KK 2.9 COOLDERRY 0.13

[black and red exile]

KK put in a magnificent battling performance yesterday evening in the curtain raiser in Rath to record a 2 point victory over favourites Coolderry. It was a massive improvement on their tame and surprising surrender to Tullamore 2 weeks earlier and proves that on their day they are a match for the big two, but that is where their problem is, their day only seems to come now and again and not consistantly enough to win the championship and certainly not this year anyway.
The first half was nip and tuck with both teams going in at the break level at 1.6 to 0.9. Ciaran Slevin and Damien Murray were the chief scorers for both teams and in my opinion the Coolderry sharpshooter has matured big time this year with a 99per cent score ratio with his frees for club and County, whereas over the last couple of years he would hit some whopping wides from very scoreable distances. I know that as Bog MAN and LS would say his contribution from play is minimal to say the least but surely every successful county has got to have a lethal freetaker in their ranks.
Coolderry seemed to have the upper hand for the majority of the second half and always were a point or two ahead and with five minutes to go on the clock with the score at 0.13 to 1.9 for the favourites David Gleeson struck what looked like a half hit effort from about eight to ten yards out which whizzed past Shane O Connor in to the back of the net and despite some huffing and puffing from Coolderry the double ks held out for a much needed 2 point victory.
Not a hundred per cent sure on the wides count but it read something like KK[8 WIDES] and Coolderry [9 WIDES].
SCORERS KK CIARAN SLEVIN 1.3[2FREES]
PETER HEALION 0.2
JAMES GORMAN 0.2
MARTIN MURRAY 0.1
CONOR MAHON 0.1
DAVID GLEESON 1.0
COOLDERRY
DAMIEN MURRAY 0.9 [8FREES]
BRIAN CARROLL 0.2
JAMES MASTERSON 0.1
MARK BERGIN 0.1
On one final note my man of the match yesterday was Ger Healion at full back for KK. He must have made about 8 clean catches yesterday that was a joy to behold and bought back memories of Kevin Kinahan and Brian Lohan in their hey day. Others to impress for the winners were John Grogan and Jamie Flynn in the half back line, Ciaran Slevin, Peter Healion, James Gorman and Conor Mahon in the forwards.
FOR Colderry Damien Murray was his usual reliable self with the frees, Brian Carroll was playing a very deep roll and stayed around the little pocket just behind the midfield and Coolderry half back line and worked very hard as well as hitting over two nice points from good distances out, the Brady brothers and James Masterson also put in a good shift.