Another draw in U-21 title race

Kilmaley 1-11
Ballyea 0-14

Given the fact that this particular U-21 championship campaign had produced three draws prior to the final, all of them involving Kilmaley, it didn’t come as any great surprise that last evening’s decider ended all square at Cusack Park.

While supporters of both sides will point to missed chances, the end result was a fair outcome to a tie played in difficult weather conditions.
Finding a date for the replay will give the CCC a few headaches as inter-county minor championships dominate the next couple of weeks and both clubs have players on both the Clare minor hurling and football teams.
Kilmaley got off to a dream start on Wednesday evening, the first meeting of these neighbouring clubs in the final in this particular championship. Inside the opening minute, Daire Keane made a superb catch from a John Cabey delivery before blasting to the net.
The score would have rattled many teams but, to their credit, Ballyea didn’t panic and by the seventh minute had drawn level, 1-1 to 0-4. Kilmaley edged three ahead again but again Ballyea, thanks mainly to the accuracy of Tony Kelly, who started the game at centre forward before moving to midfield, fought back and levelled the game with a minute to play in the half.
Kelly then produced a moment of magic to score a point from the sideline to put his team in front for the first time 0-9 to 1-5.
Shortly before the half time whistle, Kelly tried for a goal from a 20m free but his effort was saved. The outcome was the same nine minutes into the second half when he again blasted for goal from a 20m free.
It could be argued that a point from either of these efforts would have resulted in victory for Ballyea but it has to be said that Kilmaley also had a couple of misses.
There was little between the sides in the second half but Kilmaley looked to be edging towards their second title at this level – and their first since 1975 – when they went two points clear with four minutes to go.
Ballyea refused to give up and after Kelly cut the margin to the minimun when he landed his tenth point, Gearóid O’Connell fired over a superb equaliser in the first minute of injury time.
Paul Flanagan, Jack Browne, Cathal Doohan, Gearóid O’Connell and Tony Kelly all made valuable contributions for Ballyea, while Martin O’Connor, Niall, Aidan and especially Colin McGuane, Conor Cleary and Daire Keane were impressive for Kilmaley.

Kilmaley: Bryan O’Loughlin; Stephen Hickey, Martin O’Connor, Niall McGuane; Kevin McNamara, Colin McGuane (capt), Enda Finnucane; Eoin Enright, Conor Cleary; John Cabey, Michael O’Neill, Cillian McNamara; Cian Moloney, Daire Keane, Aidan McGuane.
Subs: Paul Kennedy for Moloney (45 minutes), Kevin Conlon for Cillian McNamara (52 minutes).
Scorers: Michael O’Neill (0-4f); Daire Keane (1-1); John Cabey (0-2f); Eoin Enright, Conor Cleary, Cian Moloney, Aidan McGuane (0-1 each).

Ballyea: Shane Harkin; Declan Keane, Paul Flanagan, Cormac Ryan; David Sheehan, Cathal Doohan (capt), Jack Browne; Gearóid O’Connell, Stan Lineen; Brian Murphy, Tony Kelly, Niall Deasy; Eoin Donnellan, James Murphy, Mark Coughlan.
Subs: Martin O’Leary for Donnellan (37 minutes); Tadhg Lynch for Coughlan (55 minutes); Joe Nealon for Keane (inj, 57 minutes).
Scorers: Tony Kelly (0-10, 6f, 1 ’65); Jack Browne (0-2); Gearóid O’Connell, Brian Murphy (0-1 each).

Referee: Rory Hickey, Éire Óg.