Kildrum Tigers left to lick many wounds after defeat to Cappry

It would be no surprise were Shane McGinty, the Kildrum Tigers manager, to spend the bulk of the coming days counting bodies rather than points.

Kildrum Tigers 1

Cappry Rovers 2

Cappry Rovers put a chink in the Tigers’ Premier Division title challenge at Station Road on Sunday.

Paddy McNulty and Benny McLaughlin netted for Cappry as Kildrum lost for the first time this season.

McGinty’s men might have four games in hand on leaders Bonagee, whom they trail by 11 points, but Sunday’s was a costly defeat in more ways than one.

Already down the likes of William Lynch, Shane Coyle, Odhran McMacken and Rory Carr, the injuries mounted here.

Gavin McGee had to be withdrawn in the first half and Matthew Crossan was stretchered off just before the hour. His replacement, Damien Crossan, making his own return from a lengthy lay-off, lasted only seven minutes before he, too, sustained an injury.

Kildrum’s walking wounded will head for Dry Arch Park and a huge tussle with Bonagee on Wednesday night also without Barry O’Donnell, shown a straight red card in added time for dissent.

Kildrum actually began well with Brian Breslin combining well with Daniel Clarke before seeing his deflected cross taken off the toe of Oran Higgins at the far post in the 11th minute.

Soon after, McGee’s cross caused momentary panic before Joe Boyle, the Cappry goalkeeper, got down to smother.

Cappry took the lead with a goal rooted in its simplicity. Alan Gethins fed Frank McGlynn in behind the Kildum rearguard and his cross was swept home by McNulty at the near post.

Clarke flicked a header wide from O’Donnell’s testing free as Kildrum sought a way back into it.

They were given a huge reprieve in the final minute of the first half. Shane Porter was penalised for handling a Jamie Murray cross, but Aaron Kelly fired wide from the penalty.

Six minutes into the second half, Kildrum were level via a stroke of good fortune. Aaron O’Donnell, who impacted well upon his arrival as McGee’s replacement, saw a speculative shot spilled to the net by the unfortunate Boyle.

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Former Finn Harps star Kevin McHugh teed up Jack O’Donnell, but he fired wide from a decent position.

Kildrum’s problem for the remainder was they didn’t get into those areas often enough.

After James McNulty, Kildrum’s stand-in net minder with Carr unavailable, held a stinging drive from Kelly, Cappry took the lead on the hour.

Gethins sped clear and ref Vincent McLoughlin adjudged his clipped ball into the box to have struck the hand of Porter. While McNulty got down well to save from McLaughlin’s penalty, the full-back pounced to steer in the rebound.

McNulty surged from his goal to thwart Gethins, who broke the offside trap while Trevor Gethins and Brendan McLaughlin were off target with efforts.

Late in the game, one chance did fall Kildrum’s way but McHugh, from 20 yards, volleyed wide with his left boot.

Kildrum have little time to lick their wounds, plentiful and all as they have become.

Kildrum Tigers: James McNulty, Barry O’Donnell, Matthew Crossan (Damien Crossan 59 (Ethan Coll 66)), Shane Porter, Gavin McGee (Aaron O’Donnell 34), Oran Higgins (Jack O’Donnell 55), Conor Crossan (Luke Toland 58), Frank McBrearty, Daniel Clarke, Kevin McHugh, Brian Breslin.

Cappry Rovers: Joe Boyle, Jack Burke-McBride, Benny Bonner (Brendan McLaughlin 69), Conor Doherty, Aaron Kelly, Michael Carroll, Gary Wilson, Paddy McNulty, Alan Gethins (Trevor Getöns 78), Frank McGlynn, Jamie Murray (Dean O’Donnell 58).

Referee: Vincent McLoughlin.