Dan Lynam goal the difference as Caragh beat Kilcock to retain SFC status

Kilcock now face judgment day against Allenwood in this years Joe Mallon Motors SFC Relegation Play-Off final, as they were beaten by Caragh on a bright Saturday afternoon in Hawkfield.

The teams were level at half-time, but Kilcock pushed three clear heading into the final quarter. Eoghan O’Haire’s appearance off the bench made an instant impact though for Caragh, and Dan Lynam’s goal ten minutes from the end ensured that the men from Prosperous white retained their senior status for 2027.

Caragh were unlucky not to find the net three minutes into the match, after Ronan Doorey was on the end of a slick team move, only to be superbly foiled by Fionn Talbot. Kevin Connor also had an opportunity for Caragh but Kilcock scrambled back superbly to smother the shot.

The first score of the match arrived in the fourth minute, when Darragh Swords showed great perseverance to point for Caragh. Swords went on to score six of his team’s seven first-half points, which included a brilliant two-pointed free from 45 metres out. The other Caragh scorer during this period was Ronan Doorey, who converted a free on 11 minutes.

Kilcock had more scorers on the scoreboard, and one key feature was two Gibbons in midfield, Brendan and Mark, who would run riot. The former scored a superb brace, while the later also chipped in for Declan Gibbons’s men. Shane Farrell, who also pointed, and Keith Farrell also had notable impacts.

A brace of frees from Danny Byrne and Danny Maguire’s point on the run for Kilcock left the teams deadlock at 0-7 apiece at half-time.

Kilcock had the momentum behind them in the third quarter, and they pushed three clear thanks to another Danny Byrne brace and a Shane Farrell point, all by the 40th minute.

Caragh never read the script however, and Eoghan O’Haire’s substitution would prove crucial in turning the game in favour of Michael Browne’s men. O’Haire converted brace of frees in the second-half, his first ended a 20 minute scoreless run for Caragh, while he provided the assist for the all-important goal in the 50th minute, after Dan Lynam’s burst through the defence on a charging run, before forcing in the goal.

Wing-back Paul Dockery added a further point moments later, and Liam Blake scored from a difficult angle to have Caragh a goal up.

Keith Farrell responded for Kilcock five minutes from full-time, while Eoghan O’Haire completed his brace for Caragh on the hour mark. Shane Farrell had a last minute free close to goal two minutes into added-time, but the ball was blocked by Paul Dockery, while

Caragh’s Darragh Swords was brilliantly denied by Fionn Talbot moments later. The full time scenes told a thousand words.

CARAGH: Michael Behan; Billy Byrne, Matthew McNally, Conor Sullivan; Cathal McKennedy Ryan Burke, Paul Dockery 0-1; Kevin Connor, Dan Lynam 1-0; Liam Blake 0-1, Darragh Swords 0-6 (0-1’45, 1two-pointed free), Kevin Campbell; Ronan Dooley 0-1 (0-1free), Mick O’Toole, Dan Murray. Subs: Eoghan O’Haire 0-2 (0-2frees) for Mick O’Toole (43), Ruadhan Kane for Kevin Campbell (50), Alex Kehoe for Conor Sullivan (58injury), Austin Nevin for Ronan Doorey (63).

KILCOCK: Fionn Talbot; Eoghan Conroy, Johnny O’Sullivan, Austin Tighe; Finn Dowling, Jason Gibbons, Chris McCarthy; Brendan Gibbons 0-2, Mark Gibbons 0-1; Danny Byrne 0-4 (0-4frees), Shane Farrell 0-2, Adam Doyle; Danny Maguire 0-1, Michael Stokes, Keith Farrell 0-1. Subs: Mark Durkan for Chris McCarthy (42), Ryan Trainor for Austin Tighe (49), Andy Dalton for Adam Doyle (54).

REFEREE: Henry Barrett.