Game of the Week: Kilskyre/Moylagh's comeback stands out

Dereck Muldoon's late magical moment completes fightback

Kilskyre/Moylagh v Wolfe Tones IHC Group B round five, Sunday 3/9/23 at Kildalkey

Kilskyre/Moylagh 3-12

Wolfe Tones 2-14

With three minutes left in this game a Wolfe Tones goal put them ahead by eight points and seemingly on their way to what would have been a deserved victory over a Kilskyre/Moylagh side who were already assured of a quarter final place.

What happened in the final three minutes plus 5 minutes of added time will have left the Tones devastated and Kilskyre/Moylagh wondering just how they managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Wolfe Tones who at the outset had a slim chance of qualification started the match in determined fashion and led by 0.5 to 0.0 after 10 minutes before Tom Shine pointed from a free to open the Kilskyre/Moylagh account. Wolfe Tones pointed a free in the 12th minute and Shine responded from frees in the 13th and 18th minutes to reduce the gap to three points.

The Tones added 3 points before Oisin McDermott pointed in the 28th minute to leave his side trailing 0.4 to 0.9. Wolfe Tones added three points with Tom Shine pointing for Kilskyre/Moylagh before the referee blew for half time with Tones leading 0-12 to 0-5.

Kilskyre/Moylagh were expected to come out for the second half in a more determined fashion but it was Wolfe Tones who opened the scoring in the first minute with a point. Daire Shine replied with a point but almost immediately Wolfe Tones pointed. Sean Geraghty drove forward in the 10th minute to point and substitute Lorcan Maguire added another to reduce the gap to six points. I

In the 13th minute the Tones goaled following some defensive hesitancy by Kilskyre/Moylagh and it appeared that the outcome at this stage was inevitable. However, Kilskyre/Moylagh refused to lie down and despite playing poorly hit four points on the trot from Geraghty, Willie McGrath and two Tom Shine frees to leave five points in it with four minutes remaining of normal time. Wolfe Tones goaled on the breakaway in the 27th minute and that appeared to be it for Kilskyre/Moylagh.

There was nothing for it now other than throw everyone forward, run at the defence and hope for the best. A free was awarded in the 29th minute and Daire Shine goaled despite the best efforts of the Tones defence to reduce the gap to five points.

In the first minute of added time Shine again goaled from a free after the referee had red carded the Wolfe Tones goalkeeper and moved the free to a more central position. In the 33rd minute of the half Kilskyre/Moylagh took a 65 short and Lorcan Maguire’s goal effort was blocked out for a further 65.

With the referee indicating time was almost up Dereck Muldoon stood over the 65 and a shot for the ages went all the way to the net to give his side the most unlikely of victories.

Kilskyre/Moylagh now move on to the quarter finals where they will meet Drumree.

Kilskyre/Moylagh: D Muldoon (1.0), J Connell, P. Muldoon, M Farrell, B Smith, S Geraghty (0.2), E Briody, D Shine (2.1), P Briody, O McDermott (0.1), T Shine (0.6), M Farrelly, W McGrath (0.1), P Byrne, K McCaffrey. Subs - L Maguire (0.1) for Briody, K Og Lynch for McDermott, O McDermott for Farrelly.

Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na Gael)

OTHER GAMES PLAYED.....

Rathmolyon0-21

Kildalkey1-14

Despite leading 1-9 to 0-9 at the interval Kildalkey succumbed to defeat to Rathmolyon in the IHC at Trim on Sunday. Short a few regulars and already through to the semi-finals Kildalkey were unable to contain a Rathmolyon side - who needed to win this game to stay in the competition - in the push for home.

A opportunistic Derek Doran goal was the difference between the sides at the interval but Kildalkey were overtaken. Matthew Cully fired over nine points for the vanquished team, seven frees, while Sean Heavey, Maurice Keogh and Andy Fagan also contributed five points between them but Rathmolyon simply had to win and they did.

Kildalkey - C Barry; S Reilly, E Fitzgerald, C McGourty; T Bird, M Doran, M Rickard; B Rickard, K Lynch; S Heavey (0-2), A Fagan (0-1) W Power; M Cully (0-9), M Keogh (0-2), D Doran (1-0). Subs - R Flynn for Power, R Byas for B Rickard.

JHC

Kildalkey3-10

Killyon2-10

With two teams on six points, two on five and only three teams going through it all came down to the last round of the group stage to see who qualified and Kildalkey made sure of their JHC semi-final spot when they defeated hosts Killyon on Saturday.

St Patrick's defeated Kiltale to go straight to the final while Kildalkey and Killyon must meet again in the last four while Kiltale miss out.

Kildalkey laid the foundation for this victory in the opening half and they led 2-5 to 0-3 at the interval and they pushed on from there. Stephen Murray helped himself to 2-1 for the victors while Enda Keogh also hit the target.

Evan Geoghegan fired over four points, three frees with Alex Rickard raising three white flags. Arron Traynor Cathal Reynolds Sean Corrigan Martin Browne Liam Carroll and Kevin Murray defended brilliantly throughout while Eoin Potterton and Ciaran Browne never stopped working for the 60 minutes and up front Alex Rickard, Geoghegan and Robbie Johnston, Keogh, Arron Byas and Stephen Murray all had great moments in a hard fought win.

Kildalkey - C Flynn; C Reynolds, S Corrigan, K Murray; M Browne, A Traynor, L Carroll; E Potterton, C Browne; R Johnston, A Rickard (0-3), E Geoghegan (0-4); S Murray (2-1), E Keogh (1-2), D Ryan. Subs - A Byas for Ryan, D Lehart for Johnston, L Coldrick for Murray.

MFC

Seneschalstown0-11

Donaghmore/Ashbourne0-10

Seneschalstown made it back to back wins in the MFC on Monday night of last week when defeating Donaghmore/Ashbourne by the narrowest of margins with Cian Commons, who finished with 0-7, clipping over a late winning point. The closeness of the tie was reflected in the way the sides went into the break 0-4 apiece. They stayed close throughout but Commons' score proved crucial. Liam Dillon, Phillip Smyth, Mattie Cowley and Jamie Barry also pointed for the winners.

Seneschalstown - Jamie Norris; Eoghan McGauran, Seán Reilly, Jack McDonnell; Tadhg Lenehan, Liam Dillon (0-1) Bradley Kirwan; Aran Carey, Cian Commons (0-7), James Sharkey; Phillip Smyth (0-1), Mattie Cowley (0-1); Jamie Barry (0-1), Colm McDonnell, Charles McCarthy.