by Ronan Fagan, Kilanerin 2-11, St. James’ 2-6
A fast start laid the foundations for reigning intermediate champions Kilanerin to reach the semi-finals of the Tom Doyle Supplies county SFC for the first time since 2010 when warding off a second-half fight-back by 2015 champions St. James’ at Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon.
Strangely both sides fared better against the strong wind, as Kilanerin generated a 2-7 to 0-5 lead at the break before being out-scored by 2-1 to 0-4 as Fran Fitzhenry’s ‘Jimmies’ mounted a promising resurgence.
St. James’ posed danger early, but Kilanerin were far more clinical as points from Seán Forde and his uncle, Matty Forde, were followed by Conor Devitt netting a 1-2 to 0-0 fifth-minute lead when a neat one-two with Pauric Hughes saw Devitt round the ‘keeper to slot to the Clonard-end rigging.
The Jimmies went agonisingly close to pegging back a 13th-minute goal only for Kilanerin ‘keeper Tom Hughes to divert a neat attempt by Donal Barron over the crossbar before Graeme Molloy had it back to 1-3 to 0-2.
But Kilanerin burst clear by 2-5 to 0-2 on 17 minutes as a pair of Seán Forde points sandwiched a tidy goal from close-range by midfielder Niall Breen.
The margin was down slightly at half-time (2-7 to 0-5) as Donal Barron, Tommy Walsh (free) and Brian Molloy (free) sought to keep the Jimmies in the running while Matty Forde kept Kilanerin ticking over with a couple of additions.
St. James’ resumed with the imposing no.8 Brendan Doyle switched to the small-square, and wing-back David Doyle made a menacing burst towards goal only to have to settle for a point as the sides exchanged scores.
But the Ramsgrange-men gained a lifeline when Daniel Keating was impeded at the expense of a penalty which Tommy Walsh goaled to cut the deficit to 2-8 to 1-6 on 39 minutes.
And no.7 David Doyle was back in the thick of the attack on 47 minutes when squaring for Brendan Doyle to net a ground shot as the Jimmies’ resurgence brought them to within 2-8 to 2-6.
But Kilanerin regained composure to extract themselves from any further danger as a string of points by Matty Forde (free), Niall Hughes and sub Bobby Hughes guided the champions of 2008 back to the last-four.
Kilanerin – Tom Hughes, Aidan Jones, Colm Kavanagh, Rhys Owley, Ben O’Connor, Gavin O’Toole, Denis Jones, Niall Hughes (0-1), Niall Breen (1-0), Pauric Hughes, Seán Forde (0-4, 1 free), Dean O’Toole, Peter Hughes, Matty Forde (0-5, 4 frees), Conor Devitt (1-0).
Subs: Mark Boland for Rhys Owley (temp.); Mark Gethings for Ben O’Connor; Mark Boland for Dean O’Toole; Bobby Hughes (0-1) for Peter Hughes; Emmett O’Toole for Seán Forde.
St. James’ – John Ryan, Paul Barron (capt.), Jason Barron, Greg Doyle, Darragh Lyons, Robbie Barron, David Doyle (0-1), Matthew O’Hanlon, Brendan Doyle, Brian Molloy (0-1 free), Donal Barron (0-2), Daniel Keating, Tommy Walsh (1-1, 0-1 free, 1-0 penalty), Graeme Molloy (0-1), Shane Murphy.
Subs: Liam Murphy for Graeme Molloy; Mark Molloy for Brendan Doyle; Alan Walsh for Daniel Keating; Michael O’Grady for David Doyle.
Referee – James Mullally (Gusserane).
