ACFL Division 4: Kingscourt Stars v Denn – Saturday 12/04/2008
Kingscourt 1-14 Drumalee 0 – 09
Kingscourt Stars’ continued their impressive start back in the top flight with a comprehensive victory over Denn in O Raghallaigh Park last Saturday. Brothers Colm and Philip Smith with a goal in each half were the most impressive performers in what was a very compelling team performance. Darren Costello was the only man from Crosskeys who stood out against what was a relentless attacking display from the Kingscourt men.
Kingscourt came out of the dressing room like a steam train and had notched up 1-06 from play before Denn got their first score from a fee kick off the boot of Costello. Kingscourt’s Barry Reilly opened the scoring with a well taken individual score within thirty seconds of the throw up. Two further points from Philip Smith another from Barry Reilly left Denn reeling.
With the Crosskeys men on the ropes Kingscourt’s corner back Patrick Farrelly ghosted up the field and put Colm Smith through one on one with Brian Boylan to score the first of what could have been a hat trick of goals for the Cavan U-21 man. Denn had no answers for Kingscourt’s fast free flowing style and were hemmed in to their own half for most of the first half. Ryan McCormack, Daryll Martin and Philip Tinnelly also got in on the act before Denn finally began to claw their way back in the last ten minutes of the first half with three scores.
With a half time deficit of ten points there looked like there was little hope of a Denn recovery early in the second half until a mix up in the Kingscourt defence allowed Hubert Smith in for a easy finish past veteran goalkeeper Brendan McCormack. Unfortunately for Denn the Kingscourt response was swift and decisive. Just a minute later a one-two between the Smith brothers created a chance for the elder Philip to fire a low shot to the Denn goal, all but ending the their chances of a comeback.
The second half proved to be a much scrappier affair with several bookings and the absence of free flowing football of the first half was apparent, as was the raised tempers of both sides. Man of the match Colm Smith rounded off the match with the last of his 1-03 tally with another of his trademark runs from midfield.
Kingscourt: Brendan McCormack; Patrick Farrelly, Alan Clarke, Shane Gray; Barry Tully, Keith McCabe, JP Reilly; Colm Smith (1-03), Tomas Malone; Philip Tinnelly (0-02), Philip Smith(1-04), Barry Reilly (0-03) ; Anthony Corcoran, Ryan McCormack (0-02), Darryl Martin (0-02)
Subs: Mark McGovern for Anthony Corcoran, Thomas Rogers for Philip Smith, Colm Kieran for Ryan McCormack
Denn: Brian Boylan; Aidan McKiernan, Ciaran McGovern, Adrian Cahill, Paul Donoughue, David McKiernan, Shane Rahill, Darren Costello (0-5), Ronan Kiernan, Hubert Smith(1-0), Jerome Kiernan(0-1), Ferghal Farrelly, Martin McKiernan, Donnacha Brady, Damien McCann.
