Junior B hurling Championship Quarter-final played in Ballindeeren on Friday August 17th
Kilnadeema/Leitrim 2.08  Rahoon/Newcastle  1.11

The knockout stages of the Junior B hurling championship arrived for Kilnadeema/Leitrim when they took on city side Rahoon/Newcastle in the Quarter-final at Ballindeeren on Friday August 17th. Kilnadeema/Leitrim who had already suffered a defeat to this same opposition in the Junior league earlier in the year were forced to lineout without centre half back Fergal Conneely who was late arriving from Dublin for the game, it would make you question a Friday evening game. A Good start was always going to be very important and certainly Kilnadeema/Leitrim got just the start required with corner forward Padraig McLoughlin opening the scoring after 5 minutes with a  point from play. Rahoon/Newcastle responded immediately with a point from play on 6 minutes  and from a free soon after to jump one point clear. Then up stepped super star forward Kevin Molloy to stamp his mark on the game with two goals within two minutes on 15 and 17 minutes to move 5 points clear. His first goal went directly into the net from a 65, before he goaled from play after collecting a great ball which was delivered out of defence by Cathal Shiel. Rahoon/Newcastle responded with a goal of their own a minute later and a point soon followed to bring the game back to a one point game, before Kevin Molloy point a free a minute later for his side. Brian Costello soon added another point from play before Rahoon/Newcastle had the final point of the half also from play on the stroke of half time to leave the score board reading 2.03 to 1.05 at the break. Fergal Conneely made his appearance at half time as a replacement for Jason Collins as Rahoon/Newcastle soon took control of the game with three points all from free's with a Brian Costello point sandwiched in between to leave the city side one point clear on 42 minutes. Rahoon/Newcastle soon made it a two point game with another pointed free. Scores were hard to come by at this stage as Kilnadeema/Leitrim were been completely outplayed even though the there was only two points between the sides. Kevin Molloy proved yet again how good a free taker he is as he scored three in a row on 53, 54 and 58 minutes to push his side within touching distance of a semi-final spot. Rahoon/Newcastle were not finished though and replyed with two points from play to move one ahead with time almost up. Kilnadeema/Leitrim got a free on the halfway line which had to be scored direct and Kevin Molloy duly obliged to force a replay. Kilnadeema/Leitrim would probably have been happy to settle for a draw in the end as they were in big trouble at stages in the second half. This game should bring them on a lot for the replay. The final score reading 2.08 to 1.11.

Scorers: Kevin Molloy 2.05, Brian Costello 0.02, Padraig McLoughlin 0.01.

Team Lineout: Noel Callagy, Eoin Larkin, Mark Whelan, Mark Costello, Aiden Spaight, Cathal Shiel,  Ian Burns,  Jason Collins, Raymond Larkin, Brian Daniels, Tony Kelly, Brian Costello,  Padraig McLoughlin, Kevin Molloy, Danny Burke.
Subs used: Fergal Conneely, Shane O'Looney, Vincent Fallon.

         Junior Hurling championship replay played in Loughrea on Sunday August 26th
         Kilnadeema/Leitrim 1.14  Rahoon/Newcastle 0.17

      2007 had been the year of the replay's especially with the great battle between Limerick and Tipperary in the Munster championship earlier in the Summer and now a new series has just begun between Kilnadeema/Leitrim and Rahoon/Newcastle junior B teams in the quarter final of the Galway hurling championship as extra time still failed to separate the team who must now meet for a third time to decide the outcome. After a disappointing display in the first game Kilnadeema/Leitrim were hoping for much better this time especially as the game was been played in Loughrea and on a Sunday evening. Kevin Molloy who was their star player in the drawn game opened the scoring after a minute with a point from play. Sean Heffernan who is also a wonderful free taker soon levelled up the game with  a free for Rahoon/Newcastle. Raymond Conneely soon put the city side one point up with a point from play and Sean Heffernan made it a two point lead with another free on 13 minutes. Kevin Molloy pulled a point back with a free a minute later before the same player scored a wonderful if slightly lucky goal on 16 minutes when his free from near the sideline flew into the top of the net to put his team back in front 1.02 to 0.03. Brian Costello soon extended the lead with a point from play after Kevin Molloy made the opening for him. Kilnadeema/Leitrim were enjoying the best spell of the game for them and Danny Burke soon scored a lovely point from play. Kevin Molloy and Sean Heffernan soon swopted points to leave four between the team on 21 minutes. This trend continued until half time with Kevin Molloy scoring two free's and Sean Heffernan one to leave Kilnadeema/Leitrim ahead by 5 at half time 1.07 to 0.05. The second half started very poorly for Kilnadeema/Leitrim as it took them 21 minutes to score while Rahoon/Newcastle soon went about reducing the lead. Seamus Coyne opened the scoring on 5 minutes with a point from play before Sean Heffernan added three points by the 14th minute to leave just one point between the sides 1.07 to 0.09. Raymond Conneely soon levelled up the game with a point from play and he added another soon after to put the city team back in front and looking winners all the way as Kilnadeema/Leitrim struggled all over the field. Kevin Molloy eventually got them off the mark with a pointed free on 21 minutes, but Sean Heffernan soon cancelled that score out with a pointed free on 25 minutes. Then Kilnadeema/Leitrim decided they had a battle on their hands to stay in the championship and responded admirably with first Kevin Molloy equalising with another free and then corner forward Danny Burke scored a wonderful point from play on 30 minutes with what looked like the winner, but Rahoon/Newcastle had one more piece of magic left in them as they won  a lineball near the 21yard line and Raymond Conneely scored as good a lineball as ever seen in this venue to force the game into extra time on a score line of 1.10 to 0.13. The first half of extra time belonged to Rahoon/Newcastle as they outscored Kilnadeema/Leitrim by 3 points to one. Sean Heffernan opened their account with another free on 2 minutes before Bob O'Connor added another from play. Brian Costello eventually got one back on 10 minutes from play before Raymond Conneely added another  to leave his team leading 1.11 to 0.16 at half time in extra time. It was getting very dark now and we wondered would the game finish at all. Kevin Molloy soon put only one between the team with another free on 2 mins before Brian Costello added his third point of the day two minutes later to level up the game again. Kevin Molloy, who like the drawn game was the scorer in chief soon had Kilnadeema/Leitrim ahead again with another free on 6 minutes before wing back Aiden Hickey scored a wonderful point to level up the match again and this proved to be the final score 1.14 to 0.17. It would have been unlucky on either side to have lost this one and now we look forward to a third instalment.

Scorers: 1.09, Brian Costello 0.03, Danny Burke 0.02.

Team Lineout: Noel Callagy, Eoin Larkin, Mark Whelan, Mark Costello, Aiden Spaight, Fergal Conneely,  Ian Burns,  Jason Collins, Raymond Larkin, Padraig McLoughlin, Tony Kelly, Brian Costello,  Cathal Shiel, Kevin Molloy, Danny Burke.
Subs used: Brian Flynn, Shane O'Looney, Vincent Fallon.