Moortown and Kildress put on a spectacular hour’s football in the equally spectacular setting of the St Malachy’s developing complex at Anneter tonight, but it was Kildress who emerged the happier following an enthralling 3-15 to 1-18 victory. Overall The Tones were good value for their win but on another night Moortown could also have won it, their half-dozen-plus wides in the first half alone eventually proving costly for them.
Moortown edged the early play and led by a couple of points before Stephen Loughran’s expert goal finish, after being cleverly played in by Pauric Lagan, saw Kildress take a lead they would never let slip. With Matty McGuigan on his way to an eventual haul of nine points, and Philip Lennon very strong around the middle in his first game of the year, Kildress reached the break 2-8 to 0-7 in front, their second goal a Philip Lennon penalty.
Kildress got the first point of the second half but then Moortown outscored them by 1-6 to 0-2 as The Tones began to struggle with their kick-outs. The St Malachy’s well-worked goal brought them to within a single point but they were hit almost immediately with the sucker punch of Stephen Loughran’s second goal, a crucial score that really restored Kildress after a very rocky 15 minutes. From there to the finish it was sort of score for score, and Kildress saw the game out to win by three.
Kildress were strong all over the field with every player performing well. Gerard Grimes made three outstanding point-blank saves whilst elsewhere in defence Aaron Loughran (0-1), Niall Connolly and Stephen McGurk did much to thwart a very good Moortown team. Philip Lennon (1-2) had an eye-catching return at midfield whilst in a strong forward line Marty Grimes, Stephen Loughran (2-0), Pauric Lagan, Shea Quinn (0-1) and the irrepressible Matty McGuigan (0-9) stood out.
Conor McGahan’s refereeing contributed greatly to this thoroughly enjoyable game.
Kildress: | Gerard Grimes | Aaron Loughran (0-1), Dean McNally, Marty Loughran | Jonny Connolly (0-1), Stephen McGurk, Niall Connolly | Enda McAleer, Philip Lennon (1-2) | Stephen Loughran (2-0), Marty Grimes, Shea Quinn (0-1) | Matty McGuigan (0-9), Pauric Lagan, Shea Loughran | Conor Quinn, Des Treacy
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In the Reserves Kildress came good late on to win by 1-10 to 0-11, Odhran O’Driscoll’s goal, after a lung-bursting, pitch-length drive forward by Eoin Brannigan, proving to be the decisive score. The Tones had other good performers in the very strong Aidan McAleer, Chrissy McKenna, Damian Kelly and goalkeeper Nathan McKernan.
