Kilskyre/Moylagh v Kildalkey I.H.C. Semi-Final Saturday 30.9.23 at Trim
Final Score: Kilskyre/Moylagh 2.9 Kildalkey 2.15
History repeated itself in Trim on Saturday when as in the 2022 quarter final Kilskyre/Moylagh’s interest in the Intermediate Hurling Championship ended with a 6-point loss to a cuter and more experienced Kildalkey side in this year’s semi-final played in terrible conditions. Whether it was the effect of this being the 4th important match in 13 days – 2 football and 2 hurling – for many of these players, nerves, 12 wides over the hour, an inability to score points from play or whatever, this was a game in which Kilskyre/Moylagh never got going as we know they can.
Kildalkey with the aid of the breeze started brightly and had 1.2 on the board in the first 10 minutes before Tom Shine opened his and Kilskyre/Moylagh’s account with a free in the 13th minute. The Kildalkey goal came in the 3rd minute when a Kilskyre/Moylagh puckout was intercepted and the ball finished to the net. Shine pointed another free in the 17th minute and 2 minutes later a Peadar Byrne pass found Willie McGrath and he finished to the net to leave 2 points in it 1.2 to 1.4. The sides exchanged points from frees in the 21st and 23rd minutes before a 5-point burst by Kildalkey between the 23rd and 30th minutes opened the gap to 7 points. A goal from Willy McGrath on the 30th minute was answered almost straight from the puckout by a Kildalkey point but a Tom Shine free in the 33rd minute brought the first half to a close with the score at Kilskyre/Moylagh 2.4 Kildalkey 1.11.
With wind advantage to come and knowing that they had missed a number of first half chances, particularly from placed balls the Kilskyre/Moylagh faithful felt a 4-point deficit was manageable in the second half. However, it was the men in blue that started the second half brighter and hit 2 early points to extend their lead to 6 and that was a lead they would go on to hold until the finish. Points were exchanged in the 6th and 11th minutes. Tom Shine pointed a free in the 18th minute but 2 minutes later Kildalkey scored their second goal to put their lead out to 8 points. Kilskyre/Moylagh threw everything they could at Kildalkey for the final 10 minutes plus the additional 6 minutes played but the Kildalkey defence held firm with a combination of resolute defending and some strategic fouling to ensure the goal needed by Kilskyre/Moylagh did not arrive. In that spell Tom Shine pointed from a free after McGrath was fouled as he headed for goal and Daire Shine pointed two 65s following attempts for goals from frees that were deflected out by the Kildalkey defence.
These sides will probably meet again in the Billy Byrne cup final at some stage later in the year and maybe Kilskyre/Moylagh who only used 18 players in their Intermediate campaign may get some reward for their efforts in a year that saw them progress by moving out of the B grade in the Intermediate Championship and reaching a semi-final. The club can also look forward to contesting a Junior 2 final in the coming weeks, the minors with Gaeil Colmcille are in the Championship final so all in all it has not been a bad year for the club despite the obvious disappointment of Saturday last.
Kilskyre/Moylagh: D Muldoon, J Connell, P. Muldoon, M Farrell, B Smith, S Geraghty, E Briody, D Shine (0.2), L Maguire, O McDermott, T Shine (0.7), K Og Lynch, W McGrath (2.0), P Byrne, K McCaffrey.
Subs: S Tunney for Lynch, M Farrelly for McDermott, P Briody for McCaffrey.
Referee: H Clifford
