Kilmichael 1-13
Macroom 0-13
BRENDAN KENNEALLY REPORTS
TWENTY years had passed since Kilmichael last won a Mid Cork U21 football championship title, and there have been many disappointments since that B championship victory of 2003.
All past heartaches were forgotten at sunny Kilmurry when Kilmichael overcame Macroom to take the Macroom Motors Mid Cork U21C football championship title by a goal.
The vital period came in the ten minutes after half time when Kilmichael turned a 0-5 apiece interval scoreline into a 1-8 to 0-6 lead. Tom Browne had put Kilmichael ahead from a free in the 32nd minute and three minutes later he struck for the vital score, leaving Macroom goalkeeper Noe Koller with no chance. Browne added a superb point and when Colin Kelleher pointed a Macroom free, Browne kicked another free. The centre forward had 1-9 of his side’s total, 1-4 coming from play, and was the most influential player on the field.
Macroom, despite playing with the wind, were doing well to be level at the break. It was 0-3 each after 12 minutes, and while Browne added two more points from frees, Macroom replied with scores from Oisín O’Sullivan and Liam Holland to be level at the break, 0-5 each.
After the decisive burst of early third quarter scoring both sides shared six points equally but there was increasing urgency in the Macroom play. Oisín O’Sullivan had a Macroom point to make it 1-11 to 0-10 on 55, but Conor Horgan pushed the lead back to five points, and then Colin Kelleher hit the butt of the Kilmichael upright.
After Cian O’Sullivan pointed for Macroom, there was only a goal between the sides when Colin Kelleher pointed a free in the 57th minute. There was still time for Browne and Oisín O’Sullivan to swap scores, but the laurels lay with Kilmichael.
Scorers - Kilmichael: T Browne 1-9 (6f); B Horgan 0-2 (1f); C Horgan, D Horgan 0-1 each. Macroom: C Kelleher 0-6 (4f); O O’Sullivan 0-4 (2f); L Holland 0-2; Cian O’Sullivan 0-1.
Kilmichael: Dylan Connolly; David O’Riordan, David Lynch; Isaac Wood, Michael Downey, Dylan Lynch; Brian Horgan, Danny Horgan; Cian McCarthy, Tom Browne, Diarmuid Kelleher; Zack Ryan, Conor Horgan. Sub: Sam Wood.
Macroom: Noe Koller; Sam Kelleher, Liam McSweeney; Cormac Burke, Ryan Sabas, Bobby Murphy; Ben O’Connell, Mark Condon; Colin Kelleher, Mark Hunt, Liam Holland; Oisín O’Sullivan, Kieran Doody. Subs: Barry Galvin, Cian O’Sullivan, Jack Sexton.
Referee: Kieran Furey (Cill na Martra).
