14-man Kiltane make light work of Erris rivals
Kiltane’s Liam Donoghue breaks away from Cill Chomáin’s Joe Corduff. Picture: David Farrell Photography
There are games that promise drama and deliver structure. Games where the red card, the missed penalty, the roar of the crowd – all the ingredients of chaos – are present, but the outcome is never truly in doubt. This was one of those games.
From the moment fate paired these North Mayo neighbours, the Erris peninsula buzzed with anticipation. Cill Chomáin, fresh from the junior ranks and already potentially punching above their weight by making it out of the groups stages at the first time of asking, arrived with hope. Kiltane, seasoned and sharp, had home advantage and a point to prove after suffering a first championship loss this season in their final group game.
The opening exchanges teased a contest. Adam O’Connor turned smartly and pointed for the visitors inside the first minute. Adam Carabine replied two minutes later. Then, on seven minutes, came the game’s first rupture: Josh Carey, the intermediate championship’s leading scorer, was shown a straight red. But instead of tilting the balance against them, it seemed to galvanise Kiltane.
Charlie Ginnelly nudged the hosts ahead on nine minutes and Justin Healy levelled within sixty seconds – but it was the last time the sides would be tied. From there, Kiltane took control. Ben Donoghue pointed two frees either side of a point by Tommy Conroy. Liam Donoghue then chipped in with two in quick succession, driving relentlessly through the heart of the Cill Chomáin defence as he did all afternoon long.
By the 20-minute mark, Kiltane led 0-7 to 0-2. It could have been more. They snatched at chances from distance, pulling several wide. Cill Chomáin rallied briefly, with Derek Moran pointing a free and Healy adding one from play. Healy, locked in a running battle with Owen Doherty, fought gamely all afternoon.
Donoghue slotted two more frees to stretch the lead to five. Then, right on the stroke of half-time, Joe Mason hammered over a two-pointer, narrowing the gap to three – 0-9 to 0-6. It felt like a lifeline for Cill Chomáin. It wasn’t.
After the break, Kiltane tore up the script. Darragh Carey came up from goal to drive over a ’45. On 34 minutes, John Ginty, introduced late in the first half, was hauled down close to goal. Mikie Sweeney stepped up for the penalty but Cian Gallagher saved brilliantly, sending the young Cill Chomáin supporters behind the goal into raptures.
It might have been a turning point. Instead, Liam Mason saw a second yellow two minutes later, and the game returned to equilibrium – 14 versus 14. Liam Donoghue added his third point of the day. Then, just before the three-quarter mark, he toe-poked home Sweeney’s mishit effort, only for it to be ruled a square ball.
Undeterred, Kiltane powered on regardless. Ben Donoghue slotted another free before Ultan Corrigan stretched the lead to seven. Then, just before the 50-minute mark, John Ginty palmed home from close range to make it 1-13 to 0-6. The home crowd erupted. The contest was over.
Cian Gallagher drove over a long-range two-point free with five minutes to go, Cill Chomáin’s first score of the half, and David Walker added another as stoppage time approached. But Kiltane weren’t finished.
Ben Donoghue got in for their second goal and Darragh Carey rounded off the scoring with a long-range two-pointer.
At the end of it all there was twelve points in it, and it could have been more. Kiltane march into the semi-finals with form, fire and the kind of local bragging rights that last long after the boots are hung up for the winter.
Scorers – Kiltane: Ben Donoghue 1-0-5 (5f), Darragh Carey 0-1-1 (1tpf, 1 ’45), John Ginty 1-0-0, Liam Donoghue 0-0-3, Adam Carabine, Charlie Ginty, Tommy Conroy and Ultan Corrigan 0-0-1 each.
Cill Chomáin: Justin Healy 0-0-2, Joe Mason and Cian Gallagher (1tpf) 0-1-0 each, Adam O’Connor, Derek Moran (f) and David Walker (f) 0-0-1 each.
Kiltane: Darragh Carey; Owen Doherty, Nathan Ginnelly, James Conroy; Martin Gallagher, Cathal Carey, Sean Gaughan; Adam Carabine, Liam Donohue; Mikey Sweeney, Tommy Conroy, Ultan Corrigan; Charlie Ginnelly, Josh Carey, Ben Donoghue. Subs used: John Ginty, Pat Joe Gaughan, Mike Doran.
Cill Chomáin: Cian Gallagher; Derek Moran, Lorcan McGrath, James Mason; Joe Corduff, Liam Maloney, Lorcan Mason; Luke Tighe, Seam Murphy; Sean Irwin, Joe Mason, Eoin McGrath; Adam O’Connor, Justin Healy, Jack Healy. Subs used: Mark Tighe, Kyle McGurie, David Walker, Gerard Ruddy, Matthew Healy.
REF: Kevin Connolly (Hollymount-Carramore)
