ACL 1
NOT ONE OVER FOR PARR
Kilcoo 0-12 Rostrevor 0-11
There was plenty of controversy at kilcoo on Saturday when refree peter brannigans decision to rule out what had looked like a legitimate point by Shaun parr ended up costing Rostrevor the match. But perhaps Reds fans would have not been just so hot under their collars if they had recalled the opening twenty minutes of this lively game.
MERCURIAL
With Conor Laverty at his mercurial best, Magpies had ripped Rostrevor apart in that opening period. How they only led by 0-5 to 0-2 at this stage is a mystery. Well, hardly a mystery… their flagrantly wasteful finishing was right there in our faces as an explanation. Any Rostrevor man would have been happy to get out of Kilcoo with just a one point defeat at that stage, but expectations changed as the visitors slowly began to get their game together around the midfield slidity of jarlath Austin and the adventurous wing back play of Conor daly. Reds had cut the score back to 0-4 to 0-6 by half time, and though brian O’hanlon and conor laverty quickly boosted their side back into an 0-8 to 0-4 lead, reds kept grinding. A Colm Clerkin point was the highlight of their gritty recovery, and Shaun Parrs “equaliser” ought to have crowned it. But over the hour, Kilcoo were probably the better team for longer periods, and may just have about deserved their win.
OUTSTANDING
Outstanding for the winners were Brian O’hanlon, Aidan Brannigan, Gerard McEvoy and Conor Laverty, with Anthony Devlin also making an impression when coming in as a sub in thre final quarter. Conor Daly, Paul Magee, Colm Clerkin and Jarlath Austin did most to pull Reds back into the contest.
Kilcoo scorers; Conor Laverty [0-5]; Gerard McEvoy [0-1]; Brian O’Hanlon [0-1]; Aidan Brannigan [0-1]; Paul Devlin [0-1]; Gary McEvoy [0-1]; Conor Morgan [0-1]; Barry Kane [0-1].
Rostrevor scorers; Conor Daly [0-5]; Lloyd Parr [0-3]; Colm Clerkin [0-2]; Brian Cole [0-1]
Kilcoo team; Stephen Kane; Niall McEvoy, Sean O’Hanlon, Gerard McEvoy; Brian O’Hanlon, Aidan Brannigan, Daniel Higgins; Martin McClean, Phelim McGreevey; Paul Devlin, Dominic McEvoy, Gary McEvoy; Conor Laverty, Conor Morgan, Sean kKelly.
Rostrevor team; Padraig Mulholland; Jarlath Farrell, Paul Magee, Kevin McGrath; cConor daly, Colm Murney, Eddie mMagee; Jarlath Austin, Fintan McBreen; Eamon McConville, Colm Clerkin, Brian Cole; Marty Doran, Shaun Parr Lloyd parr
Referee: Peter Brannigan