Inagh/Kilnamona 3-20 Sixmilebridge 0-10

Sixmilebridge Junior B's exited the championship to a superior Inagh-Kilnamona side in Eire Og on Sunday evening. Luck was not on the side of the Sixmilebridge outfit, who were short a third of the their starting line-up due to holidays, injuries and suspension.

Electing to play with the aid of a fresh breeze in the first half, the 'Bridge almost got off to the perfect start inside 20 seconds of throw in when Martin Conlon gathered a loose ball in space and surged through the I/K defence , only for the I/K goalkeeper to pull off a top class save. Errol Touhy was on hand to gather the rebound and blaze it over the bar to open the games scoring.

I/K were not long getting into their stride, scoring the next three points without reply. By the time that Ross O'Donnell got the second Sixmilebridge point in the 10th minute, the 'Bridge forwards had hit five wides. Ross hit his second pointed free of the day in the 13th minute to make it a one point game, 0-4 to 0-3.

However I/K took control of the game from here until the break outscoring the Sixmilebridge men by 2-6 to 0-1. The movement and speed of the I/K forwards was simply too much for the 'Bridge backs to handle. The first I/K goal came in the 19th minute when the I/K corner forward was on hand to punish some hesitation in the 'Bridge full back line. Indeed, five minutes later the corner forward was on hand to score his second of the day.

The half time score was 2-10 to 0-4 and the Bridge were in no doubt of the magnitude of their task given that they had to play against the elements in the second half.

Mikey Corbett was not slow to ring the changes with James Holloway and Niall Hogan replacing Caimin Barrett and Billy Maxwell respectively before the small whistle. At half time Jordan Ryan replaced Jamie Lyons, who had not fully recovered from a shoulder injury, and Jonathan Hayes reverted to corner back from midfield.

I/K opened the scoring in the second half with a point from play from their full forward. This was replied to by another pointed free from Ross O'Donnell, after Errol Touhy was adjudged to have been fouled. Touhy himself got his second of the day in the 7th minute of the half and O'Donnell got another from play in the 10th minute. By the time that the 'Bridge got their next score - a point from play from Kieran Liddane in the 19th minute - I/K had tagged on 4 more points to make the score 2-16 to 0-8. Indeed between the O'Donnell and Liddane points, Sixmilebridge had a number of goal changes that resulted in some outstanding saves from the I/K keeper.

Ed Skehan and Dean McKenna were also introduced in this period in place of Martin Conlon and JP Griffin.

I/K got their third goal of the game on the 21st minute, and they tagged on four more points before the end. The 'Bridge had to see out the game with 14 men after Johnnie Hayes picked up a leg injury with the full complement of subs already used.

Best for the 'Bridge were Eamonn O'Donoghue, Ross O'Donnell, Errol Touhy and Ed Skehan when introduced.

This was a disappointing exit from championship, from a group of players who put in a massive effort since the first week in February. In total, the group has had 96 training sessions since first meeting on a freezing cold Saturday morning in Cratloe woods on February 3rd.

When the pain of this disappointment subsides, Mikey Corbett can look back with pride at 2018. In what is only the groups second year up from Junior C, the team made some great strides. The team finished second in their group in the Junior B league, winning 5 out of 6 games. In the group stages of championship , Sixmilebridge finished unbeaten in a group that contained two of the pre-championship favourites, Newmarket and Kilmaley. Everybody will be aware that there is more work to be done, but if the same commitment and work rate can be replicated in 2019, coupled with a strengthened squad courtesy of regrades then this bunch will be there or thereabouts.

When strength and conditioning coach, Tom Keogh, asked after the game what he was going to do for the winter, Tom simply replied "I'm going to take up golf". It sounds like Errol Touhy will be in tip top shape for the 2019 season after spending a winter cleaning up divots around Walton Lodge !

Team

Eric Purcell

Eamonn O'Donoghue, Mark O'Donovan, Billy Maxwell; 

Brian O'Loughlin, Eric Lynch, Barry Corbett;

Kieran Liddane, Jonathan Hayes;

Ross O'Donnell, Martin Conlon; JP Griffin;

Caimin Barrett, Errol Touhy, Jamie Lyons.

Subs

James Holloway for Caimin Barrett

Niall Hogan for Billy Maxwell

Jordan Ryan for Jamie Lyons

Ed Skehan for Martin Conlon

Dean McKenna for JP Griffin

Ian Chaplin

Scorers

Ross O'Donnell 0-6 4f

Errol Touhy 0-3

Kieran Liddane 0-1