Kilcummin (Kerry) 1-11

Fermoy (Cork) 1-3

Denis Hurley reports from Mallow

KERRY’S STRONG RECORD in the Munster Club IFC was maintained as Kilcummin finished strongly at Mallow on Sunday afternoon to make it 12 Kingdom victories in the past 13 years.

While they had eight points to spare in the end, it wasn’t until Ian Devane’s goal in injury time that the game was finally put beyond a Fermoy side that will rue first-half wastefulness.

After Noel Duggan had opened the scoring with a Kilcummin free, Fermoy bounced straight back as Tomás Clancy won a mark and found Kieran Morrison, who was fouled for a penalty, which Pádraig de Róiste dispatched.

In a competitive opening, the Cork champions won another spot-kick in the 12th minute as goalkeeper Brendan Kealy fouled Dale Dawson, but this time de Róiste’s kick was just wide and Duggan and Matt Keane drew Kilcummin level.

While Martin Brennan restored the Fermoy lead, too often they found the Kilcummin defence too hard to break down and the Kerry side led at half-time thanks to scores from Duggan, Keane and a marvellous Kevin McCarthy effort.

That lead was stretched further on the resumption as Keane and Seán O’Leary were on target but, after a Ruairí O’Hagan free, Fermoy had a great chance of a levelling goal but William Maher made a super goal-line block to deny de Róiste.

O’Hagan did reduce the gap with another free but Philip Casey, impressive throughout for Kilcummin, gave them breathing space with a fine score and, at the death, Damien O’Leary set up Devane for the clinching goal.

ALL OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are Munster Intermediate Club Champions for 2018 after a 1-11 to 1-3 win over Fermoy, heart stopping and nervy stuff at times but we kept our heads when we needed to and our defence was strong when we needed them. YESSSSSS!!!!!!!

— Kilcummin GAA (@KilcumminGAA) November 25, 2018

Scorers for Kilcummin: Noel Duggan (one free), Matt Keane 0-3 each, Ian Devane 1-0, Gary O’Leary, Philip Casey, Kieran Murphy, Kevin McCarthy, Seán O’Leary 0-1 each.

Scorers for Fermoy: Pádraig de Róiste 1-0 (penalty), Ruairí O’Hagan 0-2 (frees), Martin Brennan 0-1.

Kilcummin

1. Brendan Kealy

2. Philip Casey
3. Donal Maher
4. Daniel Moynihan

7. Seán O’Leary
6. Chris O’Leary
5. William Maher

9. Kevin Gorman
24. Kieran Murphy

12. Pádraig Nagle
11. Gary O’Leary
8. Shane McSweeney

10. Matt Keane
25. Kevin McCarthy
15. Noel Duggan

Subs

22. Kelvin Teahan for Nagle (half-time)
13. Ian Devan for Duggan (39)
21. Daniel O’Leary for Philip Casey (58)
14. Damien O’Leary for Gary O’Leary (60)
17. John McCarthy for Kevin McCarthy (60)

Fermoy

1. Liam Coleman

2. Pádraig Clancy
3. Jeffrey Daly
4. Ronan Morrison

5. Peter Murphy
6. Darragh O’Carroll
7. Alan Baragry

8. Tomás Clancy
9. Jack Hutchings

10. Martin Brennan
11. Ruairí O’Hagan
12. Dale Dawson

13. Shane Aherne
14. Pádraig de Róiste
15. Kieran Morrison

Subs

19. Eoin Clancy for Ronan Morrison (half-time)
28. Brian O’Sullivan for Baragry (41)
25. Ronan O’Callaghan for Brennan (42)
21. Rory McEvoy for Hutchings (45)
20. Alan O’Connor for Kieran Morrison (51)
18. Daniel O’Flynn for de Róiste (55)

Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary)

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