Castletown 2-10 Kilbride 1-13

Castletown secured a semi final spot and top position of Group B with a dramatic draw game against a very strong Kilbride side in Donore.

The game began with Kilbride looking sharpest and no surprise took an early lead with 2 points (1f). Kilbride kept Castletown scoreless until a well taken point from Mark Kelly on 10 minutes brought it back to the minimum. Kilbride again extended their lead with two more points in quick succession to have them ahead by 3 leading into the quarter hour mark . Castletown were struggling to get much chances in the opening 15 minutes but when some space opened up for corner forward Declan Cribbin he made no mistake in drilling the ball into the back of the Kilbride net to level the game. Cribbin followed up with a point from play 4 minutes later to put Castletown ahead for the first time . This was short lived however as Kilbride converted 3 frees in a row followed by a goal from play on 27 minutes. A further point from play for Kilbride along with 2 more points for Castletown ( 1 free for Rian McConnell and 1 from play Declan Cribbin) would see the end of the first half, Castletown 1-4 Kilbride 1-8

With a huge task ahead Castletown needed to hit the ground running in the 2nd half which appeared could be the case with a further point from Cribbin with just 2 minutes gone from the restart. This was cancelled out however by 3 unanswered points from Kilbride all within the next 10 minutes. Castletown were however creating the chances this half but at times couldn’t seem to get the desired finish - most notably a brilliant well worked shot at goal that fell to Killian Price which he stroke narrowly wide.

Another pointed free from Rian McConnell and a point from play from Mark Kelly from a tight angle left it still four between the sides with 18 minutes gone. Kilbride got their final score from play on 18 minutes which was cancelled out in the same minute with a point from play from Kevin Ross. With both teams desperate to leave Donore with the 2 points , tensions were beginning to run high which resulted in both teams down to 14 men for the final 10 minutes of normal time.

A further point from Cribbin and a point from a free for Kilbride at the end of 30 minutes would appear to have confirmed the win for Kilbride. Castletown however didn’t give up and showed incredible determination to prove a game is never over until the referee blows his whistle! On 32 minutes Adam Matthews got his first score of the game with a goal that will surely be in lineup for goal of the year as he rattled the back of the Kilbride bet from a distance to narrow the gap to just 1 point. With time ticking on Castletown stayed calm and composed to work their scores, an injury to a Kilbride player ensuring more injury time was to be added . A free kick for Castletown from outside the half way line taken by Rian McConnell was worked up the field patiently again until a further free was awarded . Rian McConnell once again stepped up to take the free which would be difficult for some of the counties best free takers to score with the angle and distance it was but once again McConnell calm as anything brilliantly slotted it right between the posts to level the game as the referee blew the full time whistle.

The draw was enough to ensure Castletown top the group and are straight through to the semi final where they will play the winner of Syddan v Kilbride. 

Castletown: Johnny Ginnitty, Noel Smyth, Evan Hoey, Conor Price, Eoin Reid, Shane Hoey, Killian Price, Killian Smyth, Rian McConnell (0-3), Adam Matthew (1-0), Robbie Hoey, Damien Ginnitty, Mark Kelly (0-2), Kevin Ross (0-1), Declan Cribbin (1-4)

Subs: Cormac Farrelly for Conor Price, Gerry Farrelly for Damien Ginnitty 

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