Mills mauled by Inamona as The Combo come back into contention

*Fred Hegarty offloads as Conor Cooney closes in. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

INAGH/KILNAMONA roared back into the race for the Canon Hamilton when dishing out a sixteen point beating to O’Callaghans Mills.

Inagh/Kilnamona 2-19
O’Callaghans Mills 0-9
Venue: Gurteen

A first round blip against Scariff is well and truly in the rear view mirror for Inagh/Kilnamona after they renewed their credentials as a team to watch in this year’s championship when completely outclassing O’Callaghans Mills on Sunday afternoon.

They did so without the services of Aidan McCarthy, the All-Ireland winner joined the Inagh/Kilnamona substitutes shortly before the half-time whistle having arrived at the venue shortly before throw-in.

Conner Hegarty received his first start of the year having recovered from injury while their team showed three changes in personnel with Hegarty added to the first fifteen alongside Keith White and Evan McNamara, the trio all contributing to the victory.

There was plenty of positional switches too for the winners with David Fitzgerald moved from wing-forward to wing-back, Jason McCarthy from midfield to centre back with James Hegarty completing the half-back line which was as dominant as it looks on paper. Seán Rynne was brought from corner forward to wing-forward.

Playing with the aid of a very strong breeze, Inagh/Kilnamona were always going to be in front by the sounding of the half-time whistle, O’Callaghans Mills supporters would have conceded that even six points given the conditions would have left them in a reasonably content space.

Little did they think the half-time margin would be thirteen points and that they would only muster a single point from play in the opening period.

Niall Mullins had the first score of the day, seventy five seconds in and with their next attack Inagh/Kilnamona had struck for goal. Evan McNamara managed to get a flick to a long-ball in, straight from the Mills puckout after it was in the middle third and his touch was enough to see the sliotar beat Killian Nugent.

Colm Cleary converted a free for the Mills on six minutes to get them off the mark but Inamona responded with an unanswered 1-7. The green flag again came from McNamara, Nugent produced a superb save from James Hegarty who had made a tremendous run but the corner forward reacted to the spilled save and tapped the sliotar home on seventeen minutes.

Fionn Hickey hit the only score from play for the Mills on eighteen minutes but it was cancelled out by efforts from Eoghan Foudy and Shane Woods from distance. The last score of the half was a converted free from Nugent which left the scoreboard reading 2-10 0-3 at half-time.

Any hopes of a fightback from the Fireballs began to fade when Inamona had six points in succession by the forty second minute, double the entire return from the Mills against the wind in the first half.

Having been moved from centre back to centre forward, Aidan O’Gorman hit the first score of the half for the Mills on forty three minutes. Seán Rynne and Seán Boyce swapped scores before Niall Mullins and Fred Hegarty added to their respective tallies.

Hegarty’s point on fifty four minutes was the last contribution to the scoreboard for Inamona as the Mills hit the last four scores of the tie.

This was far from enough for O’Callaghans Mills who after two rounds of the championship are the only team guaranteed to be in the relegation battle. This showing was a big disimprovement on their first round loss to Broadford and their squad does not appear to be as united as it needs to be, this is something that definitely needs to be tackled if they are to retain their senior status.

For the second game in a row, they lacked firepower up front and in their two games combined they have hit just 0-14 from play.

Questions were asked of Inamona following their first round loss to Scariff and they were duly answered. Their support play was very impressive and they appear to be a strong, slick outfit when at their pomp. Management appear to be finding their strongest fifteen and the changes in personnel made for this game certainly strengthened their side.

Tomás Kelly’s side didn’t have any poor performers on their day but their best were Conner Hegarty, Shane Woods, Keith White, Fred Hegarty and James Hegarty.

Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: E McNamara (2-0), F Hegarty (0-5 3f), N Mullins (0-4), S Rynne (0-3), C Hegarty (0-2), D Fitzgerald (0-1), J Hegarty (0-1), D Cullinan (0-1), E Foudy (0-1), S Woods (0-1)

Scorers O’Callaghans Mills: C Cleary (0-3 3f), S Boyce (0-2), F Hickey (0-1), K Nugent (0-1 1f), A O’Gorman (0-1), C Murphy (0-1)

Inagh/Kilnamona:
1: Eamonn Foudy

4: Conor Rynne
3: Shane Woods
20: Keith White

6: James Hegarty
7: Jason McCarthy
8: David Fitzgerald

9: Seamus Foudy
20: Conner Hegarty

12: Seán Rynne
11: Darren Cullinan
10: Fred Hegarty

18: Evan McNamara
14: Eoghan Foudy
15: Niall Mullins

Subs:
30: Gearoid Barry for McNamara (48)
24: Ronan Mescall for Mullins (51)
17: Jason Griffin for C Hegarty (55)
2: Colin Shannon for C Rynne (56)
5: Brian Foudy for J Hegarty (56)

O’Callaghans Mills:
1: Killian Nugent

2: Gerry Cooney
3: Conor Cooney
4: Keith Donnellan

7: Patrick Donnellan
6: Aidan O’Gorman
5: Eoin McInerney

10: Fionn Hickey
8: Cormac Murphy

9: Stephen Donnellan
11: Aidan Fawl
14: Seán Cotter

15: Seán Boyce
13: Colm Cleary
12: Darragh Moroney

Subs:
22: Bryan Donnellan for Cotter (HT)
23: Mark Pewter for McInerney (36)
19: Mike Cotter for G Cooney (42)
24: Colin Crehan for Hickey (45)
17: Niall Melody for P Donnellan (45)

Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)