Kilanerin staged a memorable second half comeback to win their fifth County Senior Football Final, recording a 6 point win over neighbours Castletown in an exciting encounter played in Gorey on Sunday October 3rd.

Kilanerin found themselves 5 points down after Castletown goaled immediately after half-time but dominated the rest of the second half holding Castletown to 2 more points and scoring 1-10 themselves. Marksman in chief Matty Forde scored 1-7 of Kilanerin's total.

The Kilanerin defence had to soak up a massive amount of Castletown pressure in the first half. Helped by a strong wind, Castletown created numerous scoring chances but only converted 5 of them to go in at half-time 0-5 to 0-3 ahead. Kilanerin's points scored by Matty Forde (2) and John Hegarty.

Unimpressed by what he had seen from his charges who were second best throughout the field, Gerry Farrell sent his team out at half-time fired up to produce a much better performance. He probably couldn't believe it when Kilanerin fell further in arrears after a speculative shot for a point by Damien Scallan rebounded off the post straight to Darragh Murray who finished the ball to the net.

However, the Kilanerin half-forward line started to see more of the ball after that and inspired by midfielder Seamus Hughes, they finally found their range. In particular, Matty Forde who scored 1-3 in the space of 5 minutes to level up the match. The goal was created by a stunning Donal Noonan pass to Forde who sped through to hammer the ball past Nigel Kavanagh in the Castletown goal.

A Colin Sunderland point then levelled up the sides again and a close finish was on the cards. But Castletown could only score once more (a late Colin Sunderland point) after that and the Kilanerin forwards started to go up a higher gear.

First, Donal Noonan, who's switch to wing forward reaped dividends, picked up a break and slotted the ball over the bar. Then Matty Forde put over two 50 yard frees from his hands. Paul Hughes fired over the best point of the day and Pat Forde notched another as the game went Kilanerin's way.

Two late John Hegarty points put the icing on the cake as referee Brian White blew the full-time whistle to a huge cheer from the Kilanerin support. Captain Micheal Hughes (pictured) recieved the SFC cup from County Board chairman Paddy Wickham, whilst Matty Forde was named man-of-the-match, but overall a good second half team performance won the day for Kilanerin.

Team: Barry Hughes; Pat Murray, Michael D'Arcy, Micheal Hughes (capt); Michael Hughes, Michael Higgins, Gordon Hughes; Seamus Hughes, Jim D'Arcy; Pat Forde (0-1), Paul Hughes (0-1), Matty Forde (1-7); Donal Noonan (0-1), John Hegarty (0-3), Nicky D'Arcy.

The 1999 Campus Direct Senior Football Championship Results

What the papers said about the Final...

Report on the 1974 Senior Football Championship Final

Kilanerin now play Strabannon, the Louth SFC Champions, in the First Round of the AIB Leinster Club Football Championship in Gorey on Sunday October 24th.

Kilanerin had an excellent 6 point victory over Fethard in this Senior Football Championship Semi-final played as part of a semi-final double header on Sunday September 5^th in Belfield, Enniscorthy. Castletown beat Adamstown in the other semi-final by the same margin to set up a North Wexford county final.

1998 Kilanerin captain and centre-back, Michael Hiigins, missed the game as he was away on holidays but influential midfielder Jim D'Arcy had recovered from injury to play. Barry Hughes overcame a hamstring problem to play and Nicky D'Arcy retunred to fitness to take a place on the bench.

Kilanerin started off well, and went into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after 7 minutes with points from Matty Forde and John Hegarty (2). John Hegarty then fed Paul Hughes with a glorious 40-yard pass and the centre-forward blasted the ball to the net to put 6 points between the sides.

But Fethard fought their way back into the game and after Barry Hughes had to make a good blocking save, Fethard scored a good goal after 17 minutes to bring the lead back to 3. However, they failed to take their scoring chances and Kilanerin tagged on a Nicky D'Arcy point before the game's turning point arrived in first half injury time.

Fethard's tactic of playing a corner forward as a sweeper in front of their full-back line meant that they were able to take a number of short kick-outs; however, one of these went astray and Nicky D'Arcy gathered, fed John Hegarty who was fouled in the area. Hegarty tucked away the penalty himself to put Kilanerin 2-4 to 1-0 ahead at the break.

Kilanerin started the second half well and through points from Matty Forde (2), John Hegarty (2), Donal Noonan and Nicky D'Arcy they lead by 2-10 to 1-1 after 50 minutes. They failed to score after that as they piled on the number of wides; 14 in all. Fethard scored 2 goals near the end as the hot conditions took it's toll on the players, but Fethard had left themselves too much to do.

Team: Barry Hughes; Pat Murray, Chris Murray, Micheal Hughes (capt); Michael Hughes, Michael D'Arcy, Gordon Hughes; Seamus Hughes, Jim D'Arcy; Pat Forde, Paul Hughes (1-0), Matty Forde (0-4); Donal Noonan (0-1), John Hegarty (1-4), Michael Hegarty.
Subs: Nicky D'Arcy (0-2) for Michael Hegarty.

A superb all-round performance of defending and score-taking by Kilanerin overpowered the challenge of Sarsfields in this SFC quarter-final played on Sunday August 15^th at in Bellefield, Enniscorthy..

Kilanerin last played Sarsfields in the Championship in 1997 when they came back from a big deficit to qualify for that year's County Final, and a tough encounter was expected again especially with Jim and Nicky D'Arcy both missing the game through injury. However, Kilanerin got off to a lightening start.

Matty Forde was put through following Kilanerin's first attack of the game in the first minute and fouled for a penalty. Sarsfields first-choice goalkeeper, Ciaran O'Leary lined out at corner-forward with the intention of playing as a 'third midfield man', but donned the goalkeeper's jersey for the penalty, which was dispatched clinically by John Hegarty.

Sarsfields responded with a point, but Kilanerin crashed home two more goals in the opening 5 minutes through John Hegarty and Donal Noonan, effectively ending the game as a contest.

Sarsfields did well to keep score-for-score for the remaider of the first half and indeed had a couple of goal efforts but couldn't breach the Kilanerin defence. 4 points from Matty Forde and a superbly taken goal from Michael Hegarty meant that at half-time Kilanerin led by 12 points, 4-4 to 0-4.

Coach Gerry Farrell, understandably happy with the scoreline, wasn't pleased with the way that Sarsfileds were able to mount attacks on the Kilanerin goal in the last 15 minutes of the first half and sent out the side fired up to give an equally good second half performance. He wasn't disappointed.

Sarsfields threw everything they had at the Kilanerin defence but could only muster 3 more points while Kilanerin added 13 points of their own in the second half; Matty Forde (6), John Hegarty (5), Paul Hughes(1) and Seamus Hughes (1). This was however an excellent team effort and though the opposition in the semi-final will be a lot tougher, the performance will be a huge confidence builder.

Team: Barry Hughes; Pat Murray, Chris Murray, Micheal Hughes (capt); Michael Hughes, Michael Higgins, Gordon Hughes; Seamus Hughes (0-1), Michael D'Arcy; Pat Forde, Paul Hughes (0-1), Matty Forde (0-10); Donal Noonan (1-0), John Hegarty (2-5), Michael Hegarty (1-0).
Subs: Stephen Kavanagh for Chris Murray.

Kilanerin qualified for the SFC quarter-finals after this 13 point victory over St. Martin's in Bellefield, Enniscorthy on Saturday 17^th July.

Matty Forde gave a superb display of free-taking and general score-taking notching up 1-12 of Kilanerin's total. However, he wasn't the only figure that had a telling impact on the game, as referee Seamus Whelan sent off 2 St. Martin's players, one in either half.

Nicky D'Arcy (ankle), Michael Hughes (Annagh) (honeymoon) and Jim D'Arcy (thigh) all missed the game for Kilanerin so Stephen Kavanagh came in at left corner-back and Gordon Hughes had recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury to play at right half back. Michael D'Arcy played at midfield with team captain and man-of-the-match Micheal Hughes occupying the left half back role.

The game started off with a bang as St. Martin's took the lead with a point only for Matty Forde to blast home a goal straight after. The game didn't settle down as hard tackles came flying in. Both sides traded points for the rest of the half which ended 1-4 to 0-3 in favour of Kilanerin. Matty Forde scored all of Kilanerin's first half total. The Kilanerin forward line were guilty of missing many gilt-edged chances.

Playing with the wind in the second half, Kilanerin looked to have an advantage, but St Martin's kept with the pace and missed a few chances of their own. But Matty Forde's accuracy meant that Kilanerin started to stretch the lead and after John O'Connor was sent off for dissent after fouling John Hegarty, the game was sown up.

Defensively Kilanerin looked far more solid than they did in the ACFL final. Michael D'Arcy played well alongside Seamus Hughes at midfield and although the forwards didn't take the majority of the chances they created, the fact that they were created pleased Gerry Farrell who was more than happy with the result.

Team: Barry Hughes; Pat Murray, Chris Murray, Stephen Kavanagh; Gordon Hughes, Michael Higgins, Micheal Hughes (capt); Michael D'Arcy, Seamus Hughes; Pat Forde (0-1), Paul Hughes, Matty Forde (1-12, 7 frees); Michael Hegarty (0-1), John Hegarty, Donal Noonan (0-1).