First half blitz decisive as Bective shatter poor Kilmainham
Bective 2-10
Kilmainham 2-6
September 10th, 1989
When Michael Walsh netted for Kilmainham in the third minute of this entertaining Division 3 FC Final at Navan’s Pairc Tailteann on Sunday, September 10th 1989, the fans from the tiny roadside village near Kells looked as large as life.
But that’s where the celebrations ended. Bective, the underdogs, bidding for their first title in the grade since 1982, put that shattering early blow behind them and turned in a very competent performance to score a thoroughly deserved victory.
And as their supporters celebrated well into the early hours of Monday morning, they reflected on a tremendous first half performance when they recovered magnificently to build up a 2-7 to 1-1 lead with the aid of a strong wind.
Just three minutes after KIlmainham’s goal Jimmy Kane was fouled and the impressive John Sheehan tapped home the penalty to level the scores.
Bective were clearly well prepared by former Navan O’Mahony’s player Alan Burns and they looked yards faster than Kilmainham, won possession well and moved the ball with telling effect into attack where they used it intelligently.
With the brilliant Sheehan and Sean Moran on top at midfield and the forwards linking up well, Bective raced clear at 1-5 to 1-0 at the end of the first quarter, with the points coming from Sheehan (2), Noel and Sean Moran and Kevin Doherty with a magnificent effort from out the field.
Then came the goal which as good as ended Kilmainham’s hopes as Noel Moran reacted quickest to the rebound after Patrick Bellew had saved an earlier shot. Kane and Sean Moran from a long-range free added points before the break in reply to a Jimmy Bellew free for Kilmainham to leave the winners ahead by nine points at the break.
Even with the advantage of the elements to come it was always going to be an impossible task for Kilmainham in the second half and that’s how it turned out, even if they put up a brave fight.
Sheehan stretched the lead 10 seconds after the resumption, but Kilmainham didn’t give in. Walsh pointed before Doherty restored Bective’s 10-point advantage.
Then Kilmainham got moving as captain Jimmy Bellew and Patsy Walsh began to find some form at midfield.
Walsh netted his second goal in the 37th minute and Bellew and Walsh added points to leave them five behind at the three-quarter stage.
Sheehan kicked Bective’s final point from a free in the 51st minute and two similar efforts from Bellew at the other end weren’t enough to revive Kilmainham’s hopes.
But this was Bective’s day. The small club from just outside Navan gave good entertainment and if they can maintain the sort of form they displayed in the first half they could shape into quite a decent junior team.
Bective: L. O’Rourke; T. McShane, B. Swatman, L. Moran; J. McLoughlin, J. Byrne, K. Dunne; J. Sheehan (1-4), S. Moran (0-2); N. Moran (1-1), J. Kane (0-1), N. Dowdall; B. Dunne, K. Doherty (0-2), T. Geraghty. Subs: H. Smith for B. Dunne, P.J. McCabe for O’Rourke.