Gaelic Games

Kingscourt come from behind to win Cavan senior title in thrilling encounter

Despite leading for much of the game Castlerahan lost out in the dying minutes

Kingscourt came from behind to win their 10th Cavan senior football championship.
Kingscourt came from behind to win their 10th Cavan senior football championship.
Sun Oct 11 2015 - 17:21

Kingscourt Stars 1-9 Castlerahan 0-11

Kingscourt came from behind to nick their 10th Cavan SFC title yesterday in front of 5,284 spectators at Kingspan/Breffni Park.

The Stars used the leverage provided by Philip Tinnelly’s 52nd minute palmed goal to help propel them over the line.

Tinnelly’s timely effort left the long-time leaders trailing by 0-8 to 1-8 and on the backfoot.

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Castlerahan had looked well placed at the interval to go on and win their first ever SFC title when leading by 0-5 to 0-2.

In a cagey first half, Kingscourt’s Peter Corrigan made it 0-2 apiece in the 18th minute but Castlerahan’s much vaunted attack reeled off three unanswered points to propel their side into a 0-5 to 0-2 interval lead.

Kingscourt were much improved up front on the restart and points from Peter Corrigan (41), Cian McArdle, Barry Reilly and Tinnelly (48) saw the leap into a 0-8 to 0-7 lead.

Enda Flanagan levelled it once more only for man-of-the-match Tinnelly to palm the ball to the net after substitute Philip Smith ghosted in behind the ball-watching Castlerahan defence.

Castlerahan conjured up one final chance but corner back Paul Smith’s shot rebounded wide off the upright in the dying seconds.

Kingscourt Stars: James Farrelly; Rory Sheridan, Padraic Faulkner, Shane Grey; Barry Tully, Alan Clarke, Noel McIntyre; Barry Reilly (0-2, 1f, '45), Kieran Gorman; Philip Tinnelly (1-1), Peter Corrigan (0-3), Keith McCabe; Darragh Gunne, Christy McGowan (0-1), Ryan Carey. Subs: Gavin Sheenan for J Farrelly (inj, 29); Philip Smith (0-1) for C McGowan (inj, 33); Cian McArdle (0-1) for D Gunne (40); Mark McGovern for K McCabe (54); Thomas Malone for K Gorman (57); Thomas Wakely for S Grey (B.C 61).

Castlerahan: Jamie Leahy; Stephen Cooney, Brian Coleman, Paul Smith (0-1); Enda O'Connell, Fergal Reilly, Caolan McBreen; Alan Cusack, Cormac Daly (0-2); Ronan Flanagan (0-1), Cian Mackey (0-3, 3f), Daniel Lynch; Cian McEnroe (0-1, f), Enda Flanagan (0-1), Oisin O'Connell (0-1). Subs: Sean Brady for C McBreen (51); Fergal Flanagan for C McEnroe (57).

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan Gaels).