Kilmore cruise in cup

Kilmore cruise in cup

10 September 2014

KILMORE made up for some recent indifferent performances with an encouraging Border Cup win over Shorts at Robert Adams Park.

The Rec started brightly with Karl Lewis and Lee Morrison raiding down the flanks. Sean Bell, on his return to first team action, supplied Lewis out on the right with a great ball, he sprinted past his marker and crossed to the back post for Morrison, but he shot wide.

Gary Hewitt had the first opening for Shorts when he collected the ball 30 yards from goal, but his first time shot went wide of Conan Russell’s far post.

With 13 minutes gone an inswinging free from Morrison was headed home at the near post by the alert Johnny Cheevers as Kilmore made their dominance pay.

Alan Jamison then found himself free in the Kilmore box, but he took too much time and Russell was quickly off his line to deny the winger a shot.

Larry McGonagle, who was playing in the holding role for Kilmore, sent in a peach of a pass to Peter Casey, but he was denied by brave goalkeeping from Stephen McNally. A move involving Bell and Joe McKinney created an opening for Morrison, but McNally tipped his effort round the post for a corner.

Cheevers met the resultant set-piece from Morrison, but his effort was brilliantly saved by McNally.

McKinney then linked up with Bell again, but his shot was blocked by Greg Edgar. Kilmore had a penalty claim waved away a few minutes later when Bell was brought down in the box before Casey had a header saved by McNally following a Lewis corner.

Kilmore continued to ask questions and Bell burst through the middle only for McNally to save at his feet. Casey then dinked a ball to the back stick, but Cheevers headed agonisingly wide.

The ever-dangerous Hewitt then brushed aside the challenge of Jack Larkin and Cheevers, but he shot wide. Back came Kilmore and Morrison tried his luck from 35 yards out, but McNally saved again. Kilmore really should have made it 2-0 just before the break when Lewis beat two defenders and crossed to an unmarked Casey, but he shot over from a great position.

McKinney showed his skipper how to score a minute into the second half when he got on the end of a flowing move involving Lewis, Casey and Morrison to make it 2-0. However, credit must go to Bell and his contribution in winning not one, but two tackles to start the ball rolling.

Minutes later a Lewis corner picked out Larkin at the back post and he headed the ball into the path of Cheevers to make it 3-0.

With 55 minutes gone Casey went close with a stinging shot from 20 yards when his strike clipped the bar on the way over the top. The final 30 minutes of the game were a bit disjointed with neither side stringing together anything of note.

McGonagle, who was battling hard in midfield, sprayed a lovely pass out to McKinney and he played in Casey, but McNally stood firm. With 70 minutes gone McKinney sent Lewis clear, but his dangerous cross was taken off Shane Murray’s toes by James Smyth.

Murray was back in action a few minutes later when Lewis and McKinney carved out an opening for him, but he shot high over the bar. Murray was totally out of luck in front of goal as he was again denied by McNally in the dying minutes, but Kilmore were home and hosed by this stage.

Kilmore Rec: C. Russell, M. Murphy, M. Miskelly, J. Larkin, J. Cheevers, L. McGonagle, K. Lewis, J. McKinney, P. Casey, S. Bell, L. Morrison, Subs: C. Magee, J. Murphy, S. Murray.

Shorts: S. McNally, G. Edgar, C. Graham, J. Smyth, M. Barr, J. McGee, G. Evans, M. Moffett, G. Hewitt, A. Jamison, N. Allan. Subs: S. Hayes, M. Forrester, D. Stewart.

Final score: Kilmore 3 Shorts 0