Barrett heroics not enough to deny Kilmeena
Kilmeena’s Kevin Ryder holds off the challenge of Kilmaine’s Darren Munroe. Picture: Conor McKeown
Kilmeena made home advantage count on a drizzly and damp afternoon not far from the shores of Clew Bay on Saturday as they booked safe passage to the final four of the Mayo intermediate football championship.
After a commanding victory, it’s unusual to make mention of the defeated side first off, but the display of Kilmaine’s Adam Barrett deserves special praise. He kicked all twelve of his side’s points, some run of the mill scores, others outstanding efforts, as he brought the fight all day long to the West Mayo men.
The hosts had no changes to their programmed team but both Hugh O’Loughlin and John Heraty were added to the South Mayo outfit’s attacking unit. It was Kilmeena, however, who drew first blood with Daniel Kelly whipping over the first point of the day after a minute.
Both sides then had goal chances with Hugh O’Loughlin first to get in for an effort that was well saved, Moments later, Kilmaine goalkeeper Adam Keady pulled off a fine block to deny Jack Mulchrone.
Barrett whipped over his first score of the day five minutes in, with that sublime two-point effort nosing his side into the lead. He followed it up with a pointed free not long after. Kelly cut the gap back to a single point on eight minutes and then Darragh Slattery levelled matters at three points each on the ten-minute mark.
Kilmaine, whose strong running game from the back had been so impressive in their final group game, mixed things up and were playing fast direct ball into their full-forward line, with Kevin Mullin and Hugh O'Loughlin their targets more often than not. Kilmeena, in contrast, took a more patient approach, recycling the ball and probing for holes or runners coming off the shoulder.
A John McGlynn free pushed the hosts back in front before a fine score from Barrett under pressure made it all square again. Darragh Keaveney cut in along the endline for the locals and fisted over the bar before another McGlynn free pushed the lead out to two just after the quarter of an hour mark.
Barret then hit a brilliant purple patch. He landed a score with his right foot, then drove over another two-point free and rounded it off with an excellent point from his left boot under serious pressure from the Kilmeena rearguard. That left Kilmaine two clear with ten minutes to go in the half.
Both defences worked tirelessly all day, hassling and harrying attackers and forcing multiple turnovers over the hour.
Kilmeena regrouped and rolled off the final three scores of the half through a booming Kevin Ryder two-point effort and singles by McGlynn and Kelly to send their side into the dressing-room with a 0-10 to 0-8 lead at the break.
The second-half opened with McGlynn and Barrett swapping scores, before Kilmeena hit three on the spin from Kelly, substitute Liam Moore (who finished the day with four points to his name) and McGlynn, whose two point free saw the hosts 0-15 to 0-9 in front.
Barrett and Kilmaine hadn’t come all this way to throw in the towel though, and the centre-forward swung over an outrageous two point effort from a free tight on the right-hand side to bring it back to a two score game. And when he slotted over a single point from a free with 53 minutes gone, there was just the three between them.
But this is where Kilmeena’s experience at the senior level of the game in recent years came into play and they were able to dig deep and ensure they made it back to the final four. Moore got his second point of the day and Jack Mulchrone followed that with his first before McGlynn pointed a free. Kilmeena’s final score came from a fine two-pointer off the boot of Moore to push his side into a 0-20 to 0-12 lead with normal time up.
There was, however, still time for Luke Muniz to get a consolation goal for the visitors, but the result had been well assured in favour of the hosts at this stage.
While Barrett was the standout man for the visitors, the likes of Evan Heraty, Kyle Munroe, Kevin Mullin, David Hughes and Hugh O’Loughlin all put in hardworking shifts for their side too. While for Kilmeena, Jack Carney and Kevin Ryder in the middle of the park were on top form, along with their flying wing-backs Colin Hastings and Jack Mulchrone who drove up and down the flanks all day long.
Scorers – Kilmeena: John McGlynn 0-2-5 (1tpf, 4f), Liam Moore 0-2-2, Kevin Ryder 0-2-0, Daniel Kelly 0-0-4, Darragh Keaveney, Darragh Slattery and Jack Mulchrone 0-0-1 each.
Kilmaine: Adam Barrett 0-3-6 (2tpf, 3f), Luke Muniz 1-0-0.
Kilmeena: Paul Groden; Luke Durkan, Ciaran Kilcoyne, John Ryan; Colin Hastings, Stepehen Staunton, Jack Mulchrone; Jack Carney, Kevin Ryder; Conor Kelly, Darragh Slattery, Ronan O’Donnell; Darragh Keaveney, John McGlynn, Daniel Kelly. Subs used: Aaron Murray, Michael Regan, Liam Moore, Cormac O’Malley.
Kilmaine: Adam Keady; Darragh Acton, Evan Heraty, Naoise Burke; Darren Munroe, David Hughes, Luke Muniz; Matthew Keady, Kyle Munroe; John Heraty, Adam Barrett, Finn O’Loughlin; Hugh O’Loughlin, Kevin Mullin, Rory Barrett. Subs used: Geoffrey Sheridan, Mikey McDonagh, Michael Hession, Tomas Moran, Theo Bellanger.
REF: Vincent Neary (Bonniconlon)
