Report Seamus Grealy, Photos courtesy of Mary McCarthy. Compiled by Liam Murphy
Killarney came up short in this combative at times abrasive full blooded encounter played in Aghadoe on Sun 26th.The home side started tentatively and allowed the visitors settle into a controlled forwards dominated close up encounter. With a solid lineout and controlled ball recycling Middleton probed early on. Killarney unfortunately added to their own difficulties taking poor attacking options with hard-earned ball and giving away uncharacteristic sloppy penalties. Following a period of sustained pressure Middleton breached the try line after 15 Mins when a slick flat skip pass sent their right winger over in the corner. The score jolted Killarney into life and gradually a foothold was secured with direct forward power plays and penetrating incursions from the reconfigured backline now finding its feet. Brendy O Donoghue came close with a dynamic break and John McCarthy storming from the base of the scrum set alarm bells ringing.Sustained pressure resulted in a mounting penalty count and the kicking of Donnchadh Grealy and Dion O Neill kept the visitors back peddling. Middleton were reduced to 14 for 7 mins with a player sinbinned for illegal contact. Killarney eventually got over the line 5 mins from half time following a flowing expansive move involving an array of players with winger Krystian Komosa diving over in the left corner. Both teams were glad of the halftime break with the score tied on 5 points each.
Killarney attacked with venom from the restart and enjoyed a period of dominance. The defensive work of Middleton was heroic with shooting committed bodies taking ball and man and disrupting any patterened play. At times events and tempers became frayed and on this occasion a player from both teams sat out the 7 mins. Killarney looked in command with forwards Craig McKenzie Vass, Matt McAuliffe, Sam Casey, and Padraig Talbot leading the challenge. However a lack of composure and again poor decision making resulted in frustration. The visitors were then reduced to 14 after another contact discretion. Against the odds Middleton secured the win and lifted the siege with a well executed set play from a defensive scrum with 13 Mins left. A cleverly disguised skipped pass to the flying full back caught the home defence in two minds and he bolted away untouched to score a 7 pointer under the posts. Killarney tried valiantly to rescue a result. However Middletons Cup game experience came to the fore and their forwards ability to control and recycle ball was commendable with a sustained bone crunching battle for possession against the home pack looking for one more chance progressing along the clubhouse touch line evoking gasps from the onlookers. Middleton reduced to 13 at the end of the game had still enough to keep the desperate hometeam out.
Killarney were represented heroically on the day by forwards Ciaran O Brien, Craig McKenzie Vass, Rob Nealon, Padraig Talbot, Sam Casey, Brendy O Donoghue, John McCarthy and captain Matt McAuliffe with replacements Adam Cronin and Adam Mcsweeney.
The impressive backline were Mark Sheahan, Donnchadh Grealy, Dion O Neill, Ronan Buckley, James Kennelly, Krystian Komosa, Aidan Keane and Evan Mannix. For the third successive game Killarney came up short only one score away from causing an upset against one of the established senior Munster clubs. Again the courage and skill displayed combined with the invaluable experience gained bode well for the future.
