Joyce lifts Killererin to narrow win

Date Published: 03-Jul-2008

BY now it’s becoming the most over-used cliché of sports reporting of Gaelic football in the county but there’s no getting away from the fact that the legend that is Padraic Joyce was once again the difference between winning and losing as his outstanding display ensured Killererin grinded out a narrow victory over a resilient Moycullen outfit.

Joyce stole the show again in a thrilling encounter at Tuam Stadium on Monday evening as he kicked eight points, set up his cousin Nicky for 1-3 and gave a match-winning performance that proved, if proof was needed, that he is by far the best player in the county.

Killererin aren’t quite a one trick pony, they have a tight full-back line, a good poacher up front in Nicky Joyce and a few big, fit and strong ‘work horses’ around the central diamond, but without Padraic Joyce pulling the strings and picking off points from all angles, it’s hard to see where Killererin’s scores would come from.

Moycullen looked to be a better balanced side and had eight scorers including two midfielders and two backs to Killererin’s three scorers. But Joyce’s class shone through in the second half when he kicked all of his side’s seven points, including one inspirational skyscraper of a score from at least 25 metres out from goal on the sideline opposite the stand and under pressure from Paul Clancy a score that put Killererin one point in front and in the driving seat with just six minutes to go.

Earlier in the first half, it was his pinpoint accuracy and inch perfect passing that set up his cousin Nicky who cut loose with a goal and two points in a seven minutes spell just before half time. Moycullen had their stars too with Paul Clancy, in particular,standing out at centre back when time and again he threaded inch perfect passes into his forwards.

Indeed, despite the pouring rain and slippery conditions the large crowd huddled in the stand were treated to…