Killarney Seniors Kick Off Season Against Castleisland
By Seamus McCrough in Aghadoe, Photos by Paidi O'Sullivan and Hollie Ni Bhroin.
Following a tough pre-season regime, Killarney’s first round McElligott Cup fixture on a well presented pitch at Aghadoe was a welcome sight in current circumstances, albeit in front of notably sparse sidelines. With Covid-19 measures in place, Castleisland kicked off the 2020/21 season as both teams headed for unchartered territory. For Killarney, with a new coaching group at the helm, it was a chance to see if pre-season preparations could be put into practice.
Credit to the visitors, who stuck to the task for the full 80 minutes, but as the evening unfolded, it was the hosts who made the most of their dominant possession, using powerful, well-supported line breaks with ball in hand to put points on the board. Defensively, it was only penalty kicks that added to the opposition’s tally, however, with new emphasis on the breakdown now, Killarney will want to ensure those penalties are minimised in future endeavours. Work has clearly already begun on the set piece with a well organised line-out delivering a range of attacking options and spoiling opposition ball in defence, even with a shuffled pack at half time. Whilst there’s still room to improve the scrummage, debutant prop Colin McCarthy handled himself well, showing great versatility and team spirit to also fill in at hooker. In fact, he ended the game in the centres capping a fine performance with a well taken try in the last move of the match. Brendan Fuller also made a positive influence on proceedings, not only kicking well off the tee but also forming part of a strong back three, all of whom enjoyed attacking returns. A special mention must go to the referee too, who communicated with both sides effectively throughout. Overall though, it was the positive attitude and team effort that won the day.
Captain O’Carroll said, “It’s a solid start but we’re under no illusions, it’s going to be a long season ahead. I’m really proud of the lads, in particular those that made their full debut for the seniors today, but we need to be consistent over the entire campaign. Our thanks to Castleisland too, especially for taking the Covid restrictions seriously. We wish them all the best for the upcoming season.”
Our Seniors return to socially distant training at Aghadoe on Mondays at 7:30pm and Thursdays at 8:00pm, with new players always welcome. For details give Brian O'Sullivan a shout on 0872458637.
