Nothing unexpected about the outcome here. Clann, as expected, coasted with a bit to spare but the slack currency of the hour was not what should have been witnessed. For instance, Clann were far from impressive and there was little to suggest that, as of now, they are in any better shape than they were when being dramatically well beaten by Roscommon Gaels in last year’s semi-final.

Similarly, Kilglass Gaels could not have been too pleased with their lot. Admittedly they had achieved this season’s target when getting the better of Tulsk in the opening round to ensure they would become embroiled in a relegation battle. Yet they held hopes of faring well against Clann but their limitations were all too easily exposed, despite the commendable enthusiasm exhibited by Tommie Deehan and Padraig Nugent.

The dogged resistance of that pairing, backed up by gutsy contributions from the likes of Ray and Adrian Lannon and the odd bright spot here and there, were the meagre morsels Kilglass could draw from this encounter. What they needed to do in order to make a contest of this was to score early and often. In fairness, they managed the early part of the equation — Dermot Washington bursting forward to point after just 16 seconds of play — but they just could not happen upon sufficient possession to ever enable them to score often enough.

As it was they endured bouts of 16, 11 and 25 minutes without scores and even when handed a late opportunity to inject a spring in their step, Jim Tighe drove a 48th minute spot kick well wide of the target. In short, Kilglass could have no complaints. No side can expect to do well when scoring just a solitary point from play in the course of an hour, but they will have departed Knockcroghery hopeful that the experience of getting to rub shoulders with a club of Clann’s rich tradition in the senior championship will be something which will bring their younger players on a step further.

Limitations

With Kilglass hampered by their own very visible limitations, this was a game Clann could have won in a canter. However, the days of Clann winning games in a canter has become a thing of the past and they themselves struggled to generate the sort of display which could mark them out as genuine contenders for overall success.

While their midfield took the larger percentage of breaks here, the partnership of Eoin Murphy and David Kelly did not suggest they would have the composure to be able to dabble and prosper against the more settled combinations wielded by most other sides remaining in the competition.

Kelly did look the part but Murphy did not appear to be the sort capable of lasting the pace. Only when Clann introduced Gerry Lennon to that sector were the determined interventions of Nugent and Lannon curtained somewhat — Lennon’s presence coming just before Clann embarked on a gallop of five unanswered points midway through the second-half which comfortably hastened them to victory.

The point-taking of their forwards was also a touch suspect. Granted, Kilglass did try to put their opponents off whenever they looked like shooting but the seven wides posted by Clann during the opening 30 minutes did not inspire. The unit tended to share out the scores, leaving David Henry as their top-scorer from play with three points, but Clann’s approach suggested that they did not have the creativity to go about trying to wear down the Kilglass rearguard.

To be fair to Clann, however, they knew all through, once they moved 0-4 to 0-1 in front on 14 minutes, that unless they began to leak goals at the back they could always easily outpoint Kilglass without having to really over-exert themselves. They sensed that despite firing the volley of first-half wides that they could pick up the odd point here and there, a scoring rate sufficient to keep them comfortably in front.

A case in point was that a couple of scores in that first-half emanated from poorly lofted kick-outs by Sean Davis, the Kilglass ‘keeper. In fact, the last score of the half, coming at a time after Kilglass have handed themselves a fillip through Deehan converting a couple of dead ball kicks, was as soft and as frustrating as they come — Jonathan Dunning catching the kick-out and soloing forward to point with ease.

All the while when Clann were able to pick off the odd point such as Dunning’s one, Kilglass were bottled up in attack. Washington’s confident kick to take a first minute score aside, Kilglass never managed to work the ball into their inside line and dead ball kicks from distance offered them their only hope of registering scores.

Deehan, whose ability to conjure up a powerful whack from distance is well known, was the provider, the centre back’s taking of the responsibility to send over a ‘45 and a free after missing two earlier punts from long distance was an inspiration. But that was the best they could do.

Focus

So with Kilglass failing to make an impression in attack, the focus fell on whether the Clann attack has it in them to get into the groove and express themselves. They accounted for a neat score on 26 minutes when Henry’s intelligent crossfield was hand-passed on by Tommy Naughton to Daniel Harney, and the wing back slotted over a score which at the time was crucial as Kilglass had managed to get the margin back to two and seemed to be gaining a bit of confidence about themselves.

While that score was of value, Clann made sure of the outcome with a volley of points midway through the second-half. The best was Henry’s on 42 minutes, the wing forward doing well to gather an awkward kicked-pass from Naughton before bounding clear to point.

The contest was already petering out from this early juncture and the one shot at rejuvenation by Kilglass was spurned 12 minutes from time. It was a scrappy incident, Clann ‘keeper Phelim O’Neill rushing off his line to upend Kilglass substitute Roger Hogan when the forward got a touch on a through ball which caught the Clann defence flat-footed.

Tighe wound up to strike a hefty penalty kick but rather than see the ball shake the net’s top right-hand corner, it flew wide and with it went any chance Kilglass had of being closer than eight points behind at the finish.

It was a disappointing moment, typical of the disappointing nature of the exchanges which persisted throughout. Yet should we have expected any different? After all, poor games have been the pattern of this championship and this was just another addition to that growing list.

Clann na nGael: P. O’Neill; P. Gavin, S. Naughton, D. Gavin; D. Ward, A. Carberry, D. Harney (0-1); E. Murphy (0-1), D. Kelly (0-3, all frees); T. Naughton (0-1), D. O’Neill, P. Naughton (0-2); D. Henry (0-3), P. Whyte, J. Dunning (0-1). Subs. used: G. Lennon

(0-1, free) for Whyte (38 mins); K. O’Neill for Dunning (56 mins).

Kilglass Gaels: S. Davis; D. Davis, R. Lannon, V. Murphy; J. Casey, T. Deehan (0-2; ‘45, free), G. Nugent; A. Lannon, P. Nugent (0-1, free); M. Mullarkey, D. Washington (0-2, one free), T. Tully; C. Tully, N. Hanley, J. Tighe. Subs. used: R. Hogan for C. Tully (40 mins), F. Cruse for Mullarkey (45 mins).

Wides: Clann na nGael — 11; Kilglass Gaels — 7.

Booked: Kilglass Gaels — T. Tully (41 mins).

Referee: B. McCormack.