Kill through to Shield final with four-goal victory

JFC Shield semi-final

Kill Shamrocks 4-10

Killeshandra 0-9

With torrential rain falling in Cavan Town last Sunday afternoon, the decision was taken to move the second of the shield semi-finals to the 3G pitch. With the speed of the surface, Kill thrived and ran out 13-point winners against an under strength Killeshandra side to book their place in the first Junior Shield final, where they will face Munterconnaught.

Barry Crowe’s side got off to a rocket of a start as they lead by nine points after just 16 minutes of play. With the weather causing havoc, Colin McCauley opened the scoring with a goal for Kill before his mid-field team mate, Liam Gaffney raised a second green flag with the clock showing ten minutes.

Three points from Liam McCauley, Niall McCaffrey and Lorcan Hammond, a ’45, left the score 2-3 to 0-0 as the second quarter began. The Leaguers finally got on the scoreboard on the 18th minute thanks to a Ryan Brady point but, in ruthless fashion, Kill replied with their third goal, finished to the net by Liam McCauley.

Ryan Brady and Kevin O’Reilly traded points to leave a gap of 11 but Killeshandra had their best spell of the half before the break to real in the lead a little. Two frees converted by Jude Collins either side of a second Ryan Bennett point left the half-time score 3-4 to 0-5.

From the throw-in Kill extended their lead with a well-taken point from Colin McCauley followed by a spell that saw missed chances and turnovers frequently. Ryan Brady sent over Killeshandra’s sixth point of the afternoon before Kill hit their second purple patch with the final quarter beginning.

A Colin McCauley point from play followed by two Niall McCaffrey frees restored Kills 11-point advantage. With six minutes remaining the slim chance of a comeback was extinguished when Darragh Boyle raised a fourth green flag for Kill.

Dean Hand impacted off the bench with a point before Kills final score of the game from Kevin O’Reilly. The Leaguers finished with three points in a row for the second time in the game from sub Darragh O’Reilly and two more Jude Collins frees before Gabriel Patterson sounded the final whistle.

Kill Shamrocks: Lorcan Hammond(0-1,’45), Ciaran O'Reilly, Brian McCauley, Darragh McMenamin, Barry McMenamin, Luke O’Brien, Seamus O'Reilly, Liam Gaffney(1-0), Gavin Fitzpatrick, Darragh Boyle(1-0), Colin McCauley(1-2), Ben McIntyre, Kevin O’Reilly(0-2), Niall McCaffrey(0-3,2f), Liam McCauley(1-1)

Subs: Conor Bannon for G Fitzpatrick, Brendan Brady for L O’Brien, Emmett Magee for C McCauley, Francis Hand for M Moffett, Dean Hand(0-1) for N McCaffrey

Killeshandra: Eoin Martin, Ryan Bennett(0-2), Ryan Dinneny, Caleb Calder, Oísin Shanley, Michael O’Reilly, Eddie Masterson, Jason Woods, Ryan Brady(0-1), Aaron Fowler, Oran Sheridan, Jude Collins(0-4f), Conor Higgins, Céin Sweeney, Darren O’Hanlon

Subs: Damien Higgins for J Woods, Darragh O’Reilly(0-1) for A Fowler, Shane Lynch for O Sheridan, Conor Kearns for C Higgins, Aaron Fowler for E Masterson.