Killeavy 0-07 Sarsfields 0-04

Killeavy hosted Sarsfields in the all important league opener in Killeavy on Sunday lunchtime. With heavy rain all night and during the game, Killeavy's pitch held up splendidly, although conditions were still very far from ideal. The good news for the home team was that their county contingent were all available, Stephen McDonnell starting at corner forward, while Louth star man Mark Stanfield made his long awaited debut in the green and black at midfield. The management team held Gary Reel on the bench after his extra time exertions for Armagh U-21 the previous day. Killeavy played with the breeze in the opening period, and got off to a steady start, the team pushing Sarsfields into defence from the first whistle. Anthony O'Hare and Stephen Mconnell kicked wides, before Sarsfield registered the first score, their corner forward showing good speed to pick up a through pass and win a free. He converted this himself from thirty yards, although this was a rare Sarsfields attack, and the telling fact was that they failed to score for the rest of the half. Killeavy were the team applying the pressure, but the wides tally grew much too quickly for everyone's liking. Anthony O'Hare opened Killeavy's account, picking off an easy score from a nice through ball by McDonnell. Mark Stanfield then got his first score, a nice switched pass from John McKevitt finding him in plenty of space following a good through ball by Rory Trainor. Stanfield then hit the score of the match, a spectacular sideline effort with the outside of his right boot from way out the field. Despite these scores, Killeavy were missing easy chances to put themselves out of sight and indeed kicked an incredible eleven first half wides. Ironic then, that the scores were coming from difficult angles, McDonnell rivalling Stanfield's effort with a great score from play on the right wing, after John McKevitt fed him the ball. Sarsfields then threatened the Killeavy goal, a strong run from midfield with Mark Stanfield out of the game for treatment, only a wayward last pass meant the chance was fluffed. Before the break McDonnell popped up on the left wing to kick another great point, Rory Trainor again supplying a good pass from out the field. This left Killeavy with a four point lead at the break, but it should have been nearer ten, but for the squandermania.

Half-Time:Killeavy 0-05 Sarsfields 0-01

The second half started in much the same vein as the first, with Rory Trainor and Stephen McDonnell combining to set up John McKevitt for a nice score. Sarsfields persisted with a tactic of seven men in defence, and this did little for them, their attacking options severely curtailed, Killeavy's defence very solid and comfortably dealing with anything thrown at them. A long ball from Paddy Donnelly was then broken to John McKevitt by Rory Trainor. Straight in front of the goal, and with the goalkeeper out of the play, McKevitt incredibly struck wide with the open goal at his mercy. In fairness though, he was having a field day up until this point in proceedings, comfortably winning the battle with his marker hands down. One felt, had that ball hit the net, then Killeavy would have strolled home with the points. However, Sarsfields really mounted a strong revival after this, and began to look dangerous. They recouped a point after a scramble in the Killeavy goalmouth, the home team happy not to concede a goal. Another long ball was gathered brilliantly by the full forward and from his lay off Sarsfields struck the inside of the post, with a goal looking the likely outcome. Sarsfields got two more points, the second a very slack score from Killeavy's point of view, a quick fifty finding a player unmarked in front of goal. With ten minutes to play Killeavy were only two points up, and suddenly under pressure. A sideline ball from Barry McKevitt found Liam O'Hare moving upfield. He was tackled late on delivery of a long ball into the full forward line. Stephen McDonnell pointed the resulting free to stem the pressure. Killeavy were again on top in the match, but some poor passing and overplay of the ball at times meant the insurance score was very elusive. McDonnell missed an easy free towards the end, and this could have been costly, Coor Quinn scrambling the ball off the Killeavy line from a Sarsfields fifty that broke in the square. Despite this scare, Killeavy held on to harvest the all important two points.
This was a good start for Killeavy, although the performance in the last twenty minutes was a bit ragged, and obviously the shooting was poor, although so were the conditions. The defence was generally a soild unit, while up front Killeavy were creating some good openings, although a higher conversion rate will be essential in weeks to come.

Full-Time: Killeavy 0-07 Sarsfields 0-04

Killeavy Team: J. Maguire, K. O'Hare, F. Mallon, C. Quinn, B. McKevitt, L. O'Hare, P. Donnelly, J. Duffy, M. Stanfield, , R. Teggart,P. Rocks, R. Trainor(G Reel(40 mins)), J. McKevitt, A. O'Hare(1-2)(G. O'Hare 55mins), S. McDonnell.


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