Late Mark Tobin goal gives Mallow victory in cracker at Kiskeam

Kiskeam 1-16 (1-1-14) Mallow 1-17 (1-1-15)
A late finishing flourish allowed Mallow to overcome Kiskeam in a thrilling Division 3 FL at Kiskeam.

This contest developed into a tight tussle with the result going down to the wire, the thin line between defeat and victory was at its most obvious by the end of the extended hour. When it mattered, the visitors worked the oracle, a brilliant move yielded a terrific match-winning goal from Mark Tobin.

A flowing encounter began on a promising note for Mallow, Michael O’Rourke boomed over a two-pointer. Aided by the breeze, Mallow possessed a greater step to their game through the impact of Eddy Walsh, Shane Merritt and Pádraig Britton with O’Rourke and Jack Dillon adding to their tally.

Kiskeam missed out on a number of scoring opportunities yet they were back in the hunt from a goal netted by Shane O’Riordan. Follow-up points from Daniel Fitzgerald and O’Riordan added to the Kiskeam tally.

Mallow responded in a positive fashion, Tobin and Liam Walsh adding points to assume a 0-14 to 1-7 interval advantage. Quickly on the restart, Kiskeam showed up promisingly, Mike Casey, Adrian Carroll and Fitzgerald leading by example, a two-pointer from Paul O’Callaghan helped force parity.

The game was really buzzing now, Mallow regained the lead courtesy of Tobin and Kevin Sheehan points. Back came Kiskeam on back-to-back points from Fitzgerald and Casey to nudge ahead.

Mallow attempted a response, Kiskeam keeper Anthony Casey saved brilliantly from both Britton and Eoin Kelleher. The excitement had reached fever pitch, substitute David Scannell added to the Kiskeam tally.

With Kiskeam hit by a black card, the game remained delicately poised entering the latter stages, Mallow trailing by two, mounting an eye-catching move in search of a match-winner. Britton instigated a move for Dillon and Sheehan to feed Tobin to apply a sublime finish to the net.

Time remained for Kiskeam to mount a late attack only for an effort to gain a reprieve drifted wide of the upright.

Scorers for Kiskeam:

D Fitzgerald 0-8 (0-3 f), T Casey 1-3 (0-1 f), S O’Riordan 0-2, P O’Callaghan 0-2 (1 2pt), D Scannell 0-1.

Mallow: M Tobin 1-6 (0-3 f), M O’Rourke 0-4 (1 2pt), K Sheehan 0-2, S Merritt, J Dillon, C Mullins, L Walsh 0-1 each.

KISKEAM: A Casey; D Murphy, J O’Connor, J Daly; Mike Casey, K O’Connor, A J O’Connor; A Carroll, G Casey; D Fitzgerald, T Casey, P O’Callaghan; S O’Riordan, Maurice Casey, A Dennehy. 

Subs:

M Collins for G Casey, D Scannell for A Dennehy, S O’Sullivan for Maurice Casey, J Angland for D Fitzgerald.

MALLOW: K Doyle; S O’Connell, J Glenn, B Myers; E Walsh, S Merritt, P Britton; L Walsh, D O’Sullivan; M Tobin, J Dillon, M O’Rourke; C Mullins, K Sheehan, E Kelleher. 

Subs: R McAulliffe for C Mullins, H McAleer for E Kelleher, F Woods for S O’Connell.

Referee: W King (Banteer).