Efficient Kilcoo too strong for ‘Islanders

17 August 2016

LOUGHINISLAND had to play second fiddle to a slick Kilcoo side at Newcastle on Sunday as they got their championship aspirations back on track.

The Frank O’Hare Cup holders never allowed Loughinisland’s challenge to materialise. Kilcoo hunted in packs and closed down Michael Walsh’s playmakers at every turn, effectively diluting Loughinisland’s attacks before they even began.

Ceilum Doherty opened the scoring after two minutes with a point from play and three minutes later Donal Kane extended Kilcoo’s lead with a converted free.

Paddy McKenny got Loughinisland up and running in the ninth minute with a 21m free, but unanswered points over the next eight minutes from Martin Devlin (0-2), Conor Laverty and Gary McEvoy eased Kilcoo into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the 22nd minute.

McKenny reduced the leeway with Loughinisland’s second point, but normal service was resumed for Kilcoo as points from Kane, Paul Devlin and Gary McEvoy gave the Magpies a 0-9 to 0-2 lead as the half drew to a close.

Aaron McClements gave Loughinisland some respite when he lofted over his side’s third point of the half, but it was merely a consolation score in a low key game.

Early points in the second half from Paul Devlin and Darragh O’Hanlon, who replaced Dominic McEvoy at the interval, gave Kilcoo a commanding eight point lead with 32 minutes gone.

Rory Deegan and Paul Devlin swapped points before two McKenny points gave Loughinisland a fighting chance at 0-12 to 0-6, but Kilcoo were having none of it and these scores were to be Loughinisland’s last.

The remorseless Kilcoo machine started ticking over again and scores from Doherty, Paul Devlin (0-3, Marty Devlin and Darragh O’Hanlon ensured there would be no upset.

Kilcoo: S Kane, P Devlin, Aidan Branagan, N McEvoy, Aaron Branagan, D Brannagan, N Branagan, D McEvoy, A Morgan, C Doherty (0-2), M Devlin (0-2), D Kane (0-2), C Laverty (0-1), Gary McEvoy (0-2), P Devlin (0-7). Subs: D O’Hanlon (0-2) for D McEvoy, S O’Hanlon for Aidan Branagan (black card), F McGreevy for D Kane, E Branagan for Morgan, Cillian Laverty for Conor Laverty, Gerard McEvoy for Gary McEvoy..

Loughinisland: K Gordon, R Nixon, P Megoran, S Cochrane, D McLaughlin, P Digney, P Martin, D Gordon, R Stranney, P Nugent, A McClements (0-1), S Mason, P McKenny (0-4), G Johnson, D O’Toole. Subs: M Brannigan for Mason, R Deegan (0-1) for Johnson, C O’Toole for D O’Toole, A Nixon for McClements.

Kilcoo 0-18

Loughinisland 0-6

MORGAN FUELS SFC

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