Killala break Iorras hearts in extra-time to win title
Killala, 2024 Killeen Sports Ground League One champions.
Killala will go into their 50th anniversary next year as league champions after they stunned Iorras Aontaithe in extra time to win the League One title in Milebush last Saturday evening.
The men from the Barony will rue their inability to convert their dominance of possession to end product as the blue and yellow struck late to deny Michael McHale’s side a league and cup double.
Sean Coleman’s Killala team were not spoken about at the start of the season as potential champions, with Fahy Rovers and Iorras expected to finish as the top two. But after defeat to Conn Rangers ‘B’ back in April, they went unbeaten for the rest of the league, winning 13 of their 15 remaining games to come within a whisker of winning the title but draws against Fahy and Ballyvary Blue Bombers in July meant a playoff was required to see who would go up the Premier Division next season as champions.
Iorras were the better side in the first half but Killala’s doggedness and heart was evident as they threw themselves in front of anything their opponents could conjure up. Dara Padden went close on 15 minutes with a header that went just over the bar and he turned creator for Owen McHale just before half-time but like the earlier opportunity, McHale’s header failed to find the target.
Iorras did not relent in the second half but Killala goalkeeper James Coen was not forced into any serious save. McHale went even closer for Iorras on 75 minutes but with the goal at his mercy, he hit the crossbar.
With bodies tiring in the heavy heat, Killala ran their bench and it breathed new life into their side for extra-time. They almost took the lead in the first period through veteran Rory Gallagher but he was denied by a brilliant stop by young Iorras shotstopper Kyle Hefferon while Iorras hit the woodwork again in the second period, Dara Padden on this occasion as his shot was tipped onto the crossbar after coming off the head of Kevin Whyte.
Just when it looked like this game was going to penalties, Killala got the winner on 109 minutes as a rare mix-up at the back saw Stephen Morrell tap home from two yards to send Killala wild and win a first league title since 2010.
