​McCormack leads Kiltubrid to Fresh Today JFC victory over Aughnasheelin

​If this was a dress rehearsal of a potential meeting later in the Fresh Today Junior A Championship, then fans will be more than happy to see another instalment after Kiltubrid edged Aughnasheelin after a high quality encounter last Friday.

​Along with Drumreilly in Group 2, Kiltubrid and Aughnasheelin have been setting the pace in this year’s Junior A grade and they served up a thoroughly thrilling encounter in warm evening sunshine, Kiltubrid’s strength in depth and impressive conditioning getting them across the line after a tight encounter.

Aughnasheelin’s ability to hit on the counter caused Kiltubrid no end of problems, Fintan Fitzpatrick again outstanding but coming down the home stretch, Michael McCormack inspired the home side to a devastating surge as they eventually killed off the stubborn challenge from their neighbours.

Aughnasheelin will take quite a bit of heart from this performance, despite the defeat, as they have quite a few players to come back in but Kiltubrid showed enough resolve and quality, despite some bad misses over the hour, to suggest they will take quite a bit of stopping.

Jack Moolick opened the scoring from a two point free but Kiltubrid’s bright start was shattered when Thomas Gunn, getting on the end of a good move, palmed the ball to the net after five minutes. Two superb Fintan Fitzpatrick two point frees put Aughnasheelin five clear after 12 minutes before Barry McWeeney and Dara McCormack closed the gap with good points for Kiltubrid.

A second Moolick two point free cut the gap before Fitzpatrick tapped over a free to put two between the teams once more. Dermot McKeon landed a huge two pointer from play to tie the scores in added time but a free awarded for breaching the kick-out line saw Fitzpatrick tap over a 14 metre free to give Aughnasheelin a 1-6 to 0-8 halftime lead.

Karl Winters tied the scores with a good point under fierce pressure but with Kiltubrid missing chances from placed balls, Thomas Gunn was first onto a breaking ball and scored a good point to restore Aughnasheelin’s one point lead.

But the home side were starting to get an edge in the middle of the park, a McCormack mark setting up Fionn O’Brien for a leveller before Moolick showed nice footwork to edge Kiltburid in front for only the second time.

McCormack added a point from a fifty but Fitzpatrick replied for Aughnasheelin from a free before Kiltubrid started to pull clear. Barry McWeeney swapped points with Darragh Gunn before a 55-yard two point Moolick free and a McWeeney point, set up by a McCormack catch and surging run, left Kiltubrid three clear with five minutes left.

Fitzpatrick pointed after a long Aughnasheelin kick-out found Conor Cullen but sub Con Doyle added a point, his shot going over via the woodwork with the possibility of a goal. Kiltubrid and Doyle didn’t have long to wait for a goal as he palmed the ball to the net after Barry McWeeney saw his shot brilliantly saved by keeper Pearse McTeigue after 57 minutes, Doyle on hand to pounce on the rebound.

That should have been it with Kiltubrid six clear and time almost up but Aughnasheelin never give up and after Fitzpatrick and Cillian McWeeney combined to cut open the Kiltubrid defence, sub Diarmuid Flynn palming the ball to the net in added time to cut the gap back to a goal.

That was as close as it got, however, as despite a few bad wides late on, Kiltubrid held on for a hugely important victory.

KILTUBRID

Scorers: Jack Moolick 0-7, 3 tpf; Con Doyle 1-1; Barry McWeeney 0-3; Dermot McKeon 0-2, tp; Dara McCormack, Michael McCormack (50), Karl Winters & Fionn O’Brien 0-1 each

Team: Conor Prior, Marc Gannon, Peter Winters, Dylan Easterbrook, Diarmuid McKiernan, Dermot McKeon, Eamon Geoghegan, Michael McCormack, Jack Moolick, Iarlaith O’Brien, Fionn O’Brien, Dara McCormack, Barry McWeeney, Karl Winters, Danny McWeeney. Subs: Paddy Meehan for D McCormack (40); Con Doyle for D McWeeney (49); Marcel Zelias for Gannon (59)

AUGHNASHEELIN

Scorers: Fintan Fitzpatrick 0-8, 2 tpf; 3f; Thomas Gunn 1-1; Diarmuid Flynn 1-0; Darragh Gunn 0-2, tp

Team: Pearse McTeigue, Wayne Gilgunn, Senan McTeigue, Daire McTeigue, Ciaran Cullen, Paul Earley, Shane Gallagher, Tommy Reilly, Cormac Sammon, Thomas Gunn, Fintan Fitzpatrick, Cillian McWeeney, Fergal Flynn, Darragh Gunn, Ben McGirl. Subs: Conor Cullen for F Flynn (HT); Darragh Gunn for C Sammon (46); Diarmuid Flynn for B McGirl (56)

Referee: Jason Glennon