A shower of hailstones greeted the Cork and Mayo combatants as they warmed up before their All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. Another trip to Croke park was on the line for Tommy Conroy , Mikie Sweeney and Tony Gaughan of Kiltane just as it was for Ray Carey and Paudie Kissane of Clyde Rovers.
Two wides were exchanged before Kiltane made the wind at their backs pay, with John Reilly knocking over a free. Kiltane then hit three wides in succession before Ultan Corrigan converted a tricky free from the right-hand side which hit the post on its way over.
Clyda then had a period of pressure, Kiltane weathering it by conceding just the one score from three Clyda chances. Jason Healey then scored a long range point for Kiltane and he was beginning to dominate midfield. Clyda were to score on the break before Shane Lindsay took a low kick pass from Edmund Barrett and lofted it over from far out at the right half-forward position. The score now stood at 4 points to 2.
No more hail or rail had fallen but the wind was a massive factor. Kiltane made it pay when a Mikie Sweeney effort fell into a packed Clyda box and Ultan Corrigan was the man to steer it into the net after a scramble where five other players at least must have got a touch.
Although Kiltane immediately conceded a point, Darragh Carey came up from the backs to point a forty-five shortly after and then Shane Lindsay won possession in midfield , soloed into the Clyda box and let a daisy cutter shot go which found the corner of the net. 2-5 to 0-3. Edmond Barrett and then Tony Vaughan added points to make the halftime score 2-7 to 0-3.
The second half for Clyda would have to be about making the hefty wind advantage pay but it was Kiltane who scored first. After four misses in succession Clyda punched a point over the bar when the forward would have been better served to go for goal.
Tommy ‘Goals’ Conroy then broke free from midfield and bore down on goal with three Clyda men in hot pursuit. He looked set to further embellish his nickname but was pulled down. The referee missed the foul completely, allowed Clyda to clear the danger and then after consulting with the umpires booked the offending Clyda player. Too little , too late as a Conroy goal would have sealed the game then for the Erris team.
Clyda then scored a point to bring the score to 2-8 to 0-6. Tommy Conroy’s next possession was to lead to a free which Ultan Corrigan converted. Clyda were squandering their possession and Kiltane making use of theirs in the middle stage of the half. The introduction of stalwart Sean Carey raised massive cheers from the Kiltane faithful and he was to be instrumental in Kiltane’s possession game for the rest of the half.
It was at this crucial stage that Clyda won a penalty. Michael John Reilly in the Kiltane goal was not needed to deflect the shot. That job fell to the black spot on the crossbar as the two thousand strong crowd witnessed that rare event of supporters cheering an opposition point. It was Kiltane’s day now as the score stood at 2-9 to 0-7 points.
Clyda fought to the end and tacked on two points but ref Damien Brazil blew up after a long five minutes of injury time to send Kiltane into the final and their supporters into ecstasy. The Mayo standard bearers advance to the citadel of Croke Park and this reporter to the hostelries of Bangor, Geesala and Doohoma.
Man of the Match: Shane Lindsay. Dangerous on every possession.
Honourable mention to Tony Gaughan but in truth the win was so comprehensive that honours could have been handed to most of the Kiltane men.
(All photos as well as the words in this report are courtesy of Roger Milla).
Thanks for the comprehensive report Roger, likely the most comprehensive available online! You and the other brave souls deserve credit for braving those elements today. Congrats to the kiltane lads! Great for them, and great for Mayo!
Great report Roger, best of luck to Kiltane in the final. Pity its clashing with the league match in Omagh. Twitter will be lively that day!
Congratulations Kiltane on another great win, they seem to be a really good side and it’s now vital for themselves and Mayo football that they go finish the Job I Croker. And thanks Roger Miller for a very fine match report……..
Thanks for a good and fair report Roger. However, on the Man of the Match (MOTM) I’d agree with Shane Lindsey, but he’d have to contend with full-back Darragh Carey, and Patrick Joe Gaughan at wing-back, as well as mid-fielders John Reilly (first half) and Jason Healy (second-half); for that award. On Tony Gaughan, I felt that Paudie Kissane proved the Clyda’s main direct treat for most of the game, so he didn’t boss his position to demand consideration for the MOTM award today.
I’m not a twitter user, but a fellow traveller to the Kiltane match today tells me Kiltane were trending on Twitter (a rare event) today. Des Cahill later said that Leitrim GAA was also trending on Twitter after their FBD title retention, which he said it was also rare event!
I prefer the rare event that Kiltane has never been defeated as an Intermediate team in their two single years (40 years apart) in the grade!
Keep that going in two weeks time lads and back to senior football in God’s county where you really belong,
Cill Tseadna agus Meigh Eo Abu !
Sorry Mayo Mick, that should have been a new comment, not a reply to your comment!
Was the fine for the match or was it windy we’ll done to kiltane
There was a strong wind behind Kiltane in the first half and against them in the second-half.
The condition of the pitch was good considering all the rainfall over the past weeks.
However Cait, it was the same for both sides but Kiltane were the better team by some margin!
Roll on the Monaghan and Ulster champs and another special Croker outing.
Thanks Roger for the report….. Well Done Kiltane, you did your parish and county proud! Hopefully Mayo can keep this momentum going in the league next week-end away to Kildare. They beat Meath today in the O’Byrne cup final, so it will be a tough game, as Kildare seem to be showing good early season form. Lets all hope that the year ahead continues on this positive trajectory!
Jaysus it says a lot for football in Mayo.We have 2 teams now who are in the semis of an All Ireland club finals.Mayo minors all Ireland winner2013. The future looks good lads
Imagine this.Kiltane All ireland intermediate club winners 2014- Mitchells All Ireland senior club winners 2014- Mayo minor champions 2014- Mayo senior champions 2014.I know in a dreamer and it may seem greedy but considering all the heart ache we have had we would deserve it.:)
Greed is the only way in sport. The only way, lets set out to win everything and not be shy about it.
Your rite David.Ya need a ruthlessness to win.
And I think mayos footballers in a lot of grades are really developing the ruthless streak.
I think Kiltane will win the All Ireland, they probably have beaten the best sides already, If Mitchells beat Crokes i think they will be good enough to win the final also.
Great stuff Roger – excellent report and well done to Kiltane yesterday – I was listening on MidWest and Roger it sounds like you were right in that there were a number of contenders for MOTM. Tommy Goals might not have lived up to his name but sounded dangerous all the same.
So unfortunate that this is clashing with the Tyrone game on the 9th – I’d love to be in Croker to cheer on Kiltane (it’s a lot closer too) but have committed to Omagh at this stage. I’m assuming it’s unlikely the county clash could be moved to the Saturday night? Have the county board made a statement, or is there any point in contacting them I wonder?
I know it has been suggested elsewhere that the league game be moved to Croker as a double-header but Tyrone will be having none of that, and rightly so.
Anyway, those of us that do travel up North will no doubt have one eye and ear on the game and the others on what’s happening in Croker. It’s looking like a good year for Mayo football already.
Congrats Kiltane, all the best in the final. Nice to build up the 10 point cushion for the 2nd half battle.
Well done Kiltane and all the best in the final.
Mo2014, Actually I know that Kiltane were aware that Truagh performed well in Ulster and expected them to reach the final, and this was even before Truagh won the provincial decider.
Like Kiltane, they have come back up at the first time of asking so will be no push overs, but Croker Park will suit the Kiltane style so hopefully this will be good enough,
Congratulations to kiltane and all who worked so hard over the years hope youdoit this time