Killeavy 3-08 Saval 2-07
Having cut their squad to thirty players during the week, Killeavy played their first proper challenge game of the year at home to Saval on Sunday morning.
Attrociously wet weather conditions overnight eased somewhat, and Killeavy's new field held up extremely well in the wet conditions. Saval started off the better
of the two teams, and their play was much more cohesive than that of the home team. Killeavy won plenty of possession , especially in defence, but time after
time, poor distribution from defence to attack allied with some aimless running in the forward line led to possesson being kicked away. Saval, on the other hand, worked the ball
well from defence to attack, and some good forward running and interplay caused problems for Killeavy. Saval got the first few scores from play, and it was fifteen minutes
before Adrian Doran kicked Killeavy's first score. It was 4-1 to Saval after 20 minutes, but Killeavy's defence really started to get to grips with the Saval forward line, especially the
full back line, and with this Killeavy forced their way back into the match. Seamus Toner ran from the halfway line unopposed to fire over a great score from thirty yards, while Adrian Doran
then added another good score from play. Right on half-time, a Seamus Toner effort dropped to the edge of the square, and Gareth O'Hare beat the keeper to the ball to fist to the net.
The goal was enough to earn Killeavy parity at the break.
Half-Time:Killeavy 1-03 Saval 0-06
The second half was really a carbon copy of the first thirty minutes. Saval were more accomplished in their approach play, with Killeavy's defence working hard to keep them at bay.
With slight wind advantage, Killeavy were able to shoot from further out. A Barry McKevitt line ball found Paul Rocks to hit a great point on the run. Saval then worked a goal, switching the point
of attack from left to right to open up the Killeavy defence. Derek Lee struck back for Killeavy with a fabulous long range score. A Raymond Teggart free brought Killeavy to within
a point, but Saval worked another fine goal, when their full forward line were sharper onto a breaking ball around the square.
The game appeared to be beyond Killeavy at this stage, but the introduction of Gerard Byrne led to an improvement up front. He added a point from a free, before a similar effort from Raymond
Teggart was dropped to the net by the Saval goalkeeper. This equalled the scores, but more was to follow, as another long free resulted in a penalty for Killeavy,
Anthony O'Hare dispatching the kick to the net. Gerard Byrne won another free in the final minutes and Raymond Teggart popped it over to complete an emphatic final ten minutes, where Killeavy scored
2-4 to win a match that seemed to be beyond their grasp.
There were positives and negatives to be taken from the match. Killeavy showed character and fight to win a match they could easily have lost. However, there is still a lot of work to do on the training
field between now and the start of the league in three weeks time.
Full-Time: Killeavy 3-08 Saval 2-07
Killeavy Team: B. Teggart, R. Sheridan, F. Mallon, C. Byrne(G. Teggart(45mins)), B. McKevitt, L. O'Hare, P. Donnelly, J. Duffy,
S. Toner(0-1), P. Rocks(0-1)(D. Lee(45mins), G. O'Hare(1-0), C. Quinn(G. Byrne(0-1f)45mins), R. Teggart(1-2, 1-2f), A. Doran(0-2)(K McElroy(50 mins)), A. O'Hare(1-0, 1f).
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