The Seniors Open League with a Win

Post date: Apr 18, 2019 7:34:35 AM

Kildangan v Athgarvan Senior Reserve League Div.4 15TH April 2019

Our seniors got the league off to a winning start with a 1.15 to 2.8 win over Athgarvan at Kildangan on Monday evening. The heavy rain during the day eased a little during the game but conditions were difficult for both teams.

Athgarvan were making a return to adult football for the first time in seven years and they showed their intent by opening the scoring with a point in the third minute. Oisin Hyland marked his introduction to adult football with a goal soon afterwards and team captain Eric O’Hara stretched our lead with a well taken point.

We dominated the middle period of the half and Paul Connaughton and Eoin O’Fearghaill were superb in driving us forward from the back. However, we were guilty of wasting some good opportunities and should have stretched our lead. The visitors regained control and caught us on the break to score a well taken goal and followed with a brace of points. Dara Gilbert responded with two points as we entered the closing stages but Athgarvan pointed again to leave it 1.6 to 1.3 at the break.

We started the second half at a blistering pace with four points in the opening minutes to go one ahead. The pick of these scores was an excellent move that started in our full back line and ended with Bernard Behan knocking over the bar. Our movement up front was excellent and Athgarvan struggled to deal with the pace of Conor Corrigan and Joey O’Sullivan as we ran them ragged.

Having finally raised a white flag to equalise, Athgarvan were on the back foot again when Eric O’Hara pointed twice. We then came close to finishing the game off when Robert McGrath put Conor Corrigan in for a goal chance but his blistering shot came back off the crossbar with the Athgarvan goalkeeper beaten.

The visitors pulled a point back from a free but Joey O’Sullivan and Eric O’Hara pointed again to put us three ahead with just five minutes left to play. But Athgarvan weren’t done yet and a sweeping move up the field ended in an equalising goal. Having been dealt a blow with the goal, our lads gave the perfect response scoring four points in the final five minutes with Dara Gilbert and Damien Broughall on target.

It was a well contested game with little between the teams but our lads deserved their victory and will be happy with the performance. Our next game is away to Milltown on Wednesday of next week.

Kildangan

Shane Stafford, Conor Mulholland, Stephen Keogh, Aaron Behan, Eoin O’Fearghail, Paul Connaughton, Conor Fulham, Eric O’Hara (0.6), Robert McGrath, D Gilbert (0.5), Bernard Behan (0.1), Joey O’Sullivan (0.1), John Miller, Damien Broughall (0.1), Oisin Hyland (1.0).