A winning return for Killimer

Killimer 3-11
Cooraclare 1-4

KILLIMER junior footballers returned to competitive action in the Clare Football League after a four-year absence last Saturday.

Competing in Division 7, they opened their season in front of a large and supportive home crowd against a hugely experienced Cooraclare team.
Playing into a strong breeze, this youthful Killimer side took little time in finding their feet and played with purpose and speed to compete with the veterans from Cooraclare, who lost their talisman, Joe Garry to injury midway through the first half.
At the break, Killimer led 2-4 to 0-3 in the main due to the scoring exploits of Paul Browne ably assisted by Patrick Carmody and Ruari Norrby. On the resumption of play, their fitness and weeks of training began to tell and they pulled away from a tiring Cooraclare side to eventually run out 3-11 to 1-4 winners.
While the forwards played their part, this win owed as much to the contribution of the defence where Pádraig Flanagan and man of the match Enda Mulqueen dominated.
They will indeed face tougher days but the main victory on Saturday was to compete and all 20, who played along with the remaining panel members, had reason to be proud of this result.
Much credit is due to club chairman, John Madigan, and Patrick Browne along with the rest of the club officers for working tirelessly to buck the national trend in getting this new team onto the playing field. With 25 to 30 players training every week under the watchful eye of coach Eoin Murray, it has brought new hope to the younger members of the Killimer playing teams.
It is worth noting that Maurice Nugent, the great grandfather of the Cooraclare midfield pairing of Paul and Noel Morrissey was part of the 1896 Killimer team that won the county senior championship.

Killimer: Pádraig Keniry, James Blake, Richard Carmody, Thomas Smyth, Enda Mulqueen, Pádraig Flanagan, Jack Browne, Adrian Fitzpatrick, Brian Grogan, David Kelly, Patrick Carmody, Eoghan Keniry, Brian Culligan, R Norrby, Paul Browne.
Subs: Eoin Grogan, Sean Madigan, Martin Crowe, Pádraig Donovan, Marcus Moran, Patrick McMahon, Robert Prunty, Derek Flavin.
Cooraclare: Mark Reidy, Michael O’Malley, Gearóid O’Doherty, Senan O’Sullivan, Michael Chambers, Barry Nolan, Fergal Nolan, Paul Morrissey, Noel Morrissey, Brian Chambers, Pádraig Mescall, Sean Gallagher, Kenny O’Driscoll, Joe Garry, Gary Tubridy.
Subs: John O’Connell, Andrew Hassett, John Corry, Stephen Fennell and John McMahon.