Classy Kilbride claim Minor Division 2 title
Kilbride captain Luke Shally accepts the Division Two Minor Football title from Shay Galvin, Roscommon Minor Board Chairperson. Picture: Roscommon GAA
Kilbride’s minor footballers were crowned county champions as they came through an entertaining showdown with Oran/St. Croan’s.
The win ensures Kilbride backed up their U-16 Division 2 title that they claimed on Monday with another piece of silverware.
Kilbride led this affair 3-14 to 1-4 after 38 minutes but Oran/St. Croan’s produced a spirited fightback as Conor Muldoon kicked 0-7 including a pair of two-point frees while Seamus Hussey added another effort from outside the arc. However, Kilbride remained composed as late scores from Cian Hayes and Tomás Lohan helped them survive the onslaught.
The game started at a ferocious pace as Dan Monaghan netted for Oran/St. Croan’s after just 12 seconds. However, Kilbride’s response was emphatic as Luke Shally turned inside and rifled to the roof of the net before Tomás Lohan went from assister to scorer as he blasted to the net to see Kilbride lead 2-0 to 1-0 after five minutes.
In total, there were seven goal chances in the opening quarter but neither side added to the left hand side of the scoreboard for the remainder of the half. After Seamus Hussey saw his sighter of goal fly over, Kilbride took over in midfield as they cranked up the pressure, kicking 0-10 without reply.
The Shally cousins Marc and Luke led the way while Lohan finished the first half with 1-3 to his name. When Jack Lally kicked an inspirational two-pointer on the half hour mark, Kilbride led 2-12 to 1-4 at the break.
The winners appeared set to cruise to victory when Harry Trimble netted from point blank range after Cian Hayes was denied by both Conor Reid and the post in the lead up to the major. But, a Muldoon two-point free proved the spark that ignited a determined fightback as he added another while Hussey was also on target from deep.
A Rory Kelly free cut the deficit to six points but Hayes and Lohan arrowed over to ensure Kilbride brought further silverware back to the club.
