Kiltale get the job done

Kiltale............... 1-21

Na Fianna .................2-15

Kiltale made hard work of their victory over Na Fianna but nevertheless marched on to the semi-finals with a win at Longwood on Sunday.

It was all one-way traffic for Kiltale in the first-half and they built up a lead of 10 points in the first 25 minutes. Jack Regan was superb throughout and he was most definitely on song in the opening 30 minutes when he split the posts on six occasions, four from play. Na Fianna registered a couple of scores late in the first-half but still trailed by nine points at the interval.

Kiltale must of thought they had put the contest to bed when Peter Durnin found the back of the net just after the restart but Na Fianna rallied and between the 32nd and 39th minute outscored their opponents by 1-3 to 0-1 which kept their hopes alive.

John Donoghue’s side kept chipping away at scores and maintained their considerable advantage until the 50th minute when Na Fianna seized momentum and rattled off four points on the spin which reduced the gap back to four.

Points from Regan and Hughie O’Sullivan increased the lead back to six points. Anthony Healy’s goal in the 61st minute made for an exciting finish however, Kiltale managed to close out the contest well.

Regan scored three of Kiltale’s first four points which gave them a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 12 minutes. Durnin and McCabe extended the advantage to five points before the end of the first-quarter.

Ronan Byrne pulled one back for Na Fianna with a superb free but his effort was immediately cancelled out by Ross Ryan before Regan put Kiltale six ahead. Regan tagged on another before Adam Murphy added his name to Kiltale’s scoresheet.

Regan split the posts again soon after and James Kelly put Kiltale 10 points ahead after 25 minutes. Healy traded scores with Garvey and on the cusp of half-time Byrne slotted his third free to close the gap to 0-4 to 0-13 at the break.

Soon after the restart, Kiltale landed a blow when Durnin found the net, but Na Fianna responded with a goal from Oisin Bright. O’Sullivan restored Kiltale’s 10-point lead, but a free and a ‘65’ from Byrne and a Michael Heffernan point reduced the gap to seven after 40 minutes.

In the subsequent 10 minutes the sides traded three points each, Byrne traded frees with Regan, Bright and Conor Cummins split the posts for Pierce Treacy’s side while Garvey and Jack Bannon contributed for Kiltale.

With 10 minutes left, Kiltale still led by eight points before Na Fianna rallied with points from Michael Heffernan, Peter Slevin and Byrne (two).

Scores from Regan and O’Sullivan gave Kiltale breathing space before Healy gave Na Fianna hope with a superb strike to the Kiltale net. After Regan extended the lead back out to four all Na Fianna were able to muster was a Jake Doherty point and the final whistle confirmed their departure back to the SHC B while Kiltale march on to the semi-final to face Ratoath.

Kiltale: Shane McGann; Jack Bannon (0-1), larla Hughes, Seán Harrigan; James Kelly (0-3), Philip Garvey (0-2), Fearghal McCabe (0-1); Brian O'Reilly, Luke Madden; Adam Murphy (0-1), Hughie O'Sullivan (0-2), Mark O'Sullivan; Peter Durnin (1-1), Ross Ryan (0-1), Jack Regan (0-9 five frees). Subs: Padraig Kelly for McCabe 48m, Lewis Ryan for Durnin 51m, Conor Shirren for Madden 59m.

Na Fianna: Jonathan McCloskey; Conor Cummins (0-1), Stephen Slevin, Cian Doherty; Shane Jordan, Peter Slevin (0-1 free), Jake Doherty (0-1); Anthony Healy (1-1), Ethan Devine; Oisin Bright (1-1), Ronan Byrne (0-8 six frees, one ‘65’), Michael Heffernan (0-2); Eoin Bright, Eimhin Flynn, Sean Coffey. Sub: Cian Slattery for Flynn 36m.

Referee: James Clarke (Cavan).