Kilcar produce stunning second half to defeat Four Masters

In a game for the ages Kilcar produced a second half of indomitable spirit to defeat Four Masters in Towney.

It was the first game back at the venue since the tragic loss the Kilcar club suffered with the deaths of James and Noreen McHugh and there was a minute's silence in their memory prior to the throw-in.

The first half was very open with two Kilcar goals keeping them in the contest while Four Masters with the aid of the slight breeze hit eight wides but still led by a point at the break.

But in the second half Kilcar upped their game superbly and led by the magnificent quartet of Eoin and Ryan McHugh along with Ciaran McGinley and Ryan McShane, they powered home to win their third game in-a-row.

It was a great result for the home side who were without the McCleans and McBreartys.

In an entertaining opening half Kevin Muldoon had the scoreboard ticking after just 65 seconds.

Ciaran McGinley replied with a two pointer before Turlough Carr had the sides level for the first time.

Then came the opening goal with a turnover at midfield and Ryan McShane and Ryan McHugh combined brilliantly before McShane's effort deceived the Four Masters 'keeper and ended in the net.

Conor McCahill, back for his first start for the club this year, and a two pointer from Oisin Doherty had the sides level again and it was a similar story when Ryan McShane and McCahill traded scores.

Turlough Carr edged Four Masters ahead with a fisted effort on 18 minutes but two quickfire points from Jack Hegarty (one free) cancelled that.

The second goal arrived on 25 minutes and it was worth waiting for as Eoin McHugh dropped the shoulder and sped past Tomás Carr and then fired low to the corner of the net.

Four Masters responded well with an Oisin Doherty two point free on 27 minutes while in added times a Turlough Carr point was followed by another two point free from McCahill to edge the visitors in front at the break.

Half-time: Kilcar 2-5, Four Masters 0-12.

It looked as if Jack Hegarty had edged Kilcar ahead with the first attack but it was eventually waved wide. However, it wasn't long before Kilcar were ahead with Eoin McHugh firing a brace of two pointers in quick succession.

Four Masters needed a response and they got it with Seanán Carr powering through to fire to the net and Conor McCahill and Tomás Carr had them two up on 43 minutes - 1-14 to 2-9.

Jack Hegarty (free) and a two point free from Ryan McHugh saw the lead change hands once more before Kevin Muldoon levelled for Four Masters on 46 minutes.

It was helter skelter but another two pointer from Ryan McHugh and a single from Liam McLaughlin pushed the home side three clear with 11 minutes left.

The scores kept being swapped with Oisin Doherty (free) and Michael Gallagher trading points before Oisin Doherty left just two between them with two minutes of normal time left.

In the four minutes of added time both sides had chances with Kilcar reduced to 14 when Liam McLaughlin received a second yellow after a great block by Joe Leape.

Then in the final attack Jack Hegarty fired over an insurance point to leave Kilcar winners on a day to remember in Towney.

Kilcar scorers: Eoin McHugh 1-4,2tp; Ryan McShane 1-1; Ryan McHugh 0-4,1tpf,1tp; Jack Hegarty 0-4,2f; Ciaran McGinley 0-2,tp; Michael Gallagher, Liam McLaughlin 0-1 each.

Four Masters scorers: Oisin Doherty 0-6,1tp,1tpf,1f; Conor McCahill 0-5,1tpf; Seanán Carr 1-0; Turlough Carr 0-3; Kevin Muldoon 0-2; Tomás Carr 0-1.

Kilcar: Seanie Boyle; Eoin Cormack, Pauric Carr, Ryan O'Donnell; Ryan McShane, Brian O'Donnell, Gary Molloy; Ciaran McGinley, Eoin McHugh; Conor Doherty, Ryan McHugh, Oran Doogan; Jack Hegarty, Conor O'Donnell, Michael Gallagher.

Subs: Oran Hegarty for Pauric Carr (23); Liam McLaughlin for C Doherty (ht); Ben Rafferty for C O'Donnell (44); Conor Doherty for Cormack (60)

Four Masters: Lewis McCaughan; Eoghan O'Neill, Leo McHugh, David Monaghan; Richard O'Rourke, Callum McCrea, Caolan Loughney; Conor Reid, Tomás Carr; Kevin Muldoon, Turlough Carr, Oisin Doherty; Seanán Carr, Conor McCahill, Alex McCalmont.

Subs: Thomas Leneghan for Turlough Carr (ht); Joe Leape and Killian Faulkner for C Reid and McCalmont (both 50).

Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhanada)