Gaelic Games

Kilcummin and Beaufort secure Kingdom domination in Croke Park

The two Kerry sides ensured the intermediate and junior titles will both head south

Kilcummin’s Noel Duggan and Ian Devane celebrate at the full time whistle after winning the All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship Final at Croke Park. Photo: Oisin Keniry/Inpho
Odhrán Crumley at Croke Park
Sat Feb 09 2019 - 20:20

All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football final: Kilcummin 5-13 Naomh Éanna 2-9

Kevin McCarthy hit 3-6 as Kilcummin easily dismissed Naomh Éanna, 5-13 to 2-9 to claim the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Football crown in Croke Park.

The Munster champions raced into an early 2-3 to no score lead as Matt Keane and Kevin McCarthy registered majors.

To their credit, the Antrim men would fight back to within two points by the 20th minute of the game Eoin Nagle landing a spectacular goal before Ruairi Scott added a second quick-fire goal.

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Disaster would strike before the break as the Kerry men were awarded a penalty and Naomh Éanna lost their goalkeeper to a black card and with no recognised keeper on the bench, forward Michael Morgan went between the stick and could only watch as Kieran Murphy dispatched the spot-kick.

The deficit was five at the break as Kilcummin led 3-6 to 2-4, two further goals from McCarthy in the final 10 minutes were enough to seal his hat-trick and All-Ireland glory for his club.

All-Ireland Junior Club Football final: Beaufort 3-17 Easkey 0-5

In the junior decider, Beaufort eased to a record breaking 21-point win over Easkey to ensure a Kerry double of national crowns.

The damage was done in the first half as three first half goals from the Kerry men put the game beyond doubt, barring formalities.

Ronan Ferris rolled in the opening goal of the game before both Ciaran Kennedy and Liam Carey netted as Eugene Mullen got his team’s only score of the half as they trailed 3-8 to 0-1 at the break.

Carey would continue to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the men from the Kingdom finishing with a personal haul of 1-5.

The junior title will return to Kerry were it has resided for seven of the last ten years as the competition kingpins continue to dominate.

KILCUMMIN: B Kealy, S O'Leary, D Mahar, D Moynihan, P Casey, C O'Leary (0-1), W Maher, K Murphy (1-1 1pen), K Gorman, S McSweeney, G O'Leary (0-2), P Nagle, N Duggan (0-1 1f), K McCarthy (3-6), M Keane (1-0).

Subs: J McCarthy for P Nagle (44), D O'Leary for W Maher (44), I Devane for N Duggan (53), D O'Leary for G O'Leary (55), K Teahan for K Murphy (58), M Ó Sé for M Keane (61).

NAOMH ÉANNA: P Flood, K Jennings, D Gault, M McNamee, C Lyttle, J McAuley, C McAuley, P Curran, J Maskey, P Healy, R Scott (1-2), K Healy, E Gibson, O Eastwood (0-7 4f), E Nagle (1-0).

Subs: C O'Neill for P Curran (18), P Flood for M Morgan (22), C Thompson for C McAuley (22), C Eastwood for D Gault (43), N McKeown for E Gibson (53), R Kennedy for R Scott (57), D Walsh for K Healy (60) .

Referee: J Molloy (Galway).

BEAUFORT: M Moriarty; MJ O'Connor, G Hartnett, S Kelliher; J O'Sullivan, M Breen, J Kissane; N Breen (0-1), R Murphy; P Doona (0-1), L Carey (1-5), F Hallissey (0-5, 4f); D Healy (0-3), C Kennedy (1-1), R Ferris (1-1).

Subs: C O'Connor for Kissane (17), D Coffey for Healy (40), J O'Reilly for O'Sullivan (40), P O'Sullivan for N Breen (47), N O'Connor for Ferris (49), I McGillycuddy for M Breen (51).

EASKEY: S Kilgannon; I Barrett, N McGuire, J Feeney; E Moylan, R McHugh, J Lindsay; E Mullen (0-1), M Gordon; D Sloyan, J McHugh (0-1, f), E Healy; A Kilcullen, R McKenna, K Duffy (0-1).

Subs: B Feeney for Lindsay (33), B McGrath for Kilcullen (36), J Scott (0-1) for Moylan (45), J Conway (0-1) for McKenna (47), H Gilroy for Sloyan (49), J Dunphy for Healy (55).

Referee: S Laverty (Antrim).