*Tommy Barry and Mikey O’Neill celebrate. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
The Group of Death sprung to life in almost incredulous circumstances after Kilmaley completed a remarkable twelve point second half turnaround to edge out neighbours Ballyea at the death.
Kilmaley 2-20
Ballyea 3-16
Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
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Nothing but a handsome victory seemed on the cards for Robbie Hogan’s side when a Tony Kelly first half masterclass yielded 2-3 while also teeing up Mossy Gavin for a third goal to power 3-9 to 0-7 clear by the midway mark.
Ballyea were ravenous with the aid of the conditions as they hunted in packs and put immense pressure on their opponents throughout. There would be a complete sea-change for the new half however as it was Kilmaley that upped the ante considerably to play with an intensity and drive that the Bally Boys simply couldn’t match.
Tommy Barry’s 34th minute goal ignited their challenge before a five point unanswered blitz through captain Mikey O’Malley (2), Sean O’Loughlin (2) and Sean Kennedy actually slashed the deficit to just the minimum entering the final ten minutes at 3-13 to 1-17.
By then, Niall Deasy had succumbed to an injury while Jack Browne would receive a second yellow as Ballyea found it difficult to win any of their own puck-outs and were simply unable to supply the unerring Kelly.
Then came the decisive moment as substitute Eoin Enright picked out Conor Cleary at the edge of the square to fire past advancing goalkeeper Barry Coote and catapult Kilmaley into the ascendency for the first time in the contest at 2-18 to 3-13 by the 55th minute.
Tony Kelly did reel the leaders in as did substitute Aaron Griffin after a Mikey O’Malley single. However, with every possession magnified, it eventually came down to a last gasp free earned by Tom O’Rourke and executed by Mikey O’Malley to hand Kilmaley a championship-defining opening triumph.
Conor Cleary was a colossus in that second period but also Kilmaley’s best player when things weren’t going anywhere near to plan in the opening half. He was a puck-out magnet and strong leader while captain O’Malley, relentless midfielders Tommy Barry and Sean Kennedy, Colin McGuane when switched to centre-back and Sean O’Loughlin were others to excel on a truly memorable crescendo for Brian Culbert’s side.
Captain Gearoid O’Connell, Paul Flanagan and Daniel Costelloe were Tony Kelly’s main aids but unquestionably the conundrum whether to bring out Kelly to the centre late on or leave him inside to wreak havoc is one that will endure over the next fortnight.
Grabbing 2-7 inside merited his retention at full-forward but to their immense credit, Kilmaley ensured that the supplyline to Kelly was scarce as they dominated Ballyea’s long restarts in that second period.
It was all so different early on as while Kilmaley racked up either first half wides, by the time a ruthless Ballyea had their first miss after 24 minutes, they were already 2-8 to 0-3 clear.
Grabbing the first four points through Tony Kelly, Cian Kirby, Niall Deasy and Mossy Gavin, Ballyea settled into the stride easier albeit that all their good work may have been outdone by a Conor Cleary shot that was saved by goalkeeper Barry Coote.
Tony Kelly wouldn’t be as generous when presented with his own goal chance two minutes later as he was brought to ground but popped up immediately to rifle an angled shot to the roof of the Kilmaley net in the tenth minute at 1-4 to 0-1.
Fiachra Kirby found himself in space to bear down on goal six minutes later, only to be denied by O’Loughlin but he would be powerless from preventing the rampant Kelly from doubling his goal tally in the 19th minute when again he used a free advantage to fire to the net and soar eleven in front.
Cleary and O’Malley did respond with points, only to be floored by a third hammerblow, this time Kelly turned provider after winning an unlikely challenge with two covering defenders to pick out the unmarked Mossy Gavin with an inch-perfect crossfield pass to power Ballyea to a 3-9 to 0-7 half-time chasm.
It was difficult to see a way back for Kilmaley but to their credit, they would be a transformed side for the new half as one would be forgiven the neighbours had switched jerseys such was the metamorphosis in Kilmaley’s work-rate and intensity.
Early points from Tommy Barry, Joe Carmody, Mikey O’Malley and Colin McGuane were only solaced by a Gearoid O’Connell point for Ballyea before a slice of fortunate brought Kilmaley to new heights in the 34th minute.
Stemming from a Bryan O’Loughlin free from his own full-back line, the ball broke perfectly inside to the unmarked Tommy Barry to pull past Coote to the right corner of the net and cut the gap to just five.
Tony Kelly picked off a eye-catching point wither side of a brilliant Conor Cleary converted lineball, with Kilmaley cursing their luck this time when Barry Coote was quick off his line to block James Fitzpatrick’s shot by the two-thirds mark.
Then came that five point Kimaley surge that seemed to gather greater momentum with every passing score and while Tony Kelly again resisted to restore a two point edge, the losses of key protagonists Deasy and Browne would prove too big to replace.
Instead, it was Kilmaley that stepped up, with Cleary’s goal only copper fastening that belief that saw their side pass arguably the ultimate test of character in an exceedingly tense finale, with O’Malley’s 64th minute free being the perfect way to win but cruelest way to lose such a pivotal derby opener.
Scorers for Kilmaley: Mikey O’Malley 0-11 (8f); Tommy Barry 1-2, Conor Cleary 1-2 (1sl); Sean O’Loughlin 0-2, Joe Carmody 0-1, Colin McGuane 0-1, Sean Kennedy 0-1
Scorers for Ballyea: Tony Kelly 2-8 (1f); Mossy Gavin 1-1; Niall Deasy 0-2 (1f, 1’65); Cian Kirby 0-1, Pearse Lillis 0-1, Daniel Costelloe 0-1, Gearoid O’Connell 0-1, Aaron Griffin 0-1
Kilmaley
1: Bryan O’Loughlin
2: Martin O’Connor
3: Colin McGuane
4: Joe Casey
5: Aidan McGuane
19: Colin Carmody
7: Eanna McMahon
8: Tommy Barry
9: Sean Kennedy
26: James Fitzpatrick
14: Conor Cleary
11: Mikey O’Malley
10: Sean O’Loughlin
13: Tom O’Rourke
17: Joe Carmody
Subs
15: Colm Killeen for Fitzpatrick (49)
18: Eoin Enright for Carmody (55)
12: Mikey O’Neill for Casey (58, inj)
Ballyea
1: Barry Coote
4: Morgan Garry
3: Paul Flanagan
18: Tadhg Ó hUallacháin
5: Gearoid O’Connell
6: Jack Browne
7: Daragh Moylan
9: Thomas Kelly
19: Daniel Costelloe
12: Pearse Lillis
10: Niall Deasy
11: Mossy Gavin
15: Fiachra Kirby
8: Tony Kelly
13: Cian Kirby
Subs
17: Aaron Griffin for Deasy (49)
20: Kieran McDonnell for Gavin (56)
23: Fergal Ginnane for Moylan (58)
Referee: Kevin Corry (Sixmilebridge)
