Kilmainhamwood end 17 year wait for final appearance
K’wood 0-16
Cortown 2-5
It was a case of what might have been for Cortown in the Junior B FC semi-final on Sunday afternoon in an atmospheric Grangegodden on Sunday lunchtime as Kilmainhamwood returned to a county final for the first time since 2009.
The first half was a game that swung this way and that, Kilmainhamwood under the stewardship of Kieran Shankey and Stephen Smith made the faster start and raced into a 0-7 to 0-2 lead. Quickfire two-pointers from Killian Russell and the impressive Kian Gillespie along with scores from Rian Stafford and Brian Cassidy had the 1996 senior champions in control.
Scores from Jake Coyne and a Cian Loughran free accounted for Cortown’s opening two scores but they received a significant boost when referee Robbie Lynch awarded Davy Wright’s side a penalty for a foot-block. Oisin Smith stepped up to slot home to give the underdogs hope.
Their prospects increased even further with scores from Fitzsimons and Brian Faulkner before the second goal arrived shortly before the break.
Hugh Staunton beautifully threaded the ball through the eye of a needle to find Fitzsimons who improvised by directing the ball beyond the advancing goalkeeper with the outside of his right boot. It handed Cortown a three-point half-time lead, 2-4 to 0-7.Having spent the break recomposing, the 'Wood came out a team rejuvenated in the early stages of the second-half with Stafford to the fore.
The Kilmainhamwood marksman was fortunate to land a brace of two-point frees which bounced over the crossbar as the pendulum swung again.
Cortown struggled to get a foothold and although wasteful, could only manage a solitary second half point from a Daragh Smith advanced mark. The leaders pushed on with further scores from Stafford, Matthew Vaughan and Dylan Ogle sealing the deal and a date with Kilmainham on Sunday week.
Kilmainhamwood: Josh Clarke; Paul Carolan, Killian Russell (0-2), Padraic Barber; Noah Madden, Brian Cassidy (0-1), Niall Conlon; Kian Gillespie (0-2), Ciaran Doyle; Cillian Burns, Rian Stafford (0-9), Joe Shankey; Matthew Vaughan (0-1), Dylan Ogle (0-1), Shane Townley. Subs - Eoin Finnegan, Aaron O'Donnell.
Cortown: Colm McGearty; Josh Keating, Barry Canning, Charlie Smith; Kevin Muldoon, Theo Staunton, Daragh Smith (0-1 mark); Elliot Reilly, Oisin Smith (1-0 penalty); Jake Coyne (0-1), Ciaran Keating, Brian Faulkner (0-1); Cian Loughran (0-1 free), Hugh Staunton, Kian Fitzsimons (1-1). Subs: Stevie Clarke for Muldoon, Davy Rispin for Faulkner, Tommy Smith for Reilly, Decky Clarke for Canning.
Referee : Robbie Lynch (St Vincent’s).