2005 Notes

Peter Dunne Cup Final KILDANGAN 1-11, BALLYKELLY 2-7

THE large crowd in Monasterevin on Easter Monday were treated to rip roaring Peter Dunne Cup between final these two local rivals and it was Kildangan who caused somewhat of an upset when they prevailed after an hour of hard football.

Last year's junior C champions started at a blistering pace and raced into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes courtesy of man of the match Andrew Casey (2), Stephen Quigley and Gabriel Murtagh. Ballykelly replied with a Trevor Holligan 45 to cut the gap. However, with Padraig Casey and Tom Moran in total control at mid-field Kildangan reeled off a further six points from Andrew Casey (3), Quigley, Murtagh and Declan McGrath. When Murtagh smashed home a goal on 20 minutes after being set up by Liam McCormack, a whitewash looked on the cards with Kildangan ahead 1-10 to 0-1.

Ballykelly to their credit turned the tide with two goals just before half-time from Holligan (pen) and Paul Pender. Holligan added 0-2 from frees and it was 1-10 to 2-3 at half-time. Holligan hit two good frees after the restart to narrow the gap to two points and when the influential Padraig Casey picked up a second yellow card with 20 minutes to go, the writing looked on the wall for Kildangan.

The defence marshalled by Colin Christie and Richard Morgan battened down the hatches, however, and limited Ballykelly to two points from Holligan frees in the next quarter-hour which left the game level entering the final five minutes.

Kildangan weathered the storm and notched winner when a move started deep in the defence by Andrew Casey, was worked up the field by John Miller and Stephen Quigley before Miller fired over the winner after a titanic battle with gallant and gracious opponents.

Kildangan: M Hamilton, D Lawler, C Christie, M Sexton, B Kavanagh, R Morgan, J Miller (0-1), T Moran, P Casey, A Casey (0-5), G Murtagh (1-2), S Quigley (0-2), L McCormack, D McGrath (0-1), C McKenna. Subs: J Murray for McKenna, R Byrne for McCormack.

Ballykelly: R Holligan, D Fitzgerald, C McHale, J Mahon, G Byrne, R. Stafford, A Hickey, P Duffy, K Lovern, T Holligan (1-6), D Dempsey (0-1), B Fennell, P Pender (1-0), J Doyle. Subs: A Heavey for Duffy.

KILDANGAN 4-9 BALLYMORE 1-12

Thursday, June 02, 2005 :

KILDANGAN picked up their second win of the league campaign when they scored a good away win in Ballymore. Kildangan had the better of the opening minutes scoring 1-2, the goal from Padraig Casey. Ballymore came back in to it and drew level in the following minutes with a goal coming from John O’Neill. Kildangan took over again and goals followed from Casey again and Johnny Murray. Ballymore stayed in touch with frees from Keith Conway. The halftime score read Kildangan 3-3 Ballymore 1-6.

The second half began with Liam McCormack smashing home a great goal for Kildangan to end the game as a contest. Ballymore tacked on points, all from Conway to stay in touch. As the game entered the closing stages the Kildangan lead was four points and they sealed the win with points from Mick Sexton and John Nealon.

Junior B Final CARAGH 3-7 KILDANGAN 1-7

Kildangan leave it too late

Thursday, November 10, 2005

By: John Roddy

A SOMEWHAT diminished second half performance, which saw them register just a single point until the very last minute might very well have cost Caragh the JFC ‘B’ final against Kildangan in Newbridge on Sunday, had not substitute Cormac De Brí forced home a close range goal with virtually the last kick of an extremely interesting encounter.

Kildangan, managed by ex-Kildare goalkeeper Christy Byrne, were favourites to follow up last year’s Junior ‘C’ success with more glory at ‘B’ level but were left stunned by a Brendan Merrigan-inspired Caragh second string.

On a perfect day for football Kildangan were first out of the scoring traps with a Stephen Quigley point after just thirty seconds. Caragh were not in any way panicked however and duly hit back with a brace from full forward Ruairí Hayden, the second of which might well have been a goal, to lead by one after eight minutes. Three minutes later the losers were back on terms when Andrew Casey landed a long free from his hands into the Kilcullen end.

Just when it seemed that we were in for a nip and tuck encounter, Caragh unleashed a burst of superb attacking football, which threatened to blow Kildangan out of the water. It very nearly did; as in a two-minute spell at the end of the first quarter they put two goals and a point on the board and a rout looked a distinct possibility.

Wing forward Paul O’Dwyer struck first 14 minutes in, when crashing a superb left-footed effort to the roof of the net after good work by Donnchadh Hayden and experienced 40 yards man Brendan Merrigan. A minute later Hayden turned poacher, reacting fastest to punch home twofisted, when a shot by his brother Ruairí came down off the cross bar. A minute later Dominic Campbell was in for a great solo point as the winners began to put serious daylight between the teams.

To their credit Kildangan rallied and were duly rewarded when two minutes later Stephen Quigley stole in behind the Caragh defence to get onto a long through ball and plant it firmly wide of the winners’ keeper John O’Rourke. That score brought Kildangan right back into it. It was Caragh however who finished the first half in style with three points from Donnchadh Hayden and Merrigan (two) to lead by 2-6 to 1-2 at the change of ends.

The second half saw Kildangan come out fighting with an early point from Andrew Casey giving them hope as early as the fourth minute. Scores were hard to come by however against a stubborn Caragh defence marshalled by the experienced David Gorry at full back, ably fronted by county hurler Joe Dempsey.

The winners’ Ruairí Hayden had a goal disallowed for a square infringement but Stephen Quigley sniped another point for the losers to leave them five points behind at the three-quarter stage. An Andrew Casey point really began to put the pressure on Caragh but in stepped man of the match Merrigan with a very significant score to steady the ship with 11 minutes to play.

A minute later Andrew Casey whipped up a broken ball and reduced the margin to four and Caragh supporters really began to sweat when the same player left just the goal between the sides with another point six minutes out. It was hectic stuff from there to the end, with the Caragh rearguard really having to put their bodies on the line in order to protect their advantage.

Eventually they broke out of defence deep in stoppage time and won a line ball about 20 metres out in the scoreboard corner. Merrigan’s kick soared right into the goal mouth and when it was not proper-ly dealt with, substitute Cormac De Brí was on hand to toe-poke the ball home from close range and set the seal on a deserved victory.

Kildangan: James Morgan; Cathal McKenna, Colin Christie, Brian Kavanagh; Gordon Prendergast, Richie Morgan, John Miller; Tom Moran, Loman McCaffrey; Liam McCormack, Gabriel Murtagh, Stephen Quigley (1-2); Andrew Casey (0-5, 3fs), Declan McGrath, Padraig Casey. Subs: John Nealon for McGrath, Robbie Murray for McCormack, Johnny Murray for McCaffrey, McGrath for Nealon

Caragh: John O’Rourke; Peter Dunne, David Gorry, John Browne; Andrew Dunne, Joe Dempsey, John Paul O’Rourke; Killian Hayden, Patrick Cassidy; Paul O’Dwyer (1-0), Brendan Merrigan (0-3, 2f), Dominic Campbell (0-1); Donnchadh Hayden (1-1), Ruairí Hayden (0-2), John Coughlan. Sub: Cormac De Brí (1-0) for Coughlan..

Ref: Mick Spencer (Kilcullen).

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