Never much between Kiltale and Killyon

October 20, 2016

Killyon's Thomas Raleigh with Peter Durnin Kiltale

Three in a row chasing Kiltale take on Killyon this Sunday to decide the destination of the Jubilee Cup. There is never much between these two clubs when they meet in the championship.

Kiltale won the 2012 final with a goal to spare 1-14 to 0-14 over Killyon and when they last met in championship fair in 2014 Killyon put the reigning champions to the pin of their collar at Trim. If Kiltale win on Sunday they will join Killyon on 7 Meath Senior Hurling Championship titles. Killyon last won the Jubilee Cup in 2005. Here is that match report from that very exciting 2014 encounter at Lomans Park. Most of these players will feature on Sunday.

Kiltale ...... 3-12 Killyon ...... 0-18

Killyon posted more scores than Kitale in this entertaing Ted Murtagh SHC Group B round four clash at Trim but goals ensured the 2012 champions prevailed.

The decisive third goal arrived in the 54th minute and was the second of two scores in quick succession from Stephen Donoghue at the town end that left the board reading 3-10 to 0-15.

Nominally at wing-back, Stephen Donoghue moved to centre-half-forward as part of an effective fluid system employed by Kiltale. It also saw John Donoghue - listed at 14 - operate to great effective in a sweeper role behind midfield.

Moments before Donoghue's intervention, Killyon full-forward David Raleigh pointed to level matters for the second and final time.

A fine reflex save by Shane McGann - back in goals for Kiltale - prevented the impressve Ray Massey snatching a 56th minute goal for Killyon that might have altered the outcome.

Kiltale had moved six points clear at this stage before 5 minutes of added time yielded points for sub Adam Flanagan, David Raleigh and Massey (free). Cohesive defence play prevented the men in maroon from conceding a goal in the last action of the game.

While Kiltale return to the last four, where they lost to Longwood a year ago, Killyon face Kilmessan in the final round robin fixture with the winners set to advance to the business end.

It was Killyon's second defeat of the campaign - the other was to Dunboyne by five points in round two - but their destiny is still in their own hands.

Midfielder Jack Regan posted 1-5 for the men in maroon (1-4 from frees) and provided the assist for the game's opening score, Kevin Ryan's fifth minute goal. The scores were tied twice thereafter while Kiltale were never headed.

Killyon - who lost the last year's corresponding fixture between the sides by 19 points - rallied to regain parity (0-4 to 1-1) in the 13th minute when Adam Gannon pointed. Ray Massey chipped in with two points while Thomas Raleigh also registered in that sequence.

At the start of the second quarter Kiltale kicked on moving five points clear, 2-4 to 0-5 by the 20th minute. A Regan free restored their lead and the number 8's alertness was rewarded when he netted from a 20-metre free to leave it 2-2 to 0-4 after 17 minutes.

Undeterred Declan Mullen's men responded to be within two points of the 2012 champions at the break, 0-9 to 2-5. Mark O'Sullivan's fine score moved Kiltale four clear before Killyon halved the deficit in the run-in to half time with excellent efforts from Stefan Kelly and Calvin Ryan.

Killyon shaded the opening 20 minutes of the second-half to regain parity heading into the latter stages. Four points on the spin between the 14th and 21st minutes were central to the surge that left the board reading 0-15 to 2-9.

A short intense bout of rain didn't diminish the excitement. Then came Stephen Donoghue's intervention that was quickly followed by points from Regan (free) and Ronan Ryan to complete the Kiltale tally.

The big crowd that witnessed this Monday night fixture weren't short changed as a spirted Killyon side rallied to within three points of Kiltale but couldn't grab the goal required to salvage something from this fixture.

Kiltale - Shane McGann; Anthony Donnelly, Ciaran Ennis, David Donoghue (0-1); Eamon Ryan, Anthony Forde (0-2), Stephen Donoghue (1-1); Jack Regan (1-5, 1-4fs), , Mark O'Sullivan (0-2); Kevin Ryan (1-0), Shane Lenehan, Stephen Cummins; Fergal McCabe, John Donoghue, Ronan Ryan (0-1). Subs - Padraig Donoghue for Cummins (40), Padraig Kelly for Lenehan (52), Chris Reilly for McCabe (13).

Killyon - Joe Connor; Andy Feeney, Adam Farrell, Thomas Raleigh (0-2); Conor Foley, Ger Foley, JJ Gilsenan; Keith Keoghan, Brendan Quinn; Stefan Kelly (0-1), Clayton Keegan, Ray Massey (0-7, 3fs, 2 65s); Calvin Ryan (0-2), David Raleigh (0-4), Adam Gannon (0-1). Subs - David Kennedy for Quinn (45), Cillian Canavan for Kelly (47), Adam Flanagan (0-1) for Keegan (47).

Referee - Donal Smyth (Navan O'Mahonys).


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