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ACFL DIVISION 5 FINAL - O'Dempsey's crush Killeshin to take title.

Two first-half goals proved to be the difference as O'Dempsey's blistering start opened up a lead that Killeshin found impossible to recover from, and with only one point to show for their second-half efforts, Killeshin can have no complaints.

Mark O'Regan provided a fine start for the men in green in the opening minute when he tapped over a left-footed effort but that was to be the first and last time that Killeshin enjoyed a lead throughout the game and O'Dempsey's asserted their dominance on this game quickly.

Straight after O'Regan's opening score, Tom Behan found himself in yards of space to drive a first-time shot past Gary Brennan and into the roof of the net and they had the green flag waving again with just over ten minutes on the clock when Sean McMahon beat Brennan again with a sizzling shot that left the Killeshin keeper with no chance.

Prior to that, Ciaran McManus, Colm Dowling and Tom Behan had already notched three unanswered points, and even at such an early stage it was hard to envisage a Killeshin comeback.

O'Regan and Ian Brennan settled the nerves with a point apiece as Killeshin fought to find a way back in but O'Dempsey's continued to dominate and only a first-class save from Killeshin keeper Gary Brennan denied O'Dempsey's even further. That save buoyed Killeshin on and in the dying stages of the opening half hour they hit three points on the trot that diminished the O'Dempsey's to three at the break.

The driving rain that had been falling steadily in the first half intensified as the second half got under way and it seriously impacted on both sides ability to play anything near their best football.

Killeshin started as they had left off in the second and were creating scoring chances, but wides from Ian Brennan and Mark O'Regan early on would prove costly.

O'Regan did manage to send over a lovely score nine minutes into the half that cut the deficit to just two, but that score was to be their last of the game as O'Dempsey's recovered from their malaise to claim the title.

Ciaran McManus' point midway through the second half was O'Dempsey's first score in just under half an hour, but they soon made up for that with a free-scoring final fifteen minutes.

McManus sent over another two frees minutes later as the Killeshin defence began to concede needless fouls but O'Dempsey's were flying at that stage and two quick-fire points from Sean McMahon stretched the lead to seven points with five minutes to go.

Killeshin continued to give their all but it was never going to be enough and O'Dempsey's finished the game in style with two points in the dying minutes through points from Brian O'Mahoney and another McManus free to seal an impressive win.

SCORERS - O'Dempsey's: Ciaran McManus 0-6 (five frees), Sean McMahon 1-2, Tom Behan 1-1, Brian O'Mahoney and Colm Dowling 0-1 each; Killeshin: Mark O'Regan 0-3, Ian Brennan, Eddie Hand, Shane Lowry (free) and Shane Coakley 0-1 each

O'DEMPSEY'S: Kevin Culleton; Paddy McNamara, Robbie Quinn, Bobby Sweeney; James McCormack, Colin Doyle, Tadgh Matthews; Ross Behan, Denis Boland; Tom Behan, Brian O'Mahoney, Ciaran McManus; Mike Egan, Colm Dowling, Sean McNamara. Subs: Ciaran Kehoe for McNamara (30 mins), Eamon Melia for Dowling (47 mins), Mark O'Reilly for Boland (59 mins), William O'Connor for McManus (59 mins)

KILLESHIN: Gary Brennan; Paul Barcoe, Aidan O'Rourke, Glen Ryan; Shane Condron, Mick Malone, Trevor Brennan; Eddie Hand, Shane Lowry; Ian Brennan, Colin Fitzgerald, Geoff McDermott; Mark O'Regan, Tomas O'Cinneide, Shane Coakley. Subs: Paddy McDonald for T Brennan (24 mins), Tony Pender for Hand (31 mins), Ronan Phelan for Condron (47 mins), Liam Dowling for Lowry (55 mins)

Referee: Joe Conroy
Published Date: 14 July 2010
By Staff Reporter for The Leinster Express