
into the second half as Kilburn substitute Anthony Hands goaled to make it 4-04
on the score board for the Londoners.
That though was as good as it got
with his side only managing only two points over the remining half hour of play.
Instead Easkey went on the attack and had an almost immediate
response with Kilcullen finding the net after a great Rory McHugh run. Points
from Kilcullen and Finnian Cawley narrowed the margin to two before Kilcullen
was pulled down inside the square to give Rory McHugh the opportunity to shoot
his side into the lead from the penalty spot with ten minutes gone in the half.
The Sligo men consolidating their lead
with further points from a Kilcullen free, Thomas Cawley and Joe McHugh to go
3-11 to 4-4 ahead by the 50th minute.
The London side hit a purple patch coming into the last ten minutes
with Nelson, who scored all of his side’s points on the day, notching two to
bring his side to within a score with five minutes to go. Kilcullen extended
the lead again to three before the moment that could have changed the result came
and went as Easkey keeper Jimmy Gordon denied a goal bound Nelson shot that
would have brought his side level.
Instead, Easkey got the ball down
the other end and finished out the game with two points from Kilcullen and one
from Rory McHugh to complete the victory.
EASKEY: Jimmy Gordon; Shane Molloy, Gavin Connolly, James Weir;
Ronan Molloy 0-1, Eoghan Rua McGowan, Donáll Hanley; Finnian Cawley 0-1, Niall
Kilcullen; Fionn Connolly, Mikey Gordon 0-1, Rory McHugh 1-1 (1-0p); Thomas
Cawley 0-1, Andrew Kilcullen 2-9 (0-4f), Joe McHugh 0-1. Subs: Bernard Feeney
(C) for G Connolly (13min), Fionn Moylan for Cawley (60 +1).
KILBURN GAELS: Conor McNally; Ian Byrne, Matthew Lambert, Brian
McCarthy; Christopher McAlinden, Conor Byrne, Evan Kelly; Patrick Earley,
Fergal Collins; Jack Kirwin, Mark O'Dwyer 2-0, Darragh O'Sullivan; Ryan
O'Donnell, Colin Nelson 0-6 (3f, 1 '65), Donal Reale 1-0. Subs: Anthony Hands
1-0, Cillian McSweeney, Conor Murphy.
REFEREE: Kevin Brady (Louth)