Second-half display propels Killinkere into last four
IFC quarter-final
Killinkere 1-17
Ballymachugh 2-7
Kevin Óg Carney at Kingspan Breffni
Killinkere shook off some autumnal cobwebs before powering their way into the IFC semi-finals thanks to an impressive second half display at Kingspan Breffni.
Ballymachugh looked well situated to put themselves in the draw for the penultimate round of the competition when leading by 2-6 to 0-6 at the interval only for their victory hopes to die a death on the restart as Killinkere took a vice-like grip on the exchanges en route to winning pulling up, conceding just a single point to their opponents in the second half.
Even allowing for the backing of a stiffening breeze in the second half, Killinkere's domination of the second moiety was as surprising as it was convincing and, for their part, Ballymachugh will wonder just how their challenge came apart so easily at the seams.
In a fairly, pedestrian, run-of-the-mill, opening quarter, Killinkere showed their intent by attacking the 3G end of the park in the first half. However while they enjoyed the lion's share of possession early on, there was more of perspiration than inspiration woven into Killinkere's early efforts going forward.
The eventual winners struggled to find a cutting edge with a brace of points from Kevin McCabe giving them at least some hope of better things to come.
Whatever frustration the Killinkere camp felt early on in leading by 0-3 to 0-0 after eight minutes was compounded by Ballymachugh's rapier like incisions over the course of the subsequent 10 minutes.
The 'Hughs really and truly awoke in the 10th minute when Peter Devine played a glorious pass across the face of the Killinkere large square where Shane Tynan collected and promptly finished to the net to level matters against the run of play, 1-0 to 0-3.
Killinkere regrouped quickly and when Emmett Fitzsimons fisted over (18), the Ballyheelan-based boys led by just two points.
However, Ballymachugh upped the ante once again in the 19th minute when Shane Tynan set up Arran Briody and the latter skilfully side-footed the ball into the net past the helpless Norris in the Kilinkere goal.
From there to the interval, the game was an evenly-contested affair but there was a creeping feeling, the longer the game wore on, that Killinkere had much more in the tank than the leaders the longer the game wore on.
Emboldened by a stiffening breeze in the second half, Killinkere played with more vigour and more conviction and the scores followed accordingly as they slow but surely ate into their opponents' 2-6 to 0-6 interval lead.
Boosted by an increasingly dominant middle third in which the likes of Alex Sweeney, Mark Farrelly jnr and Jason McMahon were adept at hoovering up 'breaking ball', the eventual winners took the second half by the scruff of the neck and proved head and shoulders the better team.
Emmett Fizsimons' soccer-like goal (41) was added to swiftly by a string of points in machine gun-like fashion with Darren Smith's gem (57) arguably the score of the match.
It was death by a thousand cuts for Ballymachugh. Killinkere's title aspirations couldn't be more concrete.
Killinkere: Jake Norris; Shane Ryan, Nathan McQuade, Mark Farrelly jnr (0-1); Liam McCabe, Luke Crossan, Alex Sweeney (0-1); Fintan O'Connell, James Farrelly; Darren Smith (0-6, 4f), Jason McMahon (0-1), Kevin McCabe (0-1); Emmett Fitzsimons (1-6, 5f), Conall Mooney, Ciaran Flynn (0-1).
Subs; Peter McCabe for C Mooney; Damien Sexton for C Flynn; Philip Furlong for N McQuade.
Ballymachugh: Kevin Browne; Ryan Smith, Gary Kelly, Dillon Kiernan; Cormac O'Reilly, Liam Buchannan, Darragh Kiernan; Arran Briody (1-0), James Smith; Patrick Goldrick, Mark Kiernan (0-1), Conor Tynan; Shane Tynan (1-4, 2f), Killian Smith (0-1), Peter Devine (0-1).
Subs; Ben Tierney for P Goldrick; Stephen Halton for C O'Reilly; Conor Coyle for D Kiernan.