Kilconieron 2-16

Maigh Cuilinn 1-15

Mike Rafferty  at Pearse Stadium

Having led at half-time by nine points, Kilconieron really turned the screw in the opening minutes of the second-half with two quick goals and a contest that had the potential to be competitive was all but won by a side winning their first match in senior hurling in seven outings.

A win for either team in this Group 3 contest was vital as it qualified them for a place in the preliminary quarter-finals, and of course spared them the possibility of going down the relegation play-off route. Even with both sides having a game left against Loughrea and Cappataggle, the major decisions are made at this stage.

The wind was a factor at Pearse Stadium on Saturday and it was Kilconieron who enjoyed all the advantages of it in the opening half. Mind you, the game was pretty well balanced for the opening quarter, but once they began to find their range they outscored Maigh Cuilinn by 10 points to two in the last 20 minutes of the half.

Indeed, it was the West Galway side who took the lead on three occasions in the early exchanges through Cian Folan, Diarmuid Davoren and James Bradley with a free. Folan also threatened a goal after getting on the end of an Evan Kenny pass, but his effort was saved by Kevin Burke.

For the duration Jack Walsh was an impressive performer for Kilconieron and he got their opening two scores, before a Shane Caulfield free levelled matters for the third time in the game after 13 minutes.

Thereafter the winners just gradually pulled away, as they hit the next five scores without reply. Caulfield, who contributed 10 points from placed balls in total, notched the first three, before Sean Connaughton added another from a close range free. Jack Walsh then got his third of the game as he outran two challengers before slotting over to put them 0-8 to 0-2 ahead on 18 minutes.

Pictured: Maigh Cuilinn’s Evan Kenny makes an athletic attempt to block the shot of Kilconieron’s Niall Dillon in Pearse Stadium last Saturday. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.