Universal Graphics Junior Football Championship Preliminary Round
Emyvale 2-9 Killeevan 0-7 8/6/12
Emyvale ran out comfortable winners over Killeevan in a scrappy JFC preliminary-round game at a wet and windy Tyholland on Friday evening. Early goals by James Bellew and Martin McAree set Emyvale on their way to a straightforward victory and they were happy to sit on their lead throughout the second half, during which they gave away 19 frees and picked up five yellow cards, as Killeevan were unable to make any real chances of scoring the goals they needed to get back into it.
Killeevan won more than their fair share of possession, but Darren Quigley was their only forward to score from play. McAree’s accuracy from frees and from play was a key asset for Emyvale, who also had good performances from Daniel McMahon, John Flannery, Robbie McHugh and Bellew. Kieran and Darren Quigley and Declan Clerkin worked hard for Killeevan, but Kevin McGinn was clearly hampered by injury and had to be replaced early in the second half.
Emyvale took barely a quarter of a minute to open the scoring with a point from play by Martin McAree and they quickly doubled their lead when James Bellew got on the end of a long ball from Daniel McMahon to fire over. Bellew put Emyvale in the driving seat when he sent a low shot into the net in the third minute, but Killeevan got off the mark when Noel Smith converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Darren Quigley, who added a point from play as the Sarsfields grew into the game. Their finishing let them down, however, and Emyvale were more clinical in front of the posts as points from Robbie McHugh and Daniel McMahon, either side of a second goal from McAree, put them in cruise control.
McAree added a fine point after good work by David Bellew, although Darren Quigley got on the end of a long ball from Ian Larmer to get one back for Killeevan. Colin Quigley took another point off their deficit after a short free by Smith, but only a brave block stopped McAree finding the net for the second time and Darren McKernan slotted the resulting ’45 over to send Emyvale in at half-time leading by 2-6 to 0-5.
McAree got Emyvale off to a good start in the second half when he guided over a free from a tight angle, following a foul on McMahon. McAree turned provider for McMahon to tap over and a rare chance for Killeevan to get back into the game went by when Noel Smith had a goal-attempt blocked.
Smith tapped over a close-range free for a foul on Johnny McGurk, but a foul on James McAlister allowed McAree to land a well-taken effort from the left wing. Smith replied with his fourth free after a foul on Colin Quigley, but Killeevan never looked like getting back into the game in the final ten minutes as Emyvale closed the game out to book their place in the first round against Oram.
Emyvale: G McCaffrey; C Connolly, J Morrough, D McKernan (0-1, ’45); R McHugh (0-1), J Flannery, G Devlin; J Bellew (Capt., 1-1), C Hughes; JT Treanor, D McMahon (0-2), D Bellew; J McAlister, G McKernan, M McAree (1-4, 0-2f).
Sub: R McAnespie for D Bellew (43 mins), G McQuaid for G McKernan (51), M Flannery for Hughes (53), B Askin for D McKernan, D Gilbane for Connolly (both 61).
Killeevan: A McAviney; J McGurk, S Clerkin, P Graham; I McConnon, K Quigley (Capt.), C Corr; C Quigley (0-1), D Clerkin; G Hughes, I Larmer, N Smith (0-4f); V Martin, K McGinn, D Quigley (0-2).
Subs: C Kilpatrick for McGinn (inj., 34).
Referee: J McAndrew (Ballybay).
By michael Fri 8th Jun
