2024 West Junior A Football Championship Round 3

Maria Marron Palmers Hill Stud West Junior A Football Championship Round 3

Cappawhite 1.5(8)
Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 0.8(8)

John O’Shea at Cappawhite

Cappawhite and Kickhams played out a dull and unexciting draw in this round 3 game of the Maria Marron Palmers Hill Stud West Junior A Football Championship at Cappawhite on Tuesday evening. The result means that both sides have advanced to the semi-final stage, with one round left to play.

Played in good conditions, before a small crowd, scores were at a premium, while wides were in abundance, especially during the opening thirty minutes which yielded just five scores, Cappawhite 1.2, Kickhams 0.2.
The game picked up after the break and following a second point from Eoghan Ryan after fifty minutes, the home side went into a four-point advantage. However, this was to be their last score as Kickhams staged a late comeback, with two points in added time to secure a share of the points, that has secured their place in the semi-finals.

From the start both sides were committed to play attacking football but putting the ball between the posts proved to be a problem as both sets of forwards were guilty of wayward shooting. Sam Carmody got the scoreboard moving with a long-range point from out near the forty-five-meter line after four minutes of play, but this was to be the only score until a sixteenth minute Joe O’Dwyer equaliser from a close-in free following a foul on Conor Farrell (G) as he was bearing down on goal. The only goal of the game came on twenty minutes after a good Cappa move out of defence, which was followed with a ball over the top to Sam Carmody, who in turn found Willie Barry and the corner forward beat Declan Ryan with a low shot from close-in. From the kick out Kickhams moved the ball quickly up field and Zack O’Halloran pointed. Willie Barry then kicked a huge point from outfield to leave the half time score, Cappawhite 1.2, Kickhams 0.2.

After the break the game picked up considerably and Kickhams attacked from the throw-in with Jamie Duncan feeding Joe O’Dwyer whose low goal bound shot was saved by Dara McCarthy at the expense of a 45. Joe O’Dwyer found the target from a close-in free following a foul on Shane Farrell to cut the deficit to two. Sam Carmody and Joe O’Dwyer, from a free, traded points before Eoghan Ryan extended the lead to three around the tenth minute. The next ten minutes failed to register a score as the wides built up on both sides and defences tightened up. Eoghan Ryan kicked his second minor with ten minutes of normal time remaining, putting his side four to the good. However, this was to be the home sides last score as Kickhams staged a late come back. Walter O’Carroll was on target from a very narrow angle and substitute Brendan Browne put over a placed ball to cut the deficit to two with four minutes remaining. As the game entered added time, Kickhams were still two in arrears but in a late flurry Shane Farrell put the minimum between the sides before Elliott Thompson kicked the equaliser in the sixty second minute to bring the sides level for only the second time in the game.

Scorers & Teams:
Cappawhite: Willie Barry (1.1), Sam Carmody (0.2, 1 free), Eoghan Ryan (0.2)

Kickhams: Joe O’Dwyer (0.3, 2frees), Brendan Browne (0.1 free), Zack O’Halloran (0.1), Walter O’Carroll (0.1), Shane Farrell (0.1), Elliott Thompson (0.1)

Cappawhite: Dara McCarthy, Pakie Barry, Philip Gantley, Seamus Burns, Michael English, David Buckley, Mikey O’ Brien, Tommy Costello, Michael P Buckley, Kevin Stapleton, Anthony Barry, Colm O’ Dwyer, Eoghan Ryan, Sam Carmody, Willie Barry

Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams: Declan Ryan, Cathal Duggan, Paudie O’ Carroll, Conor Farrell (Grantstown), Shane Farrell, Conor Farrell (Donaskeigh), Diarmuid Carr, Elliot Thompson, Shane Buckley, Walter O’ Carroll, Jamie Duncan, Mark Furlong, Aidan Duggan, Joe O’ Dwyer, Zach O’ Halloran.

Subs used: Adam Daly for Cathal Duggan (HT), Conor O’Mahony for Zack O’Halloran (43), Brendan Browne for Mark Furlong (50), Tom O’Driscoll for Joe O’Dwyer (50), Aaron Horgan for Conor Farrell (Grantstown) (60)

Referee; Richie O’Connor (Arravale Rovers)