JJ KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER FINAL
Michael Kiely’s Added Time Goal Decides Local Derby Thriller
Epic Encounter Level Nine Times
Dungarvan 2-17 Abbeyside 3-12
This eagerly looked forward to County SHC quarter final game between local rivals either side of the Colligan river, Abbeyside and Dungarvan didn’t fail to disappoint the huge attendance that paid £18,200 into the Fraher Field last Sunday evening. The game had everything that one would have hoped for and more and the way it concluded could not have been scripted. The five goals scored were very well taken but it was the one in the 63rd and final minute of the announced three minutes of added time that denied Abbeyside victory.
A TALE OF TWO KIELYS
Certainly, this game was the tale of the two Michael Kiely’s on either team with both contributing significantly to their team’s efforts. The 18 year old Michael Kiely from the Village gave an outstanding display of full forward play while his older namesake on the Blues side, operating at midfield ran all the way to the town end goal to finish a Gavin Crotty delivery past Stephen Enright in a crowded goal area to win the game. The hero of the hour also struck a sideline cut from around midfield over the bar and it is some coincidence in this local derby that these two fine players share the same name. Everybody will have their own outstanding memories from this epic but the one that stands out is the 55th minute rasper of a goal from a distance by Joe Allen immediately after Michael Kiely had doubled on a pass from Patrick Hurney to give Abbeyside the lead at 2-11 to 0-14. Both goals brought the derby to a new height and they introduced a thrilling conclusion to the match. In our own view, Abbeyside’s Michael Kiely was a class act in the forwards for Abbeyside and it is only a matter of time before he will don the County jersey at senior level. Following a pointed free from a distance by Abbeyside goalie Stephen Enright, Kiely pounced on a loose ball to score his first goal in the 3rd minute. The derby produced its first yellow cards with Mark Ferncome and John Curran picking up ‘getting to know you ‘ ones before Gavin Crotty, who was a constant threat at full forward, settled the Blues with their opening score. Michael Kiely added a second Abbeyside point and at this stage his team looked the better bet especially with Dungarvan shooting a number of wides and seven in total in the first half, 1-2 to 0-1.
ABBEYSIDE TACTIC
Dungarvan hit a mini scoring purple patch between the 7th and the 11th minute via Ryan Donnolly(f), Gavin Crotty and Patrick Curran before Neil Montgomery struck a contender for score of the match from the bank side on 13 minutes. Michael Kiely’s high catching of the sliotar was causing havoc in the Dungarvan defence while Gavin Power did well to smother the ball and save from Patrick Hurney at the end of the first quarter, 1-3 to 0-4. While the tactic of playing Michael Kiely on his own in the full forward line proved successful, it also had its negatives as both Mark Ferncombe and Neil Montgomery, two fine forwards in their own right, were shut out of the game for long spells
LEVEL FOR THE FIRST TIME
The teams were level for the first time on 17 minutes following minor scores by Kenny Moore, who was outstanding throughout at wing back, and Ryan Donnolly (f) 1-3 to 0-6 before Mark Ferncombe restored Abbeyside’s lead three minutes later. Sean Ryan placed Gavin Crotty for his second score to level again before Conor Prunty pointed a morale boosting score in the 21st minute. Playing at centre back Prunty was being well matched by Conor Sheridan and his influence may have been lessened when he was moved to full back to attend to the menacing Gavin Crotty. Patrick Curran had the teams level for the third occasion in the 24th minute with a second Mark Ferncombe pointed free altering this one minute later, 1-6 to 0-8. Mark Twomey made it a 0-2 differential in the 27th minute with Darragh Lyons picking up a yellow card under pressure at the back but his presence there denied Michael Kiely total domination. The other Michael Kiely went on a trade mark run before slotting over a 29th minute score as Abbeyside entered the dressing rooms with a 0-1 lead at 1-7 to 0-9. The Village were never led in the first half.
FIRST TIME IN FRONT
The start of the second half saw Dungarvan take the lead for the first time by the 38th minute per two pointed frees by Ryan Donnolly who had no booing to contend with in this half from unsupervised children taking hurling balls behind the other end. Michael Kiely replaced Mark Ferncombe on free taking duties and he levelled in the 39th minute. Dungarvan got a let off in the 40 minute when Patrick Hurney’s piledriver came back off the country end crossbar and then we were treated to Michael Kiely’s magnificent sideline cut for the Blues. Next to pick up yellow cards in an increasing intense contest were Michael Kiely(D) and Brian Looby and in between Michael Kiely had a free called wide but then given on further consultation, 1-9 to 0-12.
EXTRA TIME LOOMING
Between the 47th and the 53rd minutes, Ryan Donnolly (f) and Neil Montgomery traded minors as did Jamie Nagle and Michael Kiely(f). Extra time looked on the cards at this stage and especially when major scores were traded by Michael Kiely and Joe Allen and 55 minutes played, 2-11 to 1-14. With the clock running down, Mark Ferncombe and Ryan Donnolly exchanged scores as Tiernan Murray came on for Mark Twomey and Luke O Callaghan for Jack Lacey. Three minutes of added time were announced and Conor Prunty was wide with a good point scoring chance. In the 60th minute Gavin Crotty gave Dungarvan the lead with his fourth point of the game but one minute later the game looked to have swung Abbeyside’s way permanently when Mark Ferncombe netted his team’s third goal, 3-12 to 1-16.
WINNING GOAL
Dungarvan didn’t throw in the towel though and this is what stood to them in the final analysis. Ryan Donnolly immediately pointed a free from his own ‘65’ a magnificent score in a pressurised situation. Into the final minute and Gavin Crotty gathered the ball on the bank side and his high delivery was met by Michael Kiely and he managed to bat the ball on the run into the town net to put his team up by 0-2. There wasn’t time left for Abbeyside to counterattack, and God knows what would have unfolded but the honours on this occasion went to the boys in blue while nobody could have complained if the game ended level. Credit both sets of players for the fare provided in a memorable game
. Dungarvan’s Top Three : Kenny Moore, Michael Kiely, Gavin Crotty. Abbeyside’s Top Three : Michael Kiely, Darragh McGrath, Brian Looby. Observer’s Man of the Match : Michael Kiely (Abbeyside). Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 7. Abbeyside : 6. Scores From Play : Dungarvan : 1-10. Abbeyside : 3-6. Frees For : Dungarvan : 11. Abbeyside : 11. Wides : Dungarvan : 11. Abbeyside : 5. Score of the Match : Dungarvan’s 55th minute goal engineered by Kealan Daly and executed by Joe Allen.
Scorers :
Dungarvan : Ryan Donnolly 0-7(6f), Michael Kiely 1-2(1’sl’), Gavin Crotty 0-4, Joe Allen 1-0, Patrick Curran 0-2, Kenny Moore and Jamie Nagle 0-1 each.
Abbeyside : Michael Kiely 2-4(3f), Mark Ferncome 1-3(2f), Neil Montgomery 0-2, Stephen Enright(f), Conor Prunty and Mark Twomey 0-1 each.
Teams ;
Dungarvan : Gavin Power; Darragh Lyons, John Curran, Sean Ryan; Jamie Nagle, Kieran Power, Kenny Moore; Michael Kiely, Jack Lacey; Joe Allen, Conor Sheridan, Ryan Donnolly; Cathal Curran, Gavin Crotty, Patrick Curran. Subs : Kealan Daly for Conor Sheridan (h/t), Luke O Callaghan for Jack Lacey (57)Cormac Curran for Caathal Curran (bl,inj,60).
Abbeyside : Stephen Enright; Brian Looby, Evan Collins, David Collins; Darragh McGrath Conor Prunty, Richie Foley; Maurice Power, Michael Maher; John Hurney, Neil Montgomery, Michaek Kiely; Mark Twomey, Patrick Hurney, Mark Ferncombe. Subs : John Elstead for Evan Collins (23), Tiernan Murray for Mark Twomey (57).
Referee : Nicky O Toole (St. Pauls).
