Cloud 0-9 for Sean Horan as Kilmovee win Championship opener
gaa
Kilmovee Shamrocks got their championship campaign off to a winning start on Sunday afternoon, as they overcame a doggedly determined Moygownagh side. Led by scorer-in-chief Sean Horan, a dominant third quarter saw the home side eventually break the visitors’ resistance.
The opening exchanges were somewhat short on quality, as both sides worked their way into the game and took time to find their range. But the opening score was worth the wait as Barry Gaughan fired over a peach from distance. The hosts looked sluggish early on but the unerring Horan, opened his and Kilmovee’s account soon afterwards. with a free from out on the left.
Scores were at a premium, as Moygownagh, playing with the aid of the considerable breeze in the first half, were very compact defensively and aimed to hit their hosts on the counter. That’s exactly what they did for the game’s only major, as Kilmovee were turned over and the Northerners swarmed forward. When the ball reached Cormac Biehein, he had only one thing on his mind and he sent a rasping shot to the back of the Kilmovee net.
The concession of the goal seemed to galvanise the Shamrocks and they would hit the game’s next five points without reply. The excellent Horan sent over a brace, one a free, before Ronan Dunleavy cut over off the right. Ciaran Sweeney was next to curl over, before Horan again applied the finish to a patient Kilmovee move. The arrears would be back to the bare minimum at the break however, as Alan Gallagher converted a free with the last kick of the half.
A dominant third quarter from Conrad Goulding’s charges, in which they hit a further five points on the spin, was pivotal in deciding the outcome of the contest. A foul on Sweeney, allowed Horan to get the ball rolling from the resultant free, before Gavin Duffy and Darren Dunleavy added singles. Horan then sent over a ’45, before Liam Moffatt got forward to split the posts. The North Mayo men did stop the rot as Gaughan fired over from distance once more, but it was quickly cancelled out by Horan’s seventh point of the game.
Moygownagh would not go quietly and Gallagher converted a free to cut the gap to six. But as they did throughout, the Green and Gold found a response, as Eoghain Duffy sent over. Gallagher and Horan then traded frees, as the clock ticked towards the red. It was fitting that Horan would have the final say. as he converted his ninth point of the day at the very death.
Scorers. Kilmovee: Sean Horan 0-9 (5f, ’45), Ronan Dunleavy, Ciaran Sweeney, Gavin Duffy, Darren Dunleavy, Liam Moffatt and Eoghain Duffy 0-1 each.
Moygownagh: Cormac Biehein 1-0, Alan Gallagher 0-3 (3f), Barry Gaughan 0-2.
Kilmovee: Killian Golden, Liam Moffatt, Sean Higgins, Jonathan Regan, Tomas Rushe, Tom Horan, Ronan Dunleavy, Eoghain Duffy, Coilin Duffy, Darren Dunleavy, Ciaran Sweeney, Gary Horan, James Kilkenny, Sean Horan, Gavin Duffy. Subs: Robert Hunt (for Rushe 51), Peter Horan (for Kilkenny 54), Conor Kelly and Ronan Cassidy (for G Horan and G Duffy 55), Liam Frain (for Ronan Dunleavy 57)
Moygownagh: Shane Gallagher, Mark Gaughan, Ollie Birrane, Darragh McDonnell, Kevin Murray, Oran Gallagher, Thomas Birrane, Barry Gaughan, John McDonnell, Shane McKinley, Brian Egan, Rory Staunton, Oisin Carolan, Alan Gallagher, Cormac Biehein. Subs: Keith Regan (for McKinley 37), Conal McDonnell (for J McDonnell 51)
Ref: John Clancy
