Wonderful victory over Killimordaly gives Intermediate team a great star to 2008

Kilnadeema/Leitrim 1.19 Killimordaly 1.18

Intermediate semi-finalists in 2006, Killimordaly and Kilnadeema/Leitrim renewed their great rivalry when they clashed in this years competition in Ballinasloe on Saturday May 10th. Kilnadeema/Leitrim managed to turn the tables this time with a dramatic on e point victory in one of the best Intermediate championship games played din some time. On a brilliant surface before a very small crowd, the game was end to end with some fabulous scores. Killimordaly opened the scoring when Eanna Ryan pointed in the first minute with a point from play. Two points from play followed for Kilnadeema/Leitrim from David Tierney and Eoin Larkin. Eanna Ryan soon had the game level again before Tom Tierney shot a brilliant point from play. Kilnadeema/Leitrim were now really moving and soon were three points ahead through points from Michael Regan, and Brian Daniels. Clement Earls and David Tierney then swopted points on 9 minutes before Killimordaly began to show how good they really are with three unanswered points from Thomas Madden, Paul Madden and Eanna Ryan to level the game on six points each. The Tierney brothers David and Tom then shot two points, both from play. Andrew Daly then pulled a point back for Killimordaly before Tom Tierney scored a point from a free. Points followed from Clement Earls and Gary Earls to level the game again before Tom Tierney shot the final score of the first half, a free in injury time to leave the east Galway side one point to the good 0.10 to 0.09 at the break. The great passages of play we witnessed din the first half continue dafter the break with two vital goals thrown in for good measure. Niall Earls with a free and Sean Burke with a point from play left still one in it early on before Niall Tierney shot a brilliant point from long range. The game took a big change when Nigel Daly got on the end of a long delivery to crash home  a great goal past Mark Herlihy to Killimordaly in the driving seat. Points followed from Niall earls and Paul Madden to open a three-point gap after 10 minutes. Tom Tierney, who was brilliant all through then shot three points (one from play) to level up the game again after 16 mins. 1.12 to 0.15. Killimordaly then shot three points of their own to look like winners after 20 minutes through Clement Earls, and two brilliant points from Gary Earls and Paul Madden. Sean Burke and Eanna Ryan then exchanged points before the decisive score in the game arrived when county star David Tierney picked up a ball which was hard won by Brain Costello, soloed across the field to find a opening before crashing a wonderful shot to goalie Paul Kilkenny's right and followed this up with a point to put Kilnadeema/Leitrim back level. Killimordaly didn't give up though and soon were back in front again through a Paul Madden point on 24 minutes. The final minutes were hectic and it the game was finally decided by two Tom Tierney pointed free's, the first after David won a great ball and was fouled and the when Niall Tierney bore down on goal deep in to stoppage time and was pulled back. The final whistle was greeted with joy and relief as Kilnadeema/Leitrim celebrated a famous victory on  a scoreline of 1.19 to 1.18. It was obvious from what we saw that both of these sides will be in the shake up next September as they both looked Senior material on this showing.

Scorers: Tom Tierney 0.09, David Tierney 1.04, Sean Burke 0.02, Niall Tierney 0.01, Brian Daniels 0.01, Eoin Larkin 0.01, Michael Regan 0.01.

Team Lineout: Mark Herlihy, Gearoid Whelan, Kevin Boyle, Ramie Larkin, Liam Geargthy, Eamon Hyland, Aiden Spaight, Niall Tierney, David Spellman, Michael Regan, David Tierney, Brian Daniels, Sean Burke, Tom Tierney, Eoin Larkin.
Subs used: Brian Gardiner, Daniel Burke, Patrick Deely, Brian Costello.

 

To view over 30  photographs of these two games click here>>