Extra-time heartbreak for gallant Burt in All-Ireland Junior semi-final against Easkey

Burt’s dream of an All-Ireland final appearance was dashed in Ballyshannon on Saturday afternoon as they fell to a heartbreaking extra-time defeat against Connacht champions Easkey.

Full-forward Andrew Kilcullen led the way for the Sligo side, finishing with 4-10 over the 80 minutes - two goals in the first half and one in each period of extra time - while Liam Óg McKinney top-scored for Burt with 12 points, nine from play.

Burt led by three points at half-time, those Kilcullen goals denying them the kind of cushion they would have hoped for after playing with a strong wind.

Easkey flew out of the blocks at the start of the second half, hitting six unanswered points to move into the lead. They were five points clear coming down the stretch but, inspired by a Conor Gartland goal, Burt produced a late surge to force the game into extra time.

However, there was only one team in control in extra time. Easkey outscored Burt by 2-7 to 0-3, with Andrew Kilcullen finding the net in the opening moments of both halves as the Sligo side dominated and booked another crack at an All-Ireland final in Croke Park in the New Year.

First half

Playing with the aid of a strong wind, Burt came quickly out of the blocks, hitting five points in the opening seven minutes to lead by 0-5 to 0-1.

Liam Óg McKinney, Conor Gartland and Ronan McDermott were to the fore throughout the first half, using the breeze to fire over points from long range, while teenager Kyron McColgan got on the end of a couple of moves to add to the tally. 

Burt had extended their lead to 0-7 to 0-1 when Easkey struck the first of their two first-half goals. Finnian Cawley made the hard yards, drew in the defence and popped a handpass to the unmarked Andrew Kilcullen, who hammered to the net from close range in the 16th minute.

Burt responded well, with McKinney firing over two points on either side of a superb sideline cut from Gartland.

Easkey’s sharpness was evident in their placed ball routines - twice they caught Burt napping and worked the sliotar short into better positions for Andrew Kilcullen and Fionn Connolly to stroke over.

Still, McKinney and Gartland remained in the mood and had Burt five clear at 0-12 to 1-4 before Easkey struck for a second goal. Cawley and Kilcullen combined again, the former drawing a hurley-tip save from Paul Burns before Kilcullen pulled on the rebound to finish low to the net.

Two further points from McKinney, including one from deep inside his own 65, was Burt’s return before the break, with Finnian Cawley rounding off the scoring to leave it 0-14 to 2-5 at half-time.

Second half

Easkey put the foot to the floor on the resumption, reeling off six unanswered points through Kilcullen (three), Finnian Cawley (two) and Fionn Moylan to move into a 2-11 to 0-15 lead.

Burt were making heavy weather of it, hemmed into their own half for long periods, but McKinney converted a 41st-minute free and Kevin Curran got on the end of a fine move involving Calum Purves and Ciaran Porter to fire over, leaving it 2-12 to 0-16 by the 50th minute.

Easkey found another gear going into the final ten minutes, Thomas Cawley hitting a tremendous point under pressure from Oisin Kelly, while three Kilcullen frees stretched the lead, with Burt replying through Ronan McDermott.

The Sligo side looked home and hosed, but Burt - as they had done in previous rounds - found a way to drag themselves back into contention.

Gartland got a flick on a low, driven delivery from Ciaran Bradley in the 60th minute to steer the ball past goalkeeper Adam Rolston and into the net.

McKinney narrowed the gap to a point with a 61st-minute free and then completed the comeback by tipping over from the top of the right to draw his side level.

Easkey had two late chances, Kilcullen twice attempting sideline cuts that dropped short and were cleared, and the sides were left to battle it out again in extra time.

Extra time

Easkey were facing the wind in the first period of extra time but, perhaps spurred on by the feeling that they had let it slip in normal time, were utterly dominant.

Andrew Kilcullen struck his third goal inside 40 seconds, breaking through two defenders before rifling the sliotar low and hard to the net.

McKinney pulled a point back for Burt, but the Sligo side responded with four unanswered points through Thomas Cawley, Patrick Walsh, Fionn Connolly and Finnian Cawley to put their stamp on the contest.

McKinney and Kilcullen exchanged frees to leave it 3-21 to 1-21 in Easkey’s favour at the change of ends.

Kilcullen rounded off a magnificent personal display with his fourth goal two minutes into the second period of extra time and added another point soon after.

Burt needed goals, but Easkey crowded out their defence, dropping Connolly and Thomas Cawley back to deny the Ulster champions space. Ronan McDermott hit the side-netting, McKinney had a 20-metre free saved and Gartland mis-hit a shot into the ground as the breakthrough refused to come.

Thomas Cawley added a late point for the Sligo champions, who will return to Croke Park in January to contest a second All-Ireland Junior Club final in three years.

Burt scorers: Liam Og McKinney 0-12,3f; Conor Gartland 1-4, 1f,1sideline; Ronan McDermott 0-3; Kyron McColgan 0-2; Kevin Curran 0-1.

Easkey scorers: Andrew Kilcullen 4-10,6f; Finnian Cawley 0-6; Thomas Cawley 0-3; Fionn Connolly 0-2; Fionn Moylan, Patrick Walsh 0-1 each.

Burt: Paul Burns; Calum Purves, Ciaran Bradley, Kevin Curran; Oisin Kelly, Dara Grant, Aidan McKinney; Kieran Brady, Kyron McColgan; Eoin McDaid, Ciaran Porter, Conor Gartland; Christopher McDermott, Ronan McDermott, Liam Og McKinney.

Subs: Fiachra Gill for McDaid (26); Jack Lavery for McColgan (41) Extra-time: Callum Porter for Curran (4); James Donaghey for C McDermott (8); Adam Nelson for Porter (19)

Easkey: Adam Rolston; Oisin Moylan, James Weir, Shane Molloy; Donall Hanley, Rory McHugh, Eoghain Rua McGowan; Ronan Molloy, Niall Kilcullen; Fionn Moylan, Finnian Cawley, Daniel Rolston; Thomas Cawley, Andrew Kilcullen, Fionn Connolly.

Subs: Cormac Vereker for D Rolston (35); Patrick Walsh for F Moylan (48); Kevin McGee for O Moylan (59). Extra-time: Eanna Moylan for Hanley (16); Daniel Rolston for F Cawley (18)

Referee: Kevin Parke (Antrim)