Away back in April Kildress fell to Aghaloo by ten points after a blistering start by their hosts but today it was the Tones who had the blistering start with two early goals putting them well on the way to producing a 19-point turnaround from that last visit to the banks of The Blackwater. Kildress put on easily their best performance of the season in this do-or-die affair, very well-refereed by Feargal Ward, and on the day had two ‘hat-trick men’ at opposite ends of the field, Gerard Grimes who saved three seemingly certain goals (as well as a penalty) and Philip Lennon who hit the net three times.
Gerard Grimes’ outstanding all-round display was a clear sign that this was no stroll for Kildress as Aghaloo tested them to the full but just never seemed to get the breaks they needed. Kildress led by 2-8 to 0-6 at the break and as the game wore on, the pace of Matty McGuigan, the Holland twins and Adam Connolly became increasingly significant whilst older heads Conor McAleer, Marty Grimes, Aaron Loughran, Dean McNally and Caolan McNamee were very important presences in an eventual 3-14 to 1-11 win. The victory, Kildress’ first since mid-May, sees The Tones now meet Junior Finalists Beragh in the final winner-takes-all Division II/III play-off. Kildress: Gerard Grimes, Aaron Loughran (0-1), Niall Quinn, Martin Loughran, Callum Holland, Dean McNally, Johnny Connolly (0-1), Conor McAleer, Eoin Brannigan, Adam Connolly (0-2), Matty McGuigan (0-5), Corey Holland (0-1), Philip Lennon (3-3), Caolan McNamee (0-1) and Martin Grimes.
