Kilmore navigate their way past Maze

Kilmore navigate their way past Maze

3 November 2021

KILMORE Rec welcomed Lower Maze to Robert Adams Park in the third round of the Peaky Blinders Irish Cup and produced a barn storming second half comeback to progress to round four.

With Kilmore two goals down at half-time, having been harshly reduced to ten men after 12 minutes, the odds were stacked against them. 

However, a tactical change and a second half performance full of hard work and passion epitomised by man of the match Paddy Grant saw Michael Carvill’s men defy those odds and produce one of the most memorable comebacks seen at Robert Adams Park in recent times.

Kilmore started brightly but after just eight minutes they failed to clear their lines from a corner, allowing Lower Maze’s Alex Scott to pick up the ball 25 yards out and fire through a crowded goal mouth past an unsighted Chris Turley in the Kilmore goals.

The task in hand got harder when the referee adjudged Kilmore captain Niall McCarthy to be the aggressor in a midfield confrontation and, to the astonishment of all in the ground, deemed it a red card offence.

The injustice of the sending off galvanised Kilmore’s ten men and they took the game to Lower Maze, dominating possession and creating chances. 

The first of these saw Caolan Conlon burst through from midfield. His shot was well saved and the rebound fell to Gary Kennedy who fired towards the net only to see Maze ‘keeper Heron produce a great double save. 

Cai Gemmel, who was magnificent throughout, saw a goal bound effort deflected wide of the head of a Maze defender as it seemed destined for the top corner.

As the chances came and went Kilmore got caught with a sucker punch in the 42nd minute. 

Bradford made his way down the left and his mis-cued cross beat a stranded Turley to leave Kilmore two down at half-time and up against it.

Carvill changed the shape of the team at half-time and went with a front two of Paddy Grant and Josh Smyth. 

This change paid dividends in the 49th minute when Grant weaved his way into the box, although it appeared he had been forced too wide, but the forward still managed to fire a rasping drive to the roof of the net.

In the 56th minute a sustained period of Kilmore pressure brought the equaliser, with Grant again involved when his clipped cross was nodded in at the back post by the energetic Josh Smyth.

Kilmore continued to dominate and press for the winner, as it seemed as though the game was destined for extra time. 

In the 89th minute the pressure finally paid off when Carvill whipped in a corner and that man Grant was on hand to hook the ball home from close range to send the Kilmore faithful into raptures.

As Lower Maze then threw everything at Kilmore in injury time, the Blues defence of Magee, Larkin, Kennedy, Stewart and ‘keeper Turley remained steadfast. 

Kilmore’s substitutes of Dagen and Lynas had a chance each on the break for a fourth, but it wasn’t to be.

Carvill spoke of his “immense pride” in the resilience and determination shown by his side after the match. 

It came as no surprise that the Kilmore supporters man of the match went to Paddy Grant for his two goals and an assist in a match winning performance.

This win sealed double delight for Kilmore, as the club recently secured approval for the installation of a new 3G football pitch, complete with floodlights, dug-outs, pitch side fencing and associated pathways.

Kilmore: Turley, Smyth, Stewart, Larkin, Magee, Gemmell, Conlon, McCarthy, Kennedy, Carvil, Grant. Subs: Lynas, Dagen, Mulholland.

Lower Maze: Heron, Davidson, Snoddy, McDowell, Scott, Bradford, Canavan, Stevenson, Short, Scott. Subs: Davidson, Kelly, Glover.