Relieved Kilcormac-Killoughey pushed all the way by double chasing Ferbane-Belmont

A RELIEVED Kilcormac-Killoughey did just about enough to repel the very stern resistance of Ferbane-Belmont in an engrossing Minor Hurling Championship final in St Brendan's Park on Saturday afternoon.

EJ Access Solutions Minor Hurling Championship final

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-15

Ferbane-Belmont 1-10

It was far from a vintage performance by the fancied winners but as their seniors did a week earlier, they showed they had the character to grind out the result on a day when not everything went as scripted for them.

They were marginally the better team over the hour plus but were hanging on by their finger tips at the end and it would have taken very little more for a very brave Ferbane-Belmont to have snatched the win. Ferbane-Belmont were chasing a minor double that has not been completed in Offaly since St Rynagh's did it in 1961 – Tullamore were multiple winners of it while Clara and St Rynagh's were the only other clubs in Offaly to manage it and they only did it once.

Ferbane-Belmont could have done it here but ultimately didn't do enough in the middle portion of the second half when the wind was on their backs. K-K were far from unbeatable and there was a definite opportunity there for F-B but the winners were able to get on top at a crucial stage in the second half.

With Odhran Fletcher deadly from placed balls, Kilcormac-Killoughey started very well and led by 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes – the highlight of his four point haul in this spell was a fantastic sideline from out under the stand.

Another score or two could have broken Ferbane-Belmont at this stage but they knuckled down all over the field and did very well to get back into it. They got tighter on their opponents and as everyone expected, got numbers into the middle third and made space very limited.

A 14^th minute Fiachra Carroll goal for K-K was disallowed for a square ball and this was a huge momentum changer, Points from Rory Dunican and Michael Carty had the gap back to a point, 0-5 to 0-4 after 17 minutes. K-K reopened a three point gap with scores from Jack Dunican and Brian Guinan before a super Ruari Woods point reduced arrears to 0-7 to 0-5 at half time.

While you still fancied K-K to get the job done at this stage, even though they were now into the wind, there was a real opening there for F-B. Twelve minutes into the second half, Ferbane-Belmont had the gap down to a point, 0-9 to 0-8 and their victory prospects were significant at this stage.

It all went wrong for them in the next ten minutes plus when the game was won and lost. Crucially F-B couldn't get on level terms with Ruari Woods off target with a free that dropped short and was initially signalled as a '65' before being waved wide.

The losers had plenty of play in the next few minutes but couldn't penetrate the K-K defence and the champions raised the tempo all over the field. They got five points without reply from the 18^th to the 25^th minute and a 0-14 to 0-8 lead was a huge one. Odhran Fletcher was tightly marked all day but got away for two from play as well as converting his frees and F-B did very well to get back into it.

Hard working full forward Nathan Kelly led their revival, getting a fine point from play and then a 30^th minute goal out of nothing when James McLoughlin was a bit slow advancing off his line. Suddenly the gap was only two points and with four minutes of injury time to be played, F-B had time to salvage it.

Fletcher eased K-K's frayed nerves with a 62^nd minute point and Eamon Maher cut the gap to two in the 64^th minute. A couple of balls went into the danger area in those frantic last few minutes and K-K were mightily relieved when Adam Kinahan blew the final whistle.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Odhran Fletcher (Kilcormac-Killoughey): A tough choice between Kilcormac-Killoughey's Oisin Carroll, Brian Guinan and Odhran Fletcher. There is a temptation to go for either Carroll or Guinan as both helped lay the foundation for victory. Carroll cut out a large volume of ball in defence and Guinan, younger brother of senior player Ter, did fantastic work at midfield. He was especially influential when K-K were under pressure before drifting out of the game a small bit late on.

Odhran Fletcher just gets the nod. Ferbane-Belmont's defence knew he was their danger man and stuck to him like glue. They succeeded to a large extent but Fletcher's contribution still ended up a game winning one. It was a day when things didn't fully flow for him but his free taking was excellent and the two points he got from play in the closing quarter were very important.

F-B had a number of players who performed to a high level. Niall Flynn and Eamon Maher were exceptional in a very hard working defence, Rory Dunican had some great spells in attack and Ruari Woods went well in the first half. Special mention must be made of F-B full forward Nathan Kelly, who gave a terrific whole hearted effort and almost rescued his side late on. He was also provided one of the highlights of the game in the 17^th minute. After losing his hurl, he managed to flick the ball into his hands with his two feet and then fed Michael Carty for a beautiful point.

THE SCORERS

Kilcormac-Killoughey: Odhran Fletcher 0-10 (6f, one '65' and one sideline), Macdara Mitchell 0-2, Brian Guinan, Eamonn Molloy and Jack Dunican 0-1 each.

Ferbane-Belmont: Nathan Kelly 1-1, Ruari Woods (1f) and Rory Dunican 0-3 each, Eamon Maher, Cian Donoghue and Michael Carty 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: James McLoughlin; Sean Cleary, Jack O'Donoghue, Luke Bracken; Sean Gill, Oisin Carroll, Oisin McKeown; Brian Guinan, Eamonn Molloy; Jack Dunican, Micheal Kelly, Macdara Mitchell; Odhran Fletcher, Ruari Kilmartin, Fiachra Carroll. Subs – Joe Quinn for Kilamtin (38m), James Lynch for Quinn (50m),

FERBANE-BELMONT: Liam Woods; Rian Claffey, Niall Flynn, Luke Healy; Andrew McEvoy, Eamon Maher, Oran Kenny; Eoghan O'Neill, James Wren; Cian Dononoghue, Rory Dunican, Michael Carty; Ruari Woods, Nathan Kelly, James Kirwan. Subs – Jake Maher for Donoghue (49m), Owen Egan for Carty (59m), Harry O'Duffy for Healy (62m),

Referee – Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan had a steady game. He disallowed a K-K goal in the first half but Fiachra Carroll did look to be in the square and he was correct. Some F-B people expressed their displeasure at him afterwards but there was no big call that stood out as a decisive one and he was certainly an impartial referee.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Odhran Fletcher's 23^rd minute free was important. It opened up a four point gap that was soon extended to six and it meant that Ferbane-Belmont's late rally was in vain.

VENUE WATCH

The Birr pitch was in very good condition and the game was well hosted. The only negative was that there wasn't two neutral linesmen. An official referee Declan Cooke did the line on one side but the other was Kilcormac-Killoughey stalwart Seamus Spain – Spain did it fairly but there should be neutral linesmen for a game of this importance.

STATISTICS

Wides: Kilcormac-Killoughey - 13 (9 in first half). Ferbane-Belmont -9 (? in first half).

Yellow cards: K-K – 1 (Eamonn Molloy); F-B – 1 (Nathan Kelly).

Red cards: 0.