Kilconly reach the Promised Land — after a 68-year wait

By NOEL CARNEY Kilconly - 2-5 Oughterard  - 0-7 Yet for much of the first half of this final Kilconly, clad in unfamiliar blue instead of their usual green and red â€â€ to avoid a colour clash with Oughterard's green and white â€â€ were making hard work of it, and were putting their long suffering supporters and themselves through agony as they struggled to avail of the benefit of the Atlantic gale that assisted them. They had re-jigged their line-up for the throw-in with Galway U-21 All-Ireland star Adrian Murphy who again underlined his potential in this game and Keith Curley actually going to the centre of the field for the start of the match, but most reverted to their match programme positions eventually. David Glynn played instead of the injured John Kerrigan, while Martin Newell also started and both men could be well pleased with their contributions. The tension and pressure of playing in a final and with so much at stake appeared to haunt Kilconly for long stretches of that opening period and they kicked no fewer than ten wides before the interval, some from scoreable frees, to leave their rivals very much in contention when the North Galway side should have been almost out of sight at the halfway stage. Indeed, with 33 minutes gone Bernard Brady's team were only three points clear, 0-3 to 0-0, after a very poor half from a football point of view but understandable considering the wintry conditions. Then an Adrian Murphy free dropped into the goalmouth where John Paul Steede deflected the ball to the net and the lead was doubled in one fell swoop. That not only provided the leaders with a cushion of real substance but it was a huge blow to their rivals who would have been quite happy to go in at the break only three points in arrears. That crucial score meant they then had to tackle a six-point deficit, a big task in tough underfoot conditions when games are nearly always of a low scoring variety and with Kilconly likely to keep adding to their tally in the second half. The heavy rain and driving wind made good football almost impossible but both teams were putting in huge effort without much to show for it. Oughterard had a couple of early opportunities but they failed to take advantage of them and Kilconly had kicked four wides by the time Padraic Moran gave them a 12th minute lead from a free. John Paul Steede doubled the advantage almost immediately from another placed ball but they then went sixteen minutes without a score until Padraic Moran converted a tricky angled free. Kilconly had been doing most of the attacking and one long delivery into the goalmouth saw Oughterard's Mark Kavanagh bring off a wonderful high catch to clear the danger. Oughterard were dangerous on the break although Matthew Clancy was getting little or no supply into the full-forward line and he was also playing under the handicap of an injured leg which later necessitated the substitution of this fine player after he had moved out to midfield. Just when it looked as if the slender three points to one lead would have to suffice came that dramatic finish to the first half when Adrian Murphy's free landed in the danger area and John Paul Steede got the vital touch; the net danced, and Kilconly were on their way. It took some alert defending by the Kilconly backs on occasions, with wing-back Barry Concannon â€â€ superb all through â€â€ doing particularly well to intercept one attack as space opened up for the West GPC men and, overall, the Kilconly men were quite happy to have a six-point advantage although a huge effort would be required afterwards to consolidate and preserve their lead as an Oughterard response, aided by the elements, was likely. Yet they could not afford any complacency as Conrad Clancy proved with an early score from a free for Oughterard. Adrian Murphy got one to steady the nerves at the other end before Matthew Clancy scored a super point from a free out on the left sideline but before they could build on it came the score that finally killed off their challenge, if not their spirit. A Kevin Brady run at the Oughterard defence saw the ball end up with Adrian Murphy who drove forward and blasted a spectacular goal that made the score 2-4 to 0-2 with a quarter of an hour remaining. Barring a catastrophe, it ended the match as a meaningful contest and sealed the destiny of the 2011 Intermediate Championship. Kilconly added only one more point to their tally from there to the finish (by Adrian Murphy), but their work was done, the job completed. Oughterard will be bitterly disappointed with their display as they rarely if ever produced the quality football they are capable of, as evidenced in earlier games. To their credit they showed exemplary sportsmanship all through and managed to make the scoreline look better when Conrad Clancy scored from play and from a free and Jo Jo Greaney (two frees), added points in a productive last ten minutes. They repeatedly failed to track Kevin Brady on his lung-bursting runs against the wind in the second half though, and that proved fatal. Brady, who was yellow carded midway through the opening half after going in to 'sort out' a minor melee, did not let that setback hamper his enthusiastic approach and he played his usual high tempo game. He was one of many heroes for the winners as the entire team and sub Colin Concannon all played their hearts out. Goalkeeper Fergus Daly was his usual dependable self, well protected by a solid full-back line of Mike Newell, Barry Steede and Alan Walsh while in front of them Kevin Brady, Damien Concannon and Barry Concannon were rocks on which Oughterard often perished. James Fair and Martin Newell with various partners won a lot of possession in the middle of the field. The forwards were unselfish and combined well, and while J. P. Steede, Padraic Moran and Adrian Murphy got the scores all six worked their socks off in the cause. On a day when little went right for the Oughterard men, goalkeeper Fergus Gillespie who has served the club well for many years could not be faulted for either goal, while Chris O'Toole, Liam Moran, John McGauley, Damien O'Reilly, Jo Jo Greaney, Matthew Clancy, Martin Coady and sub Conrad Clancy all had their moments. Kilconly: F. Daly; Michael Newell, B. Steede, A. Walsh; K. Brady, captain, D. Concannon, B. Concannon; J. Fair, Martin Newell; M. Murphy, J. P. Steede (1-1, 0-1 free), K. Curley; P. Moran (0-2, frees), D. Glynn, A. Murphy (1-2). Sub., C. Concannon, for Glynn. Oughterard: F. Gillespie; M. McGauley, C. O'Toole, captain, L. Moran; A. Coady, E. O'Sullivan, J. McGauley; D. O'Reilly, M. Kavanagh; D. Tuck, J. J. Greaney (0-2, frees), R. Molloy; S. Upton, M. Clancy (0-1, free), M. Coady (0-1). Subs., C. Clancy (0-3, 0-2 frees), for Moran; L. Tierney, for Tuck; C. McQuinn, for Molloy; P. Gibbons, for M. Clancy, inj., P. Walsh, for Kavanagh. Referee: P. J. Rabbitte (Kilkerrin-Clonberne). Herald Sport Man of the Match: Shared by Barry Concannon and Adrian Murphy (both Kilconly).