Callan a key influence as Kevin's down Emmets to reach third successive IFC quarter-final

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St. Kevin's 2-16 Glen Emmets 2-9

Two goals after half-time powered St. Kevin’s through to the intermediate championship quarter-finals at the expense of Glen Emmets in this do or die group three clash in Haggardstown on Saturday evening.

Cian Callan was influential in both majors, setting up the first with an under-hit free-kick which Seánie Crosbie fielded and buried in the same motion before later racing on to a loose ball and firing to the net.

Emmets showed heart, however, from nine points down at that stage to make it a two-point game with a pair of second half goals. Kealan O’Neill showed bravery with the first, knowing he was going to take a huge hit from Kevins’s goalkeeper Danny Crosbie, to punch in a Ronan Grufferty ball. Keith Lynch pounced for the second, catching the rebound off the crossbar from substitute Ian Cusack’s rocket.

Kevin’s, though, with the extra week’s preparation, composed themselves in the finish, Crosbie and Shane Meade points nudging them over the victory line.

The winners were 0-10 to seven in front at the interval and impressed in forcing home their supremacy on the restart, with their forwards in fine form.

Their score-taking ability will have Mattock Rangers taking note ahead of the quarter-finals, where the Philipstown men will have nothing to lose.

St. Kevin’s: Danny Crosbie; John King, Finbarr Lynch, Patrick Duff; Aaron Khan, Enda McKenna, Dylan Maher (0-1); Lee Crosbie (0-4, three frees), Andrew Campbell; Eoin McKenna; Seánie Crosbie (1-0), Darren McMullen (0-3); TJ Doheny (0-1), Cian Callan (1-5, 0-1 free), Shane Meade (0-2)

Subs: James Clarke for Campbell (44), Aaron Roche for Eoin McKenna (47)

Glen Emmets: Conor Kelly; Stephen Healy (0-1), Sam Kenny, Keith Boylan; Jamie Gilkes, Tom Grimes, Keith Farnan; Andrew Mooney, Seán Byrne; David Bracken, Conor Grimes, James Butler (0-2, one free); Kealan O’Neill (1-2), Ronan Grufferty (0-3), Mark Garvey (0-1)

Subs: Keith Lynch (1-0) for Garvey (35), Ian Cusack for Gilkes (36), Isaac Walsh for Bracken (40)

Referee: Thomas Brennan (Westerns)