Late O Donovan free keeps Kilmac hopes alive
County Junior A Football Championship Quarter Final (FT): Kilmacabea 0-13 Boherbue 1-10
A 64th minute pointed free from the boot of ace midfield Daniel O Donovan rescued the Junior A Footballers in their County Junior A Football Championship Quarter Final, played at a very well presented Kilmurry venue last Saturday afternoon 6th October 2018. As has been the pattern of most of our games this season, the team started slowly and it took until the 10th minute and a point from the boot of Damien Gore to settle the Kilmacs. From the 12th to the 22nd minute the Kilmacs took over and kicked four unanswered points to lead by 0-5 to 0-1. Some basic mistakes and some mistimed tackling mean the men from Duhallow kept in touch, and at half time the Kilmacs lead by 0-6 to 0-4.
The game continued in a similar manner in the 2nd half, with the Kilmacs taking a three point lead coming into the last ten minutes, courtesy of two Daniel O Donovan pointed frees, and one each from Donnacha McCarthy and dangerous corner forward Richie O Sullivan. The game now turned in the favour of Boherbue and some poor Kilmac defending and indiscipline was punished by the Duhallow men, who had levelled the game by the time the clock hit the 54th min.
A dramatic last seven minutes began with a long delivery from Boherbue, which just evaded the outstretched arms of fullback Niall Hayes , into their dangerous full forward Jerry O Connor. Niall trying to dispossess the Boherbue man, fouled him and the dangerous O Connor dispatched the ball to the back of Matthew O Neill’s net, to leave the Boherbue men leading by three points.
But you should never count out this Kilmac outfit, who have a never say die spirit. Having already come back during the drawn West Cork final, again they showed tremendous courage and fight to claw their way back from the brink with a late Daniel free and a wonderful finish from Tim Nyhan to leave only the minimum between the side. The tension in the crowd was palpable as Boherbue hit one more short kickout. The Kilmacs now swarming inside the opposition half, turned over the ball and when Richie O Sullivan was fouled, referee Pat O Leary moved the ball closer to the target and O Donovan obliged by kicking his fifth point of the game and taking the game to a replay.
Scorers: Daniel O Donovan (0-5, all frees), Damien Gore, Richie O Sullivan (0-3 each), Donnacha McCarthy (0-1), Timothy Nyhan (0-1)
Kilmacabea team: Matthew O Neill, Sam O Driscoll, Niall Hayes, Darren Whooley, Donnacha McCarthy, Martin Collins, Clive Sweetnam, Daniel O Donovan, Joseph Collins, Diarmuid O Callaghan, Ian Jennings, Dan Lynch, Donie O Donovan, Damien Gore, Richie O Sullivan
Subs used: Ciaran O Donovan, Ger O Donovan, Timothy Nyhan
