Kilclief are crowned champions after super-charged show

Kilclief are crowned champions after super-charged show

2 October 2013

AN experienced Kilclief side annexed the Junior Championship title at Ballycran on Sunday when they totally outplayed the young pretenders from Carryduff.

Kilclief, who won the IHC crown two years ago, had too much know-how for their opponents and eased to a comfortable victory.

They played a simpler and more direct brand of hurling while Carryduff wanted too much time on their ball and consequently ran into trouble time and again.

As expected, county star Fintan Conway was a stand-out player. He controlled his half back line and his long raking deliveries were the platform for a dominant display by the Kilclief forward line.

The teams exchanged points in the opening minute before Martin McKendry in the Kilclief goal made two outstanding saves in the space of a minute.

Perhaps things would have been different if even one of those chances had found the net and instead it was the Kilclief captain, Liam Deegan, who flashed a shot to the Carryduff net after five minutes.

While Sean O’Callaghan responded with a Carryduff point, the next ten minutes saw Kilclief notch up two goals and four points, the goals coming from Owen Curran and Niall Conway.

O’Callaghan and Conor Beatty pointed for Carryduff before Deegan, Thomas Mason and Ryan Kerr from 80 metres completed the first half scoring. Kilclief 3-8 to Carryduff 0-4.

Carryduff needed an inspired start to the second half, but it was Thomas Mason who got the opening point for Kilclief followed by two hammer blows when Martin Craig and Niall Conway both found the Carryduff net within the space of a minute.

Eoin Conway had a point for

Carryduff, but similar scores from Craig, Mason and Niall Conway eased Kilclief further ahead. Kilclief emptied their bench in the closing minutes and it was Carryduff who had the better of the final exchanges with Eoin Conway and Gareth Lynch scoring goals that epitomised the never say die spirit of this young team.

A proud Liam Deegan, the Kilclief captain,  accepted the championship trophy from county chairman Seamus Walsh.

Kilclief have no time to rest on their laurels as they now face Creggan

Kickhams in the first round of the Ulster JHC in Downpatrick at 3.30pm on Sunday.

Kilclief 5-15

Carryduff 2-7

DOWN JHC FINAL