Stephen O'Reilly secures Duhallow league success for Kilbrin against Dromtariffe

Kilbrin 2-19 Dromtariffe 2-18 

KILBRIN team captain Stephen O’Reilly displayed nerves of steel to float over a 66th-minute 65 to edge past Dromtariffe in a thrilling Twohig's SuperValu Duhallow JAHL final at Castlemagner.

Both sides managed to produce an absorbing and highly combative contest that went right down to the wire before O’Reilly weighed in with the all-important score. A lack of silverware during a barren past decade having been runners-up in both league and championship deciders proved a motivating factor for Kilbrin to regain a title previously held in 2015.

Dromtariffe had seized the early initiative, Brandon Murphy obliged with four points from play and placed balls. That early dominance petered out once full-forward Eoin Sheahan got onto the end of a long delivery from Brendan O’Mahony to fire a thundering shot to the net.

Though Evan Murphy and Darragh Crowley answered for Dromtariffe, they operated second best to the fluent hurling paraded by Kilbrin’s Man of the Match Fionn O’Connor, well supported by Mark Field, Niall Field, Sheahan and O’Reilly.

Points from Jamie Harrington and William Heffernan preceded a telling move saw Field pierce open the Dromtariffe rearguard for a goal. O’Reilly added a Kilbrin point to push his side nine ahead. Dromtariffe without a number of regulars including county player Conor O’Callaghan received a timely boost, Gavin O’Keeffe won a penalty for Tomás Howard to oblige to narrow the arrears 2-11 to 1-8 at the break.

On the restart, Dromtariffe’s game took flight, Jack Murphy and Andrew Healy combining for Brandon Murphy to net.

Though O’Reilly answered with a pair of Kilbrin pointed frees, Dromtariffe responded positively through the input of Jamie Kelleher, Dara Murphy and Gavin O’Keeffe. The tide had turned to the men in red, substitute Darren O’Connor along with Brandon and Evan Murphy splitting the uprights for Dromtariffe to hold a 2-17 to 2-16 grip.

With the contest remaining up for grabs, the tension and excitement mounted, matters got a little frantic with red cards picked up at either end by substitutes Malomhuire O’Brien and Jack Buckley in separate incidents.

After O’Reilly levelled the game, Kilbrin came close to a goal only for Field to blast wide. Likewise, poor shooting hindered Dromtariffe, they hit the front from a point by O’Keeffe only to be cancelled by a converted O’Reilly free.

One score was going to win it, Kilbrin peppered the Dromtariffe goalmouth, a 65 won and when the opportunity presented, O’Reilly expertly converted to deliver the silverware.

Scorers for Kilbrin: S O’Reilly 0-13 (0-11 f, 0-1 65), N Field 1-2, E Sheahan 1-1, W Heffernan 0-2, J Harrington 0-1.

Dromtariffe: B Murphy 1-8 (0-2 f, 0-1 65), T Howard 1-2 (1-0 pen), E Murphy 0-4, D Crowley, K Cremin, G O’Keeffe, D O’Connor 0-1 each.

KILBRIN: L Daly; M Field, B Power, D Daly; B O’Sullivan, C King, B O’Mahony; N Field, F O’Connor; R Heffernan, W Heffernan, J Harrington; S O’Reilly, E Sheahan, M Sheahan. 

Subs: Maolmhuire O’Brien for B Power (inj), Maoliosa O’Brien for M Sheahan.

DROMTARIFFE: D Hartnett; D Murphy, J Kelleher, D Dennehy; R Daly, J Murphy, A Daly; A Healy, K Cremin; B Murphy, G O’Keeffe, E Murphy; M O’Callaghan, T Howard, D Crowley. 

Subs: J Buckley for A Daly, D O’Connor for D Crowley, S Coyne for M O’Callaghan.

Referee: C Lane (Banteer).