'Ross rally relegates Kilmainham
JFC RELEGATION FINAL
Carnaross ....................1-12
Kilmainham .................0-10
Just 347 days on from lifting the Junior B Championship, Carnaross ensured at least another year in the Junior A grade by condemning relegation play-off specialists Kilmainham to the basement grade on Wednesday night in Ballinlough, writes Davy Rispin.
Three points down entering the final quarter, Carnaross hit 1-5 unanswered in the final 15 minutes to quell the prospect of an immediate return to Junior B in 2026. The current Cavan Ladies management team of Emmet Daly and Donal Farrelly were drafted in just before the Championship, answering the SOS call to keep the side they guided to glory a little under 12 months ago to safety and they did just that.
In a typically nervous affair, the sides exchanged the lead several times in the opening half with former Meath star and current Kilmainham player/manager Mickey Newman very much the class act on show with an exhibition of place-ball kicking. Newman’s ‘45’ and two-point free had his side narrowly in front at the end of the first quarter, 0-3 to 0-2 with Charlie Murphy (son of Meath great Ollie) and Darragh O’Reilly on target for ‘the Ross’.
O’Reilly and John Reilly registered scores either side of a Jamie O’Sullivan riposte to draw the sides level after 23 minutes with Shane Morgan spurning a great goal opportunity for Kilmainham moments later. A second two-point free of the half from the excellent Newman ensured the team in red and black led at the break despite a late Adam Kerins effort before the interval, 0-7 to 0-6.
From the restart Newman claimed possession, tore through the heart of the Carnaross defence and caressed over a peach of a point to extent the lead to two. Carnaross’ response was impressive, a free from Paddy McDermott immediately followed by a third from the hardworking O’Reilly had the game deadlocked at seven points apiece with 20 minutes remaining.
Cillian Comaskey’s flicked effort goalwards narrowly fell the wrong side of the post and it looked potentially fatal when Conor Kilgallen and a third two-point free from Newman pushed Kilmainham three clear with 45 on the clock.
Remarkably it would prove to be Kilmainham’s last score and quickfire points from McDermott and Luke Gillic reduced the arrears to one with eight minutes to go. Then came the big moment and who better to answer the curtain-call than John L McGee. A cross-shot from O’Reilly dropped in and around the goalmouth with the 43-year-old poacher on the spot to touch in from close range despite claims of a square-ball which were waved away.
A magnificent two-point free from McDermott from an acute angle along with a single point free put some gloss on the scoreboard from a Carnaross perspective as they live to fight another year. No such reprieve for Kilmainham as they finally bite the dust.
Carnaross: Liam Day; Feidhlim Farrelly, James O’Connor, Adam Kerins (0-1); Shane Yore, Paddy Farnan, John Reilly (0-1); Luke Gillic (0-1), Dermot McGee; Oisín Yore, Darragh O’Reilly (0-3), Charlie Murphy (0-1); Cillian Comaskey, Paddy McDermott (0-5 one two-point free, two frees), Paddy Morris. Subs – John L McGee (1-0) for Morris 37m, Tomás Plunkett for Comaskey 50m.
Kilmainham: Dean Peppard; Padraig Caffrey, Harry Newman, Stephen Newman; Jamie O’Sullivan (0-1), Seanie Mahon, Declan Mullen; Ger Morgan, Mickey Newman (0-8 three two-point frees, one ‘45’); Michael Hoey, Freddie Newman, Andy Arkins; Johnny Quinlan, Conor Kilgallen (0-1), Shane Morgan.
Referee - Paddy Clarke (Kilmainhamwood)