The NAFL : Clarence Cup 2nd Round.
Kilmore 5 1 St Marys.
The final score line does not tell the true story of a game in which the visitors gave a good account of themselves, and had they taken a couple of clear-cut chances and some half chances the result could have been very different writes Cyril McKinney.
Kilmore started brightly and went ahead on 13 minutes when McGrattan forced a corner on the right wing from which Larkin beat the visiting keeper at his near post to nod home.
St Marys worked their way into the game and on 27 minutes it was 1-1 when Moss found himself unmarked at the back post and confidently slotted home from a left-wing cross from Graham which evaded everyone.
As the half unfolded there was little between either team with both defences coming out on top with good performances from Kilmore’s Hardy and St Marys Kearney.
However, on 40 minutes Kilmore won a free outside the right edge of the St Mary’s box and as Stewart sent in the free the keeper appeared to completely misread it and the ball ended up in the St Mary’s net to restore Kilmore’s lead at the interval at 2-1.
On the restart St Mary’s came out on the offensive but missed a glorious chance on 52 minutes when a great run and lay of from Stanton, McCool missed the target when in a good position.
Despite good pressing the visitors could not find a way past the Kilmore rear guard, and when they did Turley in the Kilmore nets was alert saving with his feet. Kilmore increased their lead slightly against the run of play on 61 minutes when Rogan scored with a low angled drive from the right edge of the box.
With this goal the St Mary’s spark seemed to be disappearing and Kilmore went further ahead on 67 minutes and Rogan made no mistake and calmly slotted home to make 4-1.
St Mary’s continued to take the game to Kilmore and McAllister forced a corner after some good approach play on the right wing.
From the resulting corner Osborne blazed over the bar from a good position on 73 minutes. On 81 minutes Zabrauteanu in the St Mary’s nets made a smart save from Rogan at the expense of a corner from which McMahon got ahead of his marker to head home and complete the scoring at 5-1 to the home team.
Kilmore Rec: Christopher Turley, Eoin McGrattan, Matthew Stewart, Jack Larkin, Matthew Hardy, Conall Young, Mark McMahon, Anton McGrattan, James McGivern, Philip Rogan, Ryan Slavin. Subs: Michael Monan for Eoin McGrattan, Sean Bell for Philip Rogan , Laurence McGonagle
St Marys: Christian Zabrauteanu, Conor McErlane, Niall Graham, Harry Griffin, Conor Kearney, Christopher McAvoy, Brendan Osborne, John McCool, Piaras Moss, Conor Magee, Deaglan Stanton. Subs: Rory McAllister for Conor Magee, Niall McDaid for John McCool , Conor Mowbray for Niall Graham.
