Bago bags Allenwood winner in returning Senior Championship victory over Kilcock

2024 Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship Preliminary Round

Allenwood 1-10

Kilcock 0-12

Allenwood waited until the death to secure a first Senior Football Championship upon their return to the top flight.

This game was level thanks to a 63rd minute free from Kilcock’s Danny Maguire and looked set for extra-time.

Kilcock pushed up to deny their opponents time on the ball, but in doing so left space behind for Eoin Bagnall. The Allenwood full-forward was facing away from goal and was marked tightly when he received possession. Bagnall turned sharply towards the stand-side in Hawkfield and beautifully wrapped his right foot around the ball to send it high and between the posts. 

It didn’t seem like the ‘smart’ option at the time, but it ended up being the right one. It was an exceptional point and one worthy of winning any game.

Allenwood began this game seemingly tentative and were understandably finding their feet upon their return to Senior football.

Kilcock were up 0-3 to no score after an opening point from Johnny O’Sullivan was followed by scores from Danny Maguire and Mark Gibbons.

Allenwood had a chance to level in an instant when Johnny Byrne brilliantly found Arron Dunne in space. Dunne spun superbly and got his effort away despite being dragged to the floor. The wing-forward’s shot struck the outside of the post, but referee Niall Colgan signalled for the penalty.

John Doyle, of course, stepped forward and coolly slotted past Fionn Talbot to level this game 10 minutes in.

It was tit for tat from here with both sides sending over superb scores before, and indeed after, the break. After Danny Maguire restored Kilcock’s lead with a free, Joey Cunningham levelled with a brilliant driving run inside and confident finish.

There were two more stunners at each end with Mark Gibbons’ fine curling effort being matched by Johnny Byrne’s high and booming score from long-range.

The sides would get one more each before the break, they went in at half-time level at 1-3 to 0-6.

It was all about the inside forward line after the break. Kilcock’s full-forward Danny Maguire had the lead he put on the board clawed back by Allenwood’s full-forward Eoin Bagnall.

It was then the two no.13’s that got one at each end with Sean O’Sullivan and Brendan Hanafey both scoring for their respective sides.

Allenwood went in front at 1-6 to 0-8 from an Eoin Bagnall mark. A chance created by John Doyle who, at the age of 46, rose above all else in midfield to win possession from the sky.

Keith Farrell equalised for Kilcock with the most nonchalant score from 50m this reporter has ever seen. Farrell had missed a few chances to that point, but he was awarded a free and simply rolled the ball onto ground and stroked it between the posts like he was doing so in his back garden.

Another great Kilcock score from Cormac Divilly put them ahead 10 minutes from the end.

Joey Cunningham was the man who equalised and the young forward looked more than cut out for Senior football in his debut at that level.

Allenwood went two clear thanks to another Cunningham beauty and an Eoin Bagnall free.

Kilcock nearly roared back in front with a goal in the 61st minute when Ciaran Murray put his laces through a close-range effort. Murray was brilliantly denied by Luke Anderson, who touched the shot over the bar.

Kilcock equalised through Danny Maguire, which set-up the grandstand finish and Bagnall’s last gasp winner. The win secures Allenwood’s Senior status for next year and the newly-promoted side can now look up rather than down in this year’s competition.

Allenwood, Joey Cunningham 0-4, Eoin Bagnall 0-4 (0-2 frees, 0-1 mark), John Doyle 1-0 (1-0 penalty), Johnny Byrne 0-1, Brendan Hanafey 0-1.

Kilcock, Danny Maguire 0-4 (0-2 frees), Mark Gibbons 0-2 (0-1 frees), Johnny O'Sullivan 0-1, Jason Gibbons 0-1, Sean O'Sullivan 0-1 (0-1 Mark), Keith Farrell 0-1 (0-1 frees), Cormac Divilly 0-1, Ciaran Murray 0-1.

ALLENWOOD: Luke Anderson; Fionn Moran, Sean Moran, Cillian Moran; Mark Byrne, Ronan Guilfoyle, Mark Delaney; Cormac Denagher, Rory Moran; Johnny Byrne, John Doyle, Arron Dunne; Brendan Hanafey, Eoin Bagnall, Joey Cunningham. Subs: Billy Maher for Arron Dunne (44 minutes), Colm Moran for Mark Delaney (52 minutes), Gavin Malone for Cormac Denagher (58 minutes).

KILCOCK: Fionn Talbot; Aaron Curtin, Johnny O'Sullivan, Cameron Nairn; Cormac Divilly, Jason Gibbons, Joe Fitzmaurice; Mark Gibbons, Ciaran Murray; Keith Farrell, Brendan Gibbons, Michael Stokes; Sean O'Sullivan, Danny Maguire, Shane O'Rourke. Subs: Paddy Kelly for Brendan Gibbons (39 minutes), Niall O'Sullivan for Aaron Curtin (46 minutes).

Referee: Niall Colgan