Killeavy 0-9 Carrickcruppen 1-10

Killeavy 1st remained rooted to the bottom of the Division 1 table when they suffered another defeat on Wednesday
evening against Carrickcruppen. Both teams were missing several regulars due to the holiday period though Killeavy’s resources seem to be the more stretched with four players in New York for the summer and Steven McDonnell also taking a break after Armagh’s departure from the championship.
Carrickcruppen opened the scoring with a point but Killeavy then missed two frees and a great goal chance when
Raymond Teggart’s shot was well saved by the keeper before Conor King levelled from a free. Carrickcruppen
dominated the midfield exchanges early on but the Killeavy defence held out well conceding just two points from frees. Killeavy then had a good opportunity Conor King’s goalbound shot was the Cruppen keeper. Two more points from Cruppen saw them take a 0.05 to 0.02 lead into the break.

HT: Killeavy 0-2 Carrickcruppen 0-5

Killeavy started well in the second half and a purple patch saw them take the lead after four points in a row from King, Gerard Byrne (2) and Patrick Hannaway. Two points from Cruppen were then answered by two from King and Darren O’Hanlon as Killeavy gave as good as they got. A Carrickcruppen point had the sides level for the fifth with ten minutes left. The game was decided however when a Carrickcruppen free fell short into the Killeavy box
and despite strong suspicions of a square ball offence, the ball was crashed to the back of the Killeavy net. A Gerard Byrne free gave Killeavy a little hope of a comeback but with time running out, Carrickcruppen made the game safe with two late points.
A gap has now opened up between Killeavy and safety in the division but where there’s life, there’s hope and
Killeavy must continue to search for the elusive will give them the two or three wins they need to survive.