SFC Section 3
Westport 1-12
Kiltane 2-8
Sean Rice
Bangor
A STIRRING recovery by Kiltane fell short by the narrowest of margins at Bangor in an exciting opener to the championship season.
A goal by midfielder PJ Lally in the third minute of injury time came too late for a side whose hopes had risen and fallen in equal measure in a match of breathtaking escapes and daring scores.
But while Westport learned almost to their cost that no lead is secure in Bangor until the final whistle, their victory was deserved.
Three minutes from the end, goalkeeper Tom Higgins kept them in the game with a dramatic save from a penalty after Ultan Corrigan was fouled in the rectangle. A goal then would have shot the home side into the lead.
Inspired by the save, Westport hit back with points by their top scorer Kevin Keane, and man of the match Stephen Broderick, to secure a four-point lead and put the game seemingly beyond the reach of Kiltane deep in injury time.
As it turned out, a few anxious moments were to be endured by their travelling fans as Kiltane’s renowned fighting qualities took them to within a hair’s breadth of salvaging at least a draw.
Jolting though those last moments were, Westport will be well satisfied to have emerged with a win, and in particular how they responded whenever Kiltane offered a serious threat.
Their equalising goal in the 30th minute was a seminal moment on their road to victory, and an indication of the mettle they had brought to the game.
A goal by Mikie Sweeney, following a sweeping movement involving Lally, Edmond Barrett, John Reilly and Corrigan, had rocketed Kiltane to the front. And when Martin Doherty popped over their fifth point, the Bangor men were heading for a comfortable half-time lead.
Damien Keane pulled a point back from a free, and when Philip Keegan flicked the ball to the net following a long centre from his brother Lee, Westport were back on level terms as normal time ticked over.
Dramatically, the tables turned as they took the lead for the first time three minutes into injury-time from a free by Lee Keegan. And Stephen Broderick added another before Sweeney pulled one back. But the significance of it all was that within minutes, Westport had turned a four-point deficit into a half-time lead of 1-7 to 1-6.
Nobody played a more influential role in the drama than Broderick.
When Tom Higgins drove a 45’ over the bar with the help of the wind seconds into the second half you felt Westport’s hopes soar. And had the game ended in a draw they would have reasonable complaints about a wrong decision made by the umpires in signalling wide what seemed a certain point by Broderick.
Although Westport now had the upper hand, Kiltane’s stubborn resistance ensured no opening of any big gap. Edmond Barrett narrowed it to one point, but as the third quarter came to an end the accurate boot of Damien Keane had Westport still ahead by three.
Nor was there any softening in any duel. But Lee Keegan and Liam Joyce, apart from his inaccuracy in front of the posts, kept a tight lid on the Kiltane forwards. And although Sean Carey, who started at full-back, brought greater momentum to the forward line in the second half, Thady Gavin, Dessie Keane and Brian Higgins were unflappable in the full-back line.
Those final nail-biting moments might have been avoided if Westport were more accurate in the third quarter. A plethora of wides provided heart to Kiltane. And Shane Lindsay’s point in the 35th minute was followed by the penalty award which Higgins dramatically saved from Ultan Corrigan, igniting those final edge-of-the-seat moments.
Barrett had a final chance to grab a draw but his shot fell short, as did the gallant efforts of Keith Halley, Jason Healy, Lally, Sweeney and Carey.
Westport
T Higgins (0-1. ‘45); B Higgins, T Gavin, D Keane; L Joyce, L Keegan (0-1), J McHale; K Keane (0-1), D O’Connor; M Gill, Damien Keane (0-6, 5fs), E Walsh; S Broderick (0-2), P Keegan (1-0), R Connolly (0-1).
Subs used: R Gibbons for Gill; E O’Toole for Walsh.
Kiltane
E Niland; K Halley, S Carey, K Ginty; D Cuffe, J Healy, S Sweeney; S Gaughan, PJ Lally (1-0); S Lindsay (0-2), J Reilly, M Doherty (0-2); M Sweeney (1-1), U Corrigan (0-2), E Barrett (0-1).
Subs used: A Togher for Cuffe; O Munnelly for Gaughan; P Coyle for Togher.
Referee: J Hughes (Kilmaine)
