10 September 1997
Walsh's penalty major turning point in
hostile encounter
Kiltimagh . . .1-7 Kiltane . . .1-6
We have written previously about Kiltimagh as the dark horse' of the Championship race. In Ballina on Sunday, they cleared the penultimate hurdle and now face the last with the reigning champions - Knockmore.
The game could be described as the story of two penalties; the story of an inspired Kiltimagh; the story of a doleful Kiltane; the story of a game ridden with high and rash challenges, rather than bad feeling; and the story of a dynamic community hellbent on success in every walk of life. In terms of style and charm, the ugly ducklings' of the Senior football championship have won the right to contest the County final!
It will be the first such County Senior final that Kiltimagh will have challenged and didn't they deserve it after an hour's display of gutsy determination and uncompromising drive.
In what amounted to poor standard fare, Kiltimagh struggled in the opening exchanges to compete with a rampant Kiltane, who were left to wonder where their early momentum disappeared to thereafter. Eight wides in the opening half hour certainly played a part in this deflation of exuberance.
Beaten semi-finalists are renowned for their anonymity and both Kiltimagh and Kiltane were well aware that this clash in James Stephens Park, was a winner-takes-all encounter.
The enormity of the stakes bred for an ill-tempered affair and referee Martin Murphy found it necessary to dismiss two players in the second half and also cautioned players on nine occasions.
That the winners finished the game with two short of a full complement of players, adds to their laurels of victory in a way, although indiscipline has only fractionally succeeded their accomplishments this season.
Five sendings-off in their last three Championship games has hardly marked Kiltimagh down as angels but when all is said and done, unless you are at the receiving end, there is something to like about their roguish nature.
Despite Kiltimagh dominating the play from the fifteenth minute onwards, they still found themselves one point adrift at the interval and two points behind following Kevin Barrett's successful placed kick effort five minutes after the resumption. It was then that Kiltimagh received the break they had been looking for.
An overhit kick into the full-forward line appeared to be drifting harmlessly wide and in the most peculiar cameo performance seen all day, Kiltane's Enda Brogan robustly tackled Greg Mulhern, who, with the ball about to run wide, was no danger whatsoever to the Kiltane goal.
Martin Murphy's outstretched hands signalled a penalty and half-forward Christy Walsh, a prolific penalty-taker, made no mistake from fourteen yards.
Walsh's endeavours were not rewarded with luck however, as three minutes later he had to be stretchered off the field with an injured collar-bone after a tackle on an opposing player ended in severe pain.
The East Mayo side now found themselves one point in front with two thirds of the match completed. The first such time they had taken the lead, Kiltimagh were determined not to let it slip.
With Walsh now out of the fray, Peter McNicholas took over the place-kicking duties and successful on three out of four occasions, McNicholas provided the catalyst for this historic win.
That McNicholas' three scores were without reply lays testament to Kiltimagh's control of midfield exchanges as much as it underlines the deterioration of Kiltane.
Fourteen minutes from time, as Kiltane rediscovered a sense of urgency, they seemed to have been thrown a lifeline. Brendan Carey contrived with Kieran Carey to set himself up for a shot at goal but this attempt was illegally muffled.
Substitute Kevin Barrett was given the responsibility of placing Kiltane back into the lead but his harmless effort floated gently wide of Peter Burke's post, and with it Kiltane's chances to get back into the match.
Management must be baffled by their performance, as they had led by five points with only fifteen minutes played. The goal, coming as it did only five minutes into the game, ignited the opening exchanges.
Inevitably it was Kieran Carey who was the provider, an extended run culminating in a stinging shot from over fourteen yards out, rocketing against the stanchion and leaving Burke with no chance.
Points followed from Carey and namesake Brendan Carey, and Kiltane, the pre-match favourites, appeared to be in the driving seat.
Kiltimagh had struggled even to punt the ball into the Kiltane half and their renaissance was initiated by the superb midfield partnership of the inspirational Ger McNicholas and the experienced John Finn. And they had heroes in defence once more.
Thomas Morley was consistently solid from the start and along with Kevin Foley, the Cosgrove brothers, Sean and Seamus, and Greg Mulhern, Kiltimagh had a sound foundation from which to build on. Peter Burke made a crucial save at his right hand post in the dying moments and continued his good form.
In attack, Adrian Forkan grabbed the vital scores in the first half as Peter McNicholas did so in the second, while Christy Walsh, Brendan Mooney and substitute Thomas Gallagher had their moments.
Kieran Carey's two points in the closing minutes, together with a punched effort from full-back John Sweeney made for a few anxious moments in the Kiltimagh camp as injury time was being catered for.
Their slumbering form for most of the game makes it difficult to analyse their starting fifteen but John Sweeney, Martin Coyle, Pakie Sweeney, Brendan Carey and Kieran Carey were most influential for a team who were hit by injuries to key players in the first half, Eddie McDonagh and James O'Donnell.
But the honour and glory that accompanies victory, go to a Kiltimagh side who finished with thirteen men, Shane Gilmartin and Damien Lavin being dismissed in the second half.
Match Stats
Kiltimagh: Peter Burke, Kevin Foley, Thomas Morley, Seamus Cosgrove, Sean Cosgrove, Shane Gilmartin, Greg Mulhern, Ger McNicholas, John Finn, Pat McNicholas, Damien Lavin, Christy Walsh, Adrian Forkan, Tommy Ivers, Brendan Mooney. Substitutes: Thomas Gallagher for Christy Walsh (inj.), Jimmy Doyle for Tommy Ivers.
Scorers: Christy Walsh (1-1 1 pen. & 1 free), Adrian Forkan (0-3 1 free), Peter McNicholas (0-3 3 frees) Christy Walsh
Kiltane: Richie Cosgrove, Enda Brogan, John Sweeney, Martin McAndrew, Paul Conmy, Martin Coyle, Pakie Sweeney, James O'Donnell, John Conmy, Eamonn Niland, Edward McDonagh, Brendan Carey, Adrian McDonagh, Kieran Carey and Sean Carey. Substitutes: Kevin Barrett for James O'Donnell (inj.), David Sweeney for Edward McDonagh (inj.).
Scorers: Ciaran Carey (1-3 3 frees), Brendan Carey, John Sweeney and Kevin Barret (f) 0-1 each.
Sendings-off: Kiltimagh- Shane Gilmartin 34 minutes, Damien Lavin 57 minutes (in both cases- two bookable offences).
Bookings: Kiltimagh- Shane Gilmartin 18 and 34 mins, Adrian Forkan 29 mins, Damien Lavin 49 and 57 mins. Kiltane- Adrian McDonagh 18 mins, Martin McAndrew 37 mins, John Conmy 53 mins, Eamonn Niland 55 mins.
Referee: Martin Murphy (Ballinrobe).
