Killygarry 1-7

Kingscourt 0-12

 Kingscourt Stars Junior team travelled to the mountain top of Crubany on Wednesday evening quietly determined to steer the club back on course for some end of season silverware. Especially so following the misfortunes of the senior team the previous Sunday. After a fine battling performance, where each player battled hard and never gave up, the Stars emerged deserving winners by a mere two point margin.  This was a fine display of team spirit and now all eyes are focussed on a semi final clash with competition favourites Castlerahan.

 Truth be told, Kingscourt were probably worthy of a larger margin of victory, however a number of chances went abegging, especially in the first half, where there were a number of wides as well as three shots dropping into the Killygarry keeper’s hands. Killygarry started the match as warm favourites having had the benefit of two championship games in overcoming a strong Gowna side as well as operating in a senior division (3) in the league and of course with home advantage.

However Kingscourt owned the lions share of the possession, which unfortunately could not translate onto the score board. Playing against a deceptive breeze, the stars went in to the break leading by 0-5 to 0-4. A weak start to the second half saw Killygarry rally their efforts and before long they edged in front for the first time in the game, helped by a defence splitting move that gave them the simplest of tasks in finishing to the net. 

Kingscourt though weren’t ready to lie down and visibly moved up a gear entering the final fifteen minutes of the game and thanks to tigerish defending and determination from the likes of Tom Tully, Padraig Burns and Colm Kieran, the defence managed to shut up shop and minimise scoring opportunities for the opposition.

Midfield came strongly to the fore during this spell. Up front, a devastating spell from talisman Daryl Martin proved the difference. His pace, movement and appetite for possession was outstanding and the Stars eeked out a one point lead entering injury time. Killygarry bravely tried to mount a last minute attack to save the game, however disciplined defending saw the Stars hold out. In one final attack, Daryl Martin waltzed classily in along the endline for one final point to crown a fine individual display and to ease Kingscourt into the semi-finals.