JJ KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Dungarvan Win Fourth Intermediate Championship
Dungarvan 0-14 Kill 0-10
Previous title winners in 1985, 2011 and in 2017, Dungarvan were deserving winners of their fourth County intermediate football title against Eastern champions Kill in Walsh Park last Saturday afternoon. The decider didn’t produce a goal with both sides missing a number of good opportunities while overall Dungarvan were the better side throughout the hour and the final score is generous to Kill.
Dungarvan were first to work the scoreboard with Gavin Crotty dissecting the posts in the 4th minute and outstanding midfielder Jack Lacey following suite one minute later. Killl were playing a lot of ball into their corner forward Cian Brown and he brought a good save out of Mark Boland in the 19th minute. Kill finally got off the mark from a Ciaran Kirwan pointed free in the 12th minute but Dungarvan responded immediately with the first of Kieran Power’s four minor scores from play. Donal Queally pointed Kill’s only first half point from play at the end of the first quarter, 0-3 to 0-2 before Dungarvan rattled of three points in a row. Gavin Crotty pointed a 19th minute free, Johnny Burke added a score from play in the 27th minute and Crotty kicked his second point from play in the final minute of normal time. Cian Browne missed a second goal scoring opportunity during this Dungarvan spate of scores but he pointed a free as the game entered added time to leave the score board reading 0-6 to 0-3.
Again Dungarvan responded with another score when Kieran Power pointed from play before Mickey Nicholls missed a third goal opportunity for the Eastern side. Deep into added time, Dungarvan captain Jack Lacey lofted over his second minor to leave his team comfortable 0-8 to 0-3 leaders at the break.
Credit Kill, they started the second half with intent and from the throw in Ciaran Kirwan raced down the middle through the Dungarvan defence to dissect the posts after just eleven seconds. Kieran Power showed his value to the winners with his third score in the 31st minute followed by a contender for score of the match from an acute angle near the bank sideline by Lacey’s midfield partner John Curran. Kill’s Ben Kirwan left his team double scores in arrears, 0-10 to 0-5, with a 38th minute point from play and Mickey Nicholls narrowed the gap further at the conclusion of the third quarter. However, Dungarvan responded in style with three scores in a row per Kieran Power, Michael Kiely who played a great second half, and Brendan Cullinane, 0-13 to 0-7. This was the winners’ greatest lead over the hour but a tally of six bad second half wides didn’t see of their opposition who went on to win this moiety by 0-7 to 0-6. Between the 52nd and the 58th minute, Kill scored three points in a row via Corey Kennedy, sub Paul Allen and a second pointed free by Cian Brown, 0-13 to 0-9. Jack Lacey played his captain’s part with a settling 59th minute score for the Blues before Ciaran Kirwan(f) finished the scoring in the 62nd minute with his third point. Dungarvan finished with a good team move but Kieran Power’s effort on goal was well saved by Kill keeper Kieran Dunphy who impressed throughout.
PRESENTATION Chairman of the County Board Sean Micheal O Regan presented the Michael Dunne Memorial Cup to the Dungarvan captain Jack Lacey whose team will now line out in the senior championship in 2021.
Dungarvan’s Top Three : Kieran Power, Darragh Lyons, Jack Lacey. Kill’s Top Three : Ciaran Kirwan, Kieran Dunphy, Cian Brown. Observer’s Man of the Match : Kieran Power. Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 7. Kill : 7. Scores From Play : 0-13. Kill : 0-6. Frees For : Dungarvan : 15. Kill : 14. Wides : Dungarvan : 9. Kill : 2. Score of the Match : John Curran’s 37th minute point from play for Dungarvan.
Scorers : Dungarvan : Kieran Power 0-4, Jack Lacey 0-3, Gavin Crotty 0-3(1f), Johnny Burke, John Curran, Michael Kiely and Brendan Cullinan 0-1 each.
Kill : Ciaran Kirwan 0-3(2f), Cian Browne 0-2f, Donal Queally, Ben Kirwan, Mickey Nicholls, Corey Kennedy and Paul Allen 0-1 each.
Teams : Dungarvan : Mark Boland; Conor Sheridan, Derek Barry, Kealan Daly; Jamie Nagle, Darragh Lyons, Michael Kiely; John Curran, Jack Lacey; Kieran Power, Brendan Cullinan, Johnny Burke; Joe Duggan, Gavin Crotty, Darren Duggan. Subs : Luke O Callaghan for Darren Duggan(53), Gavin Power for Brendan Cullinan (58).
Kill : Kieran Dunphy; Mike Dunphy, Niall Hennessy, Richie Cullinane; Johnny Flynn, Oisin Queally, Peter Casey; Ciaran Kirwan, Ben Kirwan; Donal Queally, Cathal Scanlon, Anthony Kiely; Cian Browne, Mikey Nicholls, Corey Kennedy. Subs : Eric Lonergan for Cathal Scanlom (inj, 34), Richard Lynch for Mikey Nicholls(48).
Referee : Tony Larkin(Ballyduff Lower).
