Killyleagh YC battled well against a stronger Kilmore Rec side in end of season clash
The NAFL,
Division One, League Match,
Venue: The Showgrounds, Killyleagh, 27th April 2024,
Final Score: Kiillyleagh YC 1 Kilmore Rec 2.
Kilmore Rec went straight into the attack and Philip Doran almost scored close in but was blocked by the alert Killyleagh YC keeper Aaron Carberry.
Andn Doran fired a free kick at the Killyleagh goal minutes after but Carberry help it well.
Killyleagh found their feet and pressed back on the visitors and a clever backheeler to Toby Carinduff in front of the Kilmore goal almost paid off.
It was a tough day at the office for Killyleagh in this league local derby against neighbours Kilmore Rec. Always a competitive battle, the match looked to be a promising affair and lived up to its promises.
An excellent pass through to Carinduff was intercepted by Jack Larkin on his toes.
But Killyleagh were not intimidated and attacked with an excellent pass from Conor Hamilton to Ethan Davidson but he got under the ball and his header at goal went over the bar.
Then on 17 minutes Killyleagh’s Doran mis-hit a shot at goal coming in through the centre.
But Kilmore efforts paid of in the 18th minute when Doran popped the ball into the Killyleagh net close in to open the scoring for the visitors.
Immediately Killyleagh lashed back and Davidson crossed to Carinduff who shot wide. Then the Rec made another attack and pressed hard against KIllyleagh.
Anton McGrattan went on a solo run and pressed the Killylleagh defence then passed to Doran who was blocked as he firewd at the Killyleagh goal.
Then on 28 minutes Killyleagh defender Nathan Hamilton made a solid low snap volley by keeper Chris Turley read it and held it … just.
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The game see-sawed for a spell then Josh Smyth passed the ball to Doran but his effort was blocked by Carberry.
A Killyleagh defender crossed the ball in the box and Caolan Conlon seized his opportunity and challenged keeper Carberry who saw him closing in – Carberry got there first but lost possession and Caolan Conlin knocked it in to put Kilmore Rec two goals ahead in the 35th minute.
It all looked an uphill struggle now for Killyleagh as Doran finished the first half pressing the goal area.
The game then became even more competitive in the second period – and physical – with players being levelled in tackles on a regular basis. The game stopped and started.
Killyleagh enjoyed a spell of attacking in he KIimore half and at one stage they won a free when Killyleagh’s Caolan Lennon and taken down close to the box.
Then Kilmore rallied again and Doran cracked a low volley on target but it came off a defender for a corner. Kilmore were well into the Killyleagh half again.
Killyleagh were rue-ing having missed some early opportunities for scoring to at least be level with the visitors.
Kilmore resumed the pressure and a good move from Conlon to McGrattan almost paid off with a goal. It was a fast paced game and Kilmore were sitting on a comfortable two goal lead and seemed to take their foor off the pedal a bit giving Killyleagh an edge.
Then Kilmore mustered a break and Doran who had been fired up through the game passed to Smyth near the Killyleagh goal but Killyleagh sub Harry Smyth cut the short pass off just in time.
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And Killyleagh bounced back up the pitch and volleyed but shot wide, then Kilmore’s Conlon charged the Killylkeagh goals but defender Ross Murray made a decisive tackle to clear the threat.
At times the match got scrappy in the second half between breaks for substitutions, corners, and hitting wide, and regular fouls on both sides.
Then Killyleagh had the nth corner and this time the ball was punched out by Rec keeper Turley uner pressure in the goalmouth and in the ensuing play the referee awarded Killyleagh a free kick outside the box.
Caolan Lennon took the kick and sent it accurately into the top right hand corner beating keeper Turley who made a great dive across his goal but the pace of the ball was too much for him to stop it in the 89th minute.
The match ended with Kilmore pressing Killyleagh in their half keeping the home side well away from the Rec goal area.
Kilmore Rec were the stronger of the two teams with faster better connected attacks, but Killyleagh were not far behind. There were a lot of misses, corners, fouls, and as the players tired, substitutions.
Killyleagh are still hovering near the bottom of Division One and much of the future lies in the hands of Newcastle who still have three games to play, with Killyleagh just one to go.
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Killyleagh YM: 1 Aaron Carberry (GK) 2 Nathan Hamilton 3 Caolan Lennon 4 Ross Murray 5 Gary Carberry 6 Conor Hamilton 7 Sam Carson 8 Keegan Rice 9 Ethan Davidson 10 Toby Carinduff 11 Kodi Carson. Subs: 12 Owen Breen 14 Peter Russell 15 Kris Russell.
Kilmore Rec: 1 Christopher Turley (GK) 2 John McCarthy 3 Jonathan Murray 4 Jack Larkin (C) 5 Christopher Magee 6 Niall Walsh 7 Anton McGrattan 8 Joshua Smyth 9 Philip Doran 10 Michael Carvill 11 Coalan Conlon 12 Eoin McGrattan 14 Harry Smyth 12 E McGrattan 14 n/a 5 Philip Traynor.
