Kilbride 0-16 Bective 0-12 

Kilbride went three from three in Group D of the Meade Farm intermediate Championship with a comfortable win over Bective in Ratoath to top their group and into the quarter finals thanks to seven points from the industrious Josh Harford. 

Assured of top spot in the group and with Bective already in relegation the outcome would have no bearing on the overall standings but both teams would look for form with bigger challenge’s coming in a fortnight’s time. 

Kilbride aided with a strong breeze were in control from the off however the conditions did not allow for pretty football in the opening 7 minutes with teeming down rain and swirling winds making the underfoot conditions extremely difficult for the players and even the score board was not working. On 7 minutes the rain stopped, and the sun peeped through the clouds and with it the first score of the game, Josh Harford landed a massive two pointer from fifty yards. 

Bective had the better of the early exchanges but could find no way past Kilbride full back line. Cian Harford was restored to corner back after sitting out the game against Blackhall Gaels and his partnership with Ronan O’Leary and Mark Dempsey is growing stronger game on game. 

Gareth Rooney clipped over a point on 9 minutes after more great defensive work from Ronan O’Leary and Cian Harford to take a 3-point lead. Bective responded and got a point of their own, but Kilbride response was immediate, Andy McWeeney finished off a fine move on 15 minutes to increase Kilbride lead, to four. But despite their dominance on the scoreboard Bective to their credit were fighting hard all over the pitch and scored their second. Adam Malone finished off a fine move when Josh Harford found him with a diagonal 50-yard pass, Malone did extremely well when he took on his man and slotted over with his right foot. David O’Leary kicked a forty-five for his first of the game Before Harford got Kilbride’s eight and his fourth with another trademark long range effort as the game neared the half time whistle and welcomed opportunity for players to retreat to the comforts of a dry dressing room. 

Half time Kilbride 0-8 Bective 0-2

Peter O’Halloran got the second half under way (and someone turned on the scoreboard) and it was Kilbride who secured possession and attacked the club house end, intricate play saw Josh Harford find Mark Dempsey with a splendid pass and his one two with Adam Malone put the corner back through on goal but he was happy to fist the ball over the bar for a well worked point. Bective were struggling to find any real control and when they did the ball was getting turned over by the trio of Cian Harford, Ronan O’Leary, and Mark Dempsey who were dominating the full back line. 

Conor McWeeney starting his first game in over a year got in on the act with another fisted point after showing great strength to out muscle the Bective defenders to increase Kilbride lead to nine points. Bective kicked the next two points with converted frees before Caolan Howard collected the rebound from his goal wardshot to kick his first point of the evening. Bective did threaten and had chances off their own. 

The dominant Luke Faherty was very assured under the high ball when Bective did threaten. Bective to their credit were getting more into the game and another decent goal chance was well defended when the industrious Josh Harford got back to knock the ball out for a 45 and the resulting effort was pulled wide. Another two free saw the lead cut to seven before David O’Leary kicked a free for Kilbride to leave it twelve points to four with 15 minutes remaining.

Bective threatened again but another long ball was well defended by Cian Harford who broke the ball to his full back partner Ronan O’Leary who picked up the loose ball to launch another Kilbride attack that yielded nothing. Again, it was Cian Harford who won a free when fouled after winning another ball. Bective were getting nothing out of the duel inside with Harford, O’Leary & Dempsey defending exceptionally well. It was from that free that Kilbride launched another attack, O’Leary took a quick free and found the very hard working Gareth Rooney who fed Captain Timmy Farrell through the centre back position, link play between McWeeney and Howard found Josh Harford off his shoulder 50 yards out and despite the efforts of the Bective defence he cut in side and onto his trusted left foot to kick a very well worked point to restore Kilbride lead to 9 points with just over 10 minutes remaining. 

Another Bective attack was well defended through Adam Smith who came on for Finn White at the break, Timmy Farrell was calm under pressure as Smith found his with a clever fisted pass away from danger. Harford dropping deep to collect the ball from Smith and was off up the wing, he found the impressive James Gavin who never stopped for the 60 minutes before a reverse pass found the advancing sharp shooter who cut through three Bective defenders to slop over his seventh point from play and increase Kilbride lead to 10 points with under 10 minutes left. Kilbride freshened things up as the conditions were starting to take its toll on lads. 

Bective kicked their fifth point on 54 minutes before Harford kicked his seventh with a converted free after magnificent work from James Gavin saw a pull back on the advancing Conor McWeeney. As the game neared full time Bective sparked into life and kicked the next four points before Sub James Brown scored Kilbride’s 16 point and with the last kick of the game Bective kicked a two pointer before Peter O’Halloran blew the full-time whistle.

Kilbride Team: Luke Faherty, Cian Harford, Ronan O’Leary, Mark Dempsey 0-1, Finn White, Timmy Farrell, Andrew McWeeney 0-1, Daniel Boyd, Caolan Howard 0-1, Josh Harford 0-7, James Gavin, Gareth Rooney 0-1 Adam Malone 0-1, Conor McWeeney 0-1, David O’Leary 0-2,  

Subs, Adam Smith for F White, Cathal McKeon for G Rooney, James Brown 0-1 for A McWeeney, Tommy Egan for A Malone. 

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