Kilcullen get the better of Straffan to retain their IFC status

Kilcullen retained their National Electrical Wholesalers IFC status on a floodlight and cold Sunday evening in Hawkfield, after they defeated Straffan.

Andy O’Neill of Straffan and Cathal Brophy of Kilcullen traded goals in a tight first-half, and the black and white hoops were in-front by the minimum at the break.

The game was well in the balance at the end of the third quarter, but from then, Kilcullen surged on, helped by Donagh McKivern’s fantastic two-pointer five minutes from time.

Turlough Donnelly grabbed the first score of the game two minutes into the match for Kilcullen, and moments after that, Aaron Kiernan from a difficult angle scored a superb two- pointer to put Straffan ahead.

Brian Tracey added a further point, before Aaron Kiernan kicked a beautiful pass to Andy O’Neill in the eighth minute, who would send the ball low but across the goal and wide. Kilcullen responded with a squandered goal-chance of their own, after Ciaran O’Brien twisted and turned to create space for himself, only for Matthew Duggan to stand strong at his near post. Dan Coughlan did score for Kilcullen to cut the gap to the minimum.

The opening goal of the game was soon to come, and in the 11th minute, Brian Tracey sent Andy O’Neill on his way, and this time, the Straffan man would nestle his shot into the far corner of Cormac Barker’s net, while John Tracey’s effort for a further goal moments later went across the face of goal. Ciaran O’Brien was unlucky not to provide an ideal response for Kilcullen, when his shot was excellently tipped onto the post by Matthew Duggan.

Kilcullen did get their goal on 21 minutes, when Sean Knight found Cathal Brophy, whose shot bounced all the way into the Straffan net, in one of the stranger goals of this years championship. Donagh McKivern converted a superb two-pointer off his left two minutes later, and Kilcullen were 1-6 to 1-5 ahead at half-time.

Donagh McKivern and Ciaran O’Brien had Kilcullen four clear before Dermot Nolan’s free for Straffan in the 39th minute, and moments later, after Cormac Barker was off his line following an interception, the Straffan wing-forward shot straight away, and the ball bounced over the crossbar for a two-pointer. John Tracey superbly converted a two-pointed free on 42 minutes, which pushed Christy Dempsey’s charges ahead, and by the 44th minute, Tom Donovan had restored Straffan’s one-point advantage.

From here Kilcullen ran rampant, points from Turlough Donnelly, Donagh McKivern, Dan Coughlan and Jack Dooley were followed by Donagh McKiern’s two-pointed free deep in added-time. This sealed the victory, and Niall Timmon’s men’s Intermediate status for 2027.

KILCULLEN: Cormac Barker; Daragh Burke, Jack Dooley 0-1, Jack Redmond; Tim Carey, Robbie Lee, Cathal Brophy 1-0; Sean Knight, Turlough Donnelly 0-3 (0-1free); Paul Bell, Donagh McKivergan 0-8 (0-3frees, 2 two-pointers), Dan Coughlan 0-3; Ciaran O’Brien 0-1, Jamie Buckley 0-2 (0-2frees), Ciaran Melinn. Subs: Paudy Clarke for Jamie Buckley (half-time), Jack Cronin for Robbie Lee (47), Darragh Kelly for Paudy Clarke (59).

STRAFFAN: Matthew Duggan; Mike Tracey, Niall Devine, Alan Byrne; Ed Mather, Liam O’Donovan, John Tracey 0-3 (0-1free, 1two-pointed free); Cathal O’Molloy, Tom Donovan 0-1; Sam Friel, Brian Tracey 0-1, Dermot Nolan 0-3 (0-1free, 1two-pointer); Andy O’Neill 1-0, Aaron Kiernan 0-3 (1two-pointer), Rory Byrne. Subs: Ruairi Power for Brian Tracey and Noah Brennan for Sam Friel (40), Nathan O’Brien for Niall Devine and Patrick Dunne for Rory Byrne (52), Cathal Gowran 0-1 for Andy O’Neill (59).

REFEREE: Frank Delaney.