Kinvara stay in the hunt with spirited second-half display

Kinvara 1-18

Craughwell 2-12

A spirited second-half display when playing into the breeze saw Kinvara keep their hopes of reaching the knock-out stages alive as they put an end to Craughwell’s chances of progressing from Group C of the senior hurling championship in Athenry on Sunday evening.

After finding themselves two points down 10 minutes into the second period, Kinvara dug deep to hit five unanswered points and register a victory which was all the more impressive given that they were reduced to 14 men for the closing stretch of the game.

In Conor Kavanagh and teenager Conor Whelan, they have two of the most exciting inside forwards in the county, on their day, and their combined contribution of 1-14 went a long way towards securing this satisfying victory.

Whelan – a minor for the next two summers – could turn out to be one of the finds of the 2013 campaign and finished the contest with a hugely impressive 0-6 from play to effectively end Craughwell’s campaign.

After Michael Coughlan had opened the scoring for Craughwell, the seasiders hit a purple patch between the sixth and 13th minutes by hitting seven points without reply.

Whelan opened their account following good work by Shane Quinn and Niall Bermingham; and his side followed that up with three scores in as many minutes from Kavanagh  (free), centre-forward Alan Leech, and midfielder Shane Moylan.

The damage could have been worse for Craughwell as an 11th minute rasper from Kavanagh was deflected over the bar by goalkeeper Aidan Ryan, before Kavanagh (free) and Whelan made it 0-7 to 0-1.

Craughwell kept their composure and enjoyed a good second quarter after Niall Healy pulled a point back from a 50 metre free. Cathal Greaney hit a fine point on the run and then won a free which was converted by Healy to make it 0-8 to 0-4.

But Kavanagh extended Kinvara’s lead following a foul on Leech and, unmarked, Kavanagh then produced a stunning strike to the net, after David Huban provided the perfect pass from a Colm Callanan puck-out, to open up a seven point lead.

The Kinvara contingent in the small crowd were still celebrating when Aidan Ryan found the industrious Greaney from the subsequent puck-out. Greaney set up a short-range Niall Healy goal within barely 30 seconds of Kavanagh’s strike to the net at the other end.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.