Kilmessan land heavy blows to outpoint wayward Kiltale

Stunned Jubilee Cup pretenders pay the price

Kilmessan ..............0-19

Kiltale................... 0-12

Those proclaiming Kiltale as champions-elect after their opening round win over Kildalkey were given food for thought by a hugely impressive Kilmessan as they scored a superb SHC victory at Trim on Saturday evening.

Kilmessan's win won't come as a surprise to those who saw their battling draw with champions Ratoath in round one, but this was an even more impressive display from Chucky Keena's men as they hassled, harried and hounded Kiltale into mistake after mistake while clipping over a plethora of fine scores themselves.

Kiltale will reflect on 22 wides and suggest that profligacy was the reason for their downfall, but Kilmessan weren't flawless in front of the posts either and could still afford 13 wides themselves.

Their more direct, front-footed approach was key, both with and against the stiff breeze, and while Kiltale struggled with their accuracy Kilmessan took advantage.

Without key attacking options Ross Ryan and Hugh O'Sullivan Kiltale were limited as Kilmessan did a great job on the dangermen with Chris Green, Shane Brennan, Kris Gorman, Kyle Donnelly and Alex Smyth immense.

After falling behind to a Mark O'Sullivan score Kilmessan used the wind well with two scores each from the excellent Lorcan Byrne and Sean Doyle (one '65') giving them a 0-4 to 0-1 lead in a low-scoring, slow-burning opening quarter.

A great save by Sean Power to deny Fearghal McCabe a goal gifted Jack Regan a '65', but all Kiltale could muster for the rest of the opening half were two more frees from Regan as Byrne, Lorcan O'Connor, Mark Horan, Doyle (two), Darragh Horan and Cian Maguire pointed to give Kilmessan a 0-11 to 0-4 interval lead.

Darragh Horan stretched that within 14 seconds of the restart and when Byrne pointed five minutes later Kilmessan were nine clear.

Four in row from Kiltale, including a free from Regan and scores from play from Adam Murphy (two) and Peter Durnin, hinted at a Kiltale rally as they closed to within five, 0-8 to 0-13, but Kilmessan settled brilliantly again.

Gorman landed the score of the game from the right before two frees and a '65' from Doyle restored the nine-point cushion, 0-17 to 0-8, with 10 minutes remaining.

Kiltale got three of the next four points with Joey Keena pointing in the middle of a flurry from Regan (free), Murphy and McCabe which made it 0-11 to 0-18, but the goal Kiltale craved never looked like coming as Kilmessan defended with their lives.

Will Byrne hit a point on the counter and Kiltale's closing score came when Jack Bannon over-hit a centre and it dropped over the bar as the goal never came and Kilmessan claimed a memorable and deserved victory.

Kilmessan - Sean Power; Lorcan O'Connor (0-1), Shane Brennan, Chris Green; Kris Gorman (0-1), Kyle Donnelly, Alex Smyth; Cian Maguire (0-1), Finn Conroy; Kevin Keena, Lorcan Byrne (0-4), Darragh Horan (0-2); Mark Horan (0-1), Sean Doyle (0-7 two frees, two '65s'), Will Byrne (0-1). Subs - Joey Keena (0-1) for Maguire 43m, Jack Cottrell for K Keena 49m, Conor Horan for D Horan 54m, Robbie Johnson for Byrne 63m.

Kiltale - Shane McGann; Jack Bannon (0-1), Iarla Hughes, Sean Harrigan; Conor Ryan, Philip Garvey, Craig Gilsenan; Brian O'Reilly, Fearghal McCabe (0-1); Adam Murphy (0-3), Mark O'Sullivan (0-1), James Kelly; Peter Durnin (0-1), Conor Shirren, Jack Regan (0-5 four frees, one '65'). Subs - Padraig Kelly for Garvey 39m, Anthony Forde for O'Reilly 47m, Garvey for J Kelly 55m.

Referee - Derek Argue (Cavan).