Kilfenora’s Munster hopes dashed

Kilfenora’s dream of progressing in the Munster Club Junior Football Championship were dashed at Tallow in West Waterford on Saturday when they went under to their Waterford counterparts.

Kilfenora did well in the early minutes and struck for points from Austin Kelly and Killian Malone. However, they failed to build on this as the home side took control and they jumped in front as early as the sixth minute when Kieran Geary struck for their goal, a score that the Clare side should have prevented.
Tallow got the upper hand after this and when the half-time whistle sounded, they were 1-9 to 0-3 ahead. Kilfenora were a little unlucky to have had a Killian Malone goal disallowed in the opening half when the referee ruled that he was in the square before punching the ball to the net.
During the second quarter in particular, the Clare representatives were under huge pressure as JP Gray, Paul O’Brien and Donnacda Mulcahy all got through for impressive points.
On the resumption of play they continued to dominate and they stretched their advantage to 1-13 to 0-4 by the three-quarter stage.
To their credit, Kilfenora refused to accept defeat and goals from Killian Malone and substitute James Brody, together with points from Malone and Austin Kelly, closed the gap to four points.
However, time wasn’t on the visitors’ side and Tallow finished with a point to seal a deserved victory.
It was a disappointing end to the season for the North Clare outfit but they had achieved their number one target, which was to win promotion to intermediate level.
Killian Malone, Austin Kelly, Cathal Nagle, MJ Malone and the Connoles did well on the day for the Clare side.

Tallow: Ross Livingston; James Hampton, Brian Henley, Aaron Pratt; Willian Murphy, Dave O’Brien, Kevin Curley; James Murray, Kieran Geary; Stephen Pratt, Shane Finn McCarthy, Paul O’Brien; JP Gray, William Henley, Donnacda Mulcahy.
Scorers: D Mulcahy, P O’Brien (0-4) each; JP Gray, W Henley (0-3) each; K Geary (1-1).
Subs: Mike Curley for S Pratt; Sean Slattery for Gray, Kevin Henley for Curley; Luke McCarthy for Mulcahy.
Kilfenora: Liam Keane; Shane Long, Diarmuid Nagle, Paudie Ireland; Paul Reddan, Cathal Nagle, MJ Malone; Pat Connole, Jonathan O’Gorman; Jason Connole, James Keane, Killian Malone; Austin Kelly, Liam O’Brien, Kevin Theasby.
Scorers: Killian Malone (1-2); James Brody (1-0); Austin Kelly (0-2); Jason and Pat Connole, Kevin Theasby (0-1) each.
Subs: Sean McMahon for Ireland; James Brody for J Connole.
Referee: Ray Moloney, Limerick.