Kilbride 1-9, Clonmore 1-6
Ulster Bank IFC replay
By Angela Doyle
Kilbride intermediate footballers bridged a thirty-four year gap when they won their third title, defeating Clonmore by three points in Sunday’s Ulster Bank intermediate football championship replay at Dr Cullen Park. The sides had drawn at 1-7 each two weeks previously at the same venue. Clonmore made all the early running and had two points on the board from right half forward Con Murphy in the fourth and sixth minute. After that, scores were hard to come by, and it was a further eleven minutes before Seamus Gray opened Kilbride’s account. Full forward Pauric Nolan levelled the sides a minute later with a neat point from the right wing.
The Clonmore men led by Peter Kiernan surged ahead again and two excellent points from the same player, opened up a 0-4 to 0-2 point lead on the stroke of half time. With a very late surge, Kilbride came back with two points, one from a Seamus Gray free and the other from Darragh Foley as the sides finished level at 0-4 each after an entertaining first half.
A minute into the last period, and Jim Fitzpatrick, put the men from Kilbride Cross into the lead for the first time. With play moving swiftly up and down field the game really came to life when Clonmore’s Niall Humphries cracked home a wonderful goal after the ball was floated in from the sideline to restore the lead again, Clonmore 1-4, Kilbride 0-5, after seven minutes. Kilbride’s answer was swift and to the point, a minute later Pauric Nolan narrowed the gap to a single point after he scored a point which he quickly followed up with a cracking goal. The lead changed hands again, Kilbride 1-6, Clonmore 1-4 with twenty-one minutes left to play.
However it was during this period of play that Kilbride defended more tightly, keeping a close eye on Clonmore’s danger men. True to form, Clonmore rallied as points from Gavin Byrne and Con Murphy kept them in touch. However the Kilbride men were in no mood to let them come any closer than two points, and when Seamus Gray put three points between the sides it was going to take a goal from the Clonmore men to redeem the situation. It didn’t come and the Ned Doogue Cup was on its way out the Wexford road, safely guarded by Mick O’Brien.
It was a supreme team-effort from the winners who now turn their attention to the first round of the Leinster club intermediate football championship when they take on Offaly club winners at an Offaly venue on Sunday.
Disappointment for a gallant Clonmore side who gave everything they had on both days. The loss of a few valued players through injury from the last day didn’t help their cause. Clonmore will represent Carlow in the Leinster junior championship in two weeks time.
Kilbride: Derry O’Toole, James Foley, John Fitzpatrick Mick O’Brien (Captain ), Stuart Collier, Eoin Nolan, Colin O’Toole, Darragh Foley 0-1, Seamus Gray 0-4, Joe Waters, Brendan Butler, Jim Fitzpatrick 0-1, Noel Butler, Padraig Nolan 1-3, Stephen Curry. Substitutes: Michael Brown for James Foley, Tom Nolan for Jack Donoghue.
Clonmore: Paudge McGrath, Wesley Byrne, Colin Doyle, John Kelly, Willie Rooney, John Connolly, Con Cashin, Peter Kiernan 0-2, Johnny Doyle, Con Murphy 0-3, Ronan Doyle, Gavin Byrne 0-1, Niall Humphreys 1-0, John McGrath, Paddy Gahan. Substitutes: Pauric Lawler for Con Cashin, Shane Howard for Paddy Gahan, Paul Byrne for Gavin Byrne.
Referee: Pat Moran.
Kilbride won their first title in 1968 and again in 1974 and their third in 2008.
Clonmore were victorious in 1980 and 1994.
