Kilshannig's dream season continues as U21s knock out Douglas

Kilshannig 2-10 Douglas 2-9

AFTER this U21 A Football Championship quarter-final contest, dreams of championship glory for Kilshannig remain alive.

They really dug deep here and produced a determined collective effort to ensure victory over Douglas.

Kilshannig are now into the semi-final and with a Cork Junior A Football Final also on the horizon next weekend, these are very exciting times indeed for the North Cork club.

It was indeed Kilshannig, who recorded a round one victory in this particular competition over Nemo Rangers, that began brightly and took some well-taken scores in the opening half.

Kieran Twomey and Conor McMahon converted good curling efforts in the conditions.

Jack Kearney and Cork U20 footballer Eanna O’Hanlon also got scores, as Kilshannig led 0-6 to the 0-2 of Douglas after twenty minutes of play.

Douglas, including through Conor Russell points, did manage to reduce that gap down to one a few moments into the start of the second half.

But Kilshannig would respond well and manage to find the opening goal of the game on 34 minutes after Kearney reacted quickest to finish from close range after a spell of attacking pressure.

O’Hanlon added to his total, before Kilshannig netted for a second occasion, this time it was Barry O’Shea that showed good instinctive awareness to slot home.

Douglas though were to rally with a late charge. The city side would net with two goals during a sustained spell of pressure in the final ten minutes, with Daniel Harte and a finish by Russell leaving the sides on level terms with three minutes left to play.

With the game now in the melting pot, it was Kilshannig who struck for the decisive late blow.

O’Hanlon kept his composure and slotted over a free, as Kilshannig now have a semi-final against St Finbarr’s or St Michael’s to look forward to.

Éire Óg and Ballincollig are on the other side of the draw.

Scorers for Kilshannig: J Kearney 1-2, E O’Hanlon (0-3 f) 0-4, B O’Shea 1-0, K Twomey(0-1 f), C McMahon 0-2 each.

Douglas: C Russell (0-3 f) 1-4, D Harte 1-0, D Kelly, C Baldwin, B Lynch, J Holland, A O’Connell 0-1 each.

KILSHANNIG: G Creedon: S Murphy, B Curtin, D O’Riordan: C Murphy, C O’Shea, J Murphy: E O’Hanlon, J Twomey: B O’Shea, K Twomey, J O’Hanlon: C O’Sullivan, J Kearney, C McMahon.

Sub: K Barrow for McMahon (57).

DOUGLAS: D O’Keeffe: R O’Mahony, S Henry Squires, J Cremin: D Harte, B Powter, J Harte: B Hartnett, N Hartnett: D Kelly, C Baldwin, B Lynch: J Holland, C Russell, A O’Connell.

Subs: A O’Hare for Baldwin (38), A Cantwell for O’Connell (49), C Buckley for Cremin (52).

Referee: Pa O’Driscoll(Bride Rovers).