Kildress got through in the end, 2-10 to 1-10, after this well-contested first round LCC GROUP Junior Championship match against Eskra, played earlier today in steady rain at Ballinamullan. Kildress were never headed in the game but Eskra equally never conceded, and played a powerful and pacey game throughout that asked many questions of Kildress and their durability.
Matty McGuigan’s coolly-taken goal helped Kildress to a 1-4 to 0-2 lead but Eskra had the last three points of the first half to leave the Tones a bit fortunate to hold a 1-4 to 0-5 half-time lead. A goal from Shea Murphy early in the second half looked like giving Kildress a comfortable lead but when Cormac Arkinson scored a spectacular goal for The Emmets that is unlikely to be bettered in this year’s Junior Championship, it was back to being ‘game on’. Two massive placed-ball scores from Shea Murphy, followed by two more from the outstanding Stephen Loughran, steadied Kildress again and restored their six-point advantage. But it was Eskra who fired over the game’s last three points to leave just a score in it when time ran out. Once again Kildress had a good full-back line in Callum Holland and the two Loughrans whilst Stephen McGurk was very prominent at half-back. Up front Stephen Loughran was probably Kildress’ man-of-the-match, with Shea Murphy also having a huge impact. Sean Devenney refereed a good, strong game very well.
Kildress: | Gerard Grimes | Aaron Loughran, Callum Holland, Marty Loughran | Jonny Connolly, Dean McNally, Stephen McGurk | Enda McAleer (0-1), Shea Murphy (1-3) | Stephen Loughran (0-3), Des Treacy, (0-1) Conor Quinn | Philip Lennon (0-1), Caolan McNamee, Matty McGuigan (1-1) | Eoin Brannigan, Pauric Lagan
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Earlier today, and a week after their thrilling Quarter-Final win over Killeeshil, Kildress Under 14 Boys produced another exciting morning at Gortacladdy with this 1-12 to 2-7 Semi-Final win over Strabane. In a game influenced by a strong wind Kildress led by 1-9 to 1-1 at half-time, James Mulgrew goaling and Strabane netting from a rebound of Kiernan Devlin’s saved penalty with the last kick of the half.
It was clear Kildress would be under pressure from a strong Sigersons side which now had wind advantage and so it turned out. The Tones defended heroically at times but found it difficult to get the ball far down the field as Strabane upped the ante. Michael Heagney’s clever point was vital in easing the pressure but Strabane had got the margin down to a single point before Tiarnan McNally drove through to win the free that clinched a two-point win that delivered the Tones’ second underage Semi-Final success in two days.
Kildress: | Kiernan Devlin | Rory McNamee, Conleth Devlin, Daniel Heagney | Eoin McNally, Aaron Corey, Emmet Heagney | Donal Keenan, Barry McAleer | James Mulgrew, Tiarnan McNally, Eoghan McGurk | Michael Heagney, Gavin Connolly, John Paul Treacy | Shay Duffin, Oísín Hughes, Niall Corey, Eunan Beggs, Tommy Mullan, Shea Mullan, Dylan McCrory, Cillian Carlisle, Charlie Shields, Eoin Cassidy, PJ Cassidy, Daniel McCrory, Liam Loughran
