September 25, 2016 at 11:06 am

REPORT/PHOTOS: Champions Kilmoyley Deservedly Retain Their Title Against Resilient Ballyduff

It may have been close, but in the end the champions prevailed and Kilmoyley won the Garveys Supervalu Kerry Senior Hurling Championship for 2016 deservedly says Mike O’Halloran…

Kilmoyley 1-18

Ballyduff 2-13

Aidan McCabe hold the Neilus Flynn trophy aloft watched by Jim Garvey of Garveys Supervalu and Ger McCarthy of the Kerry County Board. Photo by Gavin O’Connor

Kilmoyley has now joined Ballyduff in winning 24 Kerry hurling Championship titles after overcoming Ballyduff in an entertaining game played in mixed conditions at Austin Stack Park.

Kilmoyley must be admired for putting two titles together, but don’t forget the tremendous battle put up by Ballyduff to test the mettle of the champions.

Ballyduff will look back and say they only lost by two points, but I think that the result was just about a fair one.

Continued below…

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/

They were a point each after four minutes but Kilmoyley added two more before Padraig Boyle landed a goal for Ballyduff to make it 1-1 to 0-3 on eleven minutes.

It was ding-dong until Luke Fitzell struck for goal for Kilmoyley to put them up 1-11 to 1-6, Daniel Collins added another point before halftime to leave the half time score Ballyduff 1-6 Kilmoyley 1-12.

Liam Boyle pointed on the resumption and Jack Goulding also had a post splitter.

Continued below…

Collins added two more and then Paudie O’Connor had a beauty for Kilmoyley to make it 1-9 to 1-16. Padraig Boyle pointed three times, only for Maurice O’Connor to make it Kilmoyley 1-17 Ballyduff 1-12.

On 28 minutes, Daniel Collins put over a point to put six points between them, 1-18 to 1-12. All over says I to myself, but not at all as Ballyduff showed all the resilience that they are famous for over the years.

Kilmoyley captain Aidan McCabe with the Neilus Flynn trophy. Photo by Gavin O’Connor

Michael Boyle pointed and then his brother Padraig goaded and I could hear the Kilmoyley supporters saying “Oh here we go again”, but unfortunately for Ballyduff, the time ran out for them.

A number of factors influenced the result and the loss of Paud Costello to Ballyduff was huge, the influence of Tom Murnane at the back for Kilmoyley was equally important, he cleared a cart load of ball uncontested especially in the second half.

I spoke about Maurice O’Connor in the preview and he certainly did his bit to aid Kilmoyley in their efforts to win number twenty four.

The champions. Photo by Gavin O’Connor

Shane Brick was much more effective than he was in the drawn game – he scored some impressive points and distributed good ball to the likes of Collins and Paudie O’Connor. Shane also collected his fourth man of the match award ( a voucher for The Scellig Hotel in Dingle).

Talking of Daniel Collins, he was very impressive from placed balls and general play. I spoke of the importance of the free takers in these games and both Padraig Boyle and Daniel Collins were pretty accurate.

Continued below…

I think Ballyduff might have gone seeking goals a little too early, and were inclined to force the issue, far too early. Perhaps if they had taken the point chances presented, the goal might have come.

Scroll down for photos…

Scorers

Kilmoyley: Collins 0-8 (7 frees), L. Fitzell 1-0, S Brick 0-3, M O’Connor 0-2, R.Collins, A Royle, S Maunsell, T Murnane, P. O’Connor 0-1 apiece

Ballyduff: P.Boyle 2-7 (7frees), M. Boyle 0-3, J. Goulding 0-2 L. Boyle 0-1

Teams

Kilmoyley: A McCabe; R Collins, C Savage, S Nolan; S Dowling, D Fitzelle, T Murnane; J Godley, P O’Connor; S Maunsell, S Brick, D Collins; M O’Connor, A Royle, L Fitzell.
Subs: J Brick for S Nolan; J McCarthy for A Royle, J McElligott for S Maunsell.

Ballyduff: PJ O’Gorman, T Slattery, P Costello, D O’Grady; E Ross, P O’Grady, A O’Carroll, D O’Carroll, M Boyle, P Boyle, L Boyle, B O’Grady, J Goulding, G O’Brien, B O’Sullivan.
Subs: E O’Connor for P Costello, P O’Carroll for B O’Grady, D Goulding for E Ross.