Kinsale 1-11 

St Michael's 0-9

JJ HURLEY REPORTS

KINSALE preserved their premier junior football status with a courageous performance against St Michael's in a relegation decider at blustery Ballygarvan on Sunday.

In a season where the Seasiders have failed to sustain their high-tempo game over the hour, this exception led to a positive result.

After the final whistle, selector Laurence Murphy said,' I am thrilled, this is a very important result. We are very young and have a lot to learn, and during the year we wanted them to play in a certain way, and today it happened.'

In challenging conditions, a mix of Kinsale's experience and youth saw them over the line as team captain Brian Coughlan steadied early nerves with two frees. St Michael's top marksman Paul Cronin replied with a free for the city side.

Playing with the wind, Kinsale were carving out the better opportunities as one of Kinsale's star men, Michael Murphy, punched over for a point. As Kinsale began to use James Murphy to their advantage, he opened his account on 15 minutes with Kinsale's fourth score.

Another point from a free from Coughlan was followed by James Murphy scoring a brilliant individual goal after 20 minutes, despite the best efforts of Michael's goalkeeper.

The city men needed to find a quick response, and it came from the boot of Cronin, with two frees, but Kinsale's young guns, in the form of James Murphy and David Looney, replied with two points. Kinsale led 1-7 to 0-4 at the break.

Kinsale got a dream start to the second half as Michael Murphy was upended for a penalty, but St Michael's goalkeeper produced a brilliant stop. The save had a positive response from his teammates as they scored their first point of the half from Billy Cain.

Further exchanges from Coughlan (2) and Cain had the score at 1-10 to 0-7. St Michael's number 11 brought his tally to five points on 54 minutes before Kinsale replied with a point from the impressive James Murphy moments later.

As the minutes ticked away, the city outfit pressed for an all-important goal, but O'Neill produced a save from Eoin Buckley that might have changed the tie. Instead, Kinsale stayed in control to avoid the dreaded drop.

Scorers

Kinsale: J Murphy 1-3; B Coughlan 0-5 (5f); M Murphy 0-2; D Looney 0-1.

St Michael's: P Cronin 0-6 (6f), B Cain 0-2 (1f); S Ahern 0-1.

Kinsale: S O'Neill; C McCarthy, K O'Callaghan, C McCarthy; B O'Neill, N McCarthy, D O'Mahony; J Rooney, B Coughlan; G Kearney, J O'Brien, D Looney; C O'Callaghan, M Murphy, J Murphy.

Subs: B Gray for O'Brien (47); H Sheehan for Rooney (51), F Ahern for O'Mahony (60), S O'Brien for Looney (60).

St Michael's: M O'Connell; J Lenihan, A Nolan, R Ahern; S Ahern, C Hanley, O Hanley; S O'Sullivan, B Cain; T Grainger, P Cronin, M Carroll; D O'Sullivan, E Buckley, D Cremin.

Subs: Pat Doyle for Grainger (40); S Murphy for Hanley (42).

Referee: Peter O'Leary (Cloughduv).