News

Kinvara v Portumna

November 8, 2018

REVENGE FOR 2007!

 
Kinvara renew battle with county champs Portumna in our final group game this Sunday in Loughrea at 4.30pm.

This will be our first meeting since losing badly in the County Final 2007 by 6-12 to 0-11. Since then Portumna has won All-Ireland club finals in 2008 and 2009, while dishing out hammerings to Galway clubs like Loughrea, as also teams like Ballyhale and De la Salle.

Our history against Portumna does not read pretty. Although Portumna are only senior since 1993, we have played them 6 times previously. We beat them in 1994 in our first senior meeting. Since then they have beaten us in 1995, 1996, 2001, 2005 and of course 2007.

This year be beat our boogie teams in Clarinbridge and Beagh…..can we do it again on Sunday. No reason why not. Although we fared badly v Killimordaly in our previous outing, this game will be different. We now know that if we win we will be top of the group and straight in to the quarterfinals. We have nothing to lose and hopefully our lads will remember Pearse Stadium three years ago, and get stuck in right from the word go.

Prediction??? Go with the heart or head? Heart says a one point win, head says a eight point defeat. Expect a surprise performance though from Kinvara. Maybe we’ll have to settle for a narrow defeat after a strong performance.

 

FROM THE ARCHIVES……

 
Our only victory at senior level against Portumna came in 1994. This was both sides last group game…..a win for Kinvara and we would top the group, while a defeat for Portumna would send them into relegation battle. The game was played in Athenry, and was won in injury time.

Final score:

Kinvara 1-10…………Portumna 1-9

A last minute injury time pointed free from Kinvara’s young minor Peter Huban from all of 80yards was the deciding score in the game.

Kinvara led 1-6 to 1-3 at halftime, with Portumna staging a spirited comeback that just fell short.

Kinvara team:

Pat Costello, Peter Huban (0-1f), Kenny Corless, Sean O’Connor, Ger Costello (0-1), Ger McInerney, Ger O’Connor, Michael Kilkelly (0-1), Sean Moran (0-1), Gerry Huban (1-4, 0-4f), Sean Forde, Joe Byrne, Enda Costello, Anthony Byrne (0-1), Shane Murphy (0-1). Subs: Eamon Mongan for E. Costello, Kieran Whelan for S. Forde (inj).

Portumna:

P. Broder, M. Gill, C. Hogan, C. Moran, O. Canning, S. Treacy, T. Flanagan, S. Treacy, D. Canning, J. Heverin, P. Treacy, D. O’Brien, N. Hayes, V. Treacy, D. Coleman. Subs: S. Canning for D. Coleman, E. McEntee for D. O’Brien, D. Kelly for J. Heverin.

Note: This was a young enough Kinvara team, with 7 U21’s on the starting 15. How many will we have this Sunday? Any at all???

Kinvara drew with Kiltormer in first game 0-12 to 2-6, beat Ballindereen 3-12 to 1-11, beat Killimordaly 2-17 to 2-10, beat Gort 2-9 to 1-8, beat Portumna 1-10 to 1-9. In quarterfinal we beat Ardrahan in a replay 1-9 to 0-8 (1-5 to 0-8 first game), and then fell to Athenry in controversial circumstances in our third ever county semi-final appearance 2-7 to 1-9.