Fethard ease into final with big win over depleted Kilsheelan/Kilcash
South Under 21 A Football Championship Semi-Final:
FETHARD 3-11 KILSHEELAN/KILCASH 0-6
In perfect conditions for football at an unseasonably mild Monroe on Saturday afternoon, Fethard proved way too strong for Kilsheelan/Kilcash in the second semi-final of this year’s South Under 21 ‘A’ Football Championship.
‘The Blues’ dominated from the very first minute and were well and truly on their way to a divisional final meeting with Clonmel Commercials long before referee Declan Hickey sensibly called an early halt to proceedings after 55 minutes of play.
In truth, after a very unusual first half, the game was over as a contest by half-time with Fethard going to the break leading by 3-5 to 0-1. Those three first half goals, scored by John P. Lacy, Dara O’Mara and Charlie Hackett, helped Fethard to a 13-points half-time advantage, and there was simply no way back for a depleted and struggling Kilsheelan/Kilcash side thereafter.
It was a desperate situation for Kilsheelan from the outset having barely enough numbers to field a team at all, with the likes of Micheál Freaney, Billy O’Gorman and Oisin Lavin unavailable for selection. That drastic situation was further exacerbated during the course of the opening half when one of their players walked off the pitch, something you rarely experience at a GAA game.
For the second half, to get back up to 15 men, Kilsheelan/Kilcash reintroduced an earlier substituted – and clearly restricted – player, and by the end of a sorry day for them, were left with just 13 players on the field of play, because of injury, before the premature, but timely, termination was whistled.
But let all that take nothing from the Fethard victory which they achieved in a workmanlike manner, going about their business with intent right from the throw-in and a Mark Neville points after only 20 seconds.
Early pressure from the Tommy Sheehan managed side saw Kilsheelan goalkeeper Oisin O’Donoghue kept busy with a couple of good saves, but he was helpless in the eighth minute when Fethard’s first goal arrived. Jack Davey was very much involved in the build-up before John P. Lacy sent a piledriver low to the corner of the net for a 1-1 to 0-0 lead.
It took Kilsheelan all of 13 minutes to register their first – and only – point of the opening half, Liam Freaney kicking a fine point high off his left leg from 30 metres out.
Another good save from Oisin O’Donoghue from a Liam Kiely shot resulted in a 45 for Fethard which Dara O’Mara sent high between the uprights in the 20th minute.
A situation then developed in which, having received a yellow card and then engaging in words with some Fethard supporters on the sideline, a Kilsheelan player removed his jersey and walked away. Within a minute, Fethard exploited the confusion and the extra space when Conor Neville set up Dara O’Mara for their second goal, the centre back driving the ball low into the corner of the Kilsheelan net.
At sixes-and-sevens now, Kilsheelan conceded a further 1-3 before the interval as Fethard took complete control.
In the 27th minute Conor Neville kicked an excellent point while in full flight, followed a minute later by a Matt Coen free won by the busy Liam Kiely. And almost from the kick-out the third Fethard goal of the half arrived, Charlie Hackett giving the Kilsheelan keeper no chance with a thundering shot after Michael O’Meara supplied the final pass.
In the last play of the half Conor Neville added another fine point on the run from 30 metres, again Liam Kiely instrumental in the build-up with a powerful run up the wing.
By half-time the proceedings had developed into a non-event, Fethard, all of 13 points to the good, would be facing Clonmel Commercials in the decider.
In numbers at least, Kilsheelan resumed the second half with 15 between the lines, but it was Fethard who resumed where they left off with an early Mark Neville free after a minute, Jack Davey’s hard work forcing the foul.
Credit to the Mark Stokes managed Kilsheelan side, they played on with pride in the jersey, and had a mini-purple patch with three unanswered points in between the 33rd and 37th minutes, from Liam Freaney, Tadgh McGuire and a Tommy O’Connor free. At this stage, Fethard led 3-6 to 0-4.
With the game over as a competitive contest, Conor Neville added his third point of the day for ‘The Blues’ in the 40th minute before Kilsheelan keeper Oisin O’Donoghue, with yet another fine save, denied Matt Coen a goal right on the three-quarters mark. No doubt, without the excellent performance of the Kilsheelan custodian the final winning margin would have been much greater.
The concluding stages of the game were academic only, Fethard outscoring Kilsheelan by four points to two in the shortened game.
Kilsheelan’s Tommy O’Connor had his second in the 46th minute before Kilsheelan team captain Conor Neville was forced off injured with no substitute available. And their numbers were back to just 13 when Senan Butler also had to withdraw.
Fethard then added three points in four minutes from Jack Davey, Matt Coen and Andrew Connorton to extend an ever-widening margin, Matt Coen’s white flag, in particular, a superb effort. They were reduced to 14 players in this period with a black card for Darragh Spillane.
Tadgh McGuire and Conor Neville added the final points for their respective teams before the message – if not the proverbial towel – came into the referee, enough was enough for one day.
No doubt, Fethard will arrive at the final as underdogs against three-in-a-row seeking – and current county champions – Clonmel Commercials. But, neither side will need reminding of what happened in the South Under 19 ‘A’ final last year, when ‘The Blues’ upset the formbook on that occasion.
Saturday was a proud day for Fethard with four Neville brothers all starting and playing their part – captain Shane, Mark, Conor and Gavin – the latter making way early with an Under 17 A final to play the following day against Commercials.
There was plenty to admire in the focus of the Fethard players with big performances on the day from Matt Coen, Liam Kiely, Andrew Connorton, Darragh Spillane, Charlie Hackett, Jack Davey, and Ben Allen who pulled off a decent save or two.
Kilsheelan were always going to be up against it even with a full-strength squad and their limited resources before and during made a bad situation worse. They will move on and put this one behind them quickly.
However, immense credit to all who soldiered on regardless with Oisin O’Donoghue, Liam Freaney, Tadgh McGuire, Tommy O’Connor, Jack O’Donoghue, Cian Roche, and Conor Neville giving it their all.
Kilsheelan/Kilcash:
Oisin O’Donoghue, Sean Norris, Conor Neville (capt), Aaron Costin, Jack O’Donoghue, Emmet Butler, Tadgh McGuire (0-2), Lucas Sheil, Liam Freaney (0-2), Cian Roche, Tommy O’Connor (0-2, 0-1F), Michael Bates, Luke Keyes, Mikey McGuire, Senan Butler.
Subs: Michael Ryan for Butler (1 mins); Senan Butler for Costin (half-time).
Fethard:
Ben Allen, Michael James Phelan, Shane Neville (capt), Michael O’Meara, Charlie Hackett (1-0), Dara O’Mara (1-1, 0-1×45), Liam Kiely, Darragh Spillane, Andrew Connorton (0-1), Jack Davey (0-1), Matt Coen (0-2, 0-1F), John P. Lacy (1-0), Mark Neville (0-2, 0-1F), Conor Neville (0-4), Gavin Neville.
Subs: Noah O’Flynn for G. Neville (20 mins); Charlie Walsh for Noah Flynn (40 mins).
Referee: Declan Hickey (Ballyporeen).