Bective faced Kilmainham in this first round Intermediate championship match in a beautifully presented Pairc Tailteann on this hot summer Sunday. Both teams had to make adjustments for missing personnel and it took some time before scoring chances were converted with shots dropping into the goal keeper’s hands and hasty wides. The ever-reliable Mickey Newman opened the scoring with a pointed free for Kilmainham on 8 minutes into the hospital end. Sean Keating pointed for Bective on 11 minutes. A further 10 minutes passed with both teams closing down spaces and backs snuffing out scoring chances, with Ben Malone and Jack Grant particularly effective for Bective, until Newman pointed from a free kick on 21 minutes. Bective’s Cathal Mc Connell stormed through the middle and was grounded resulting in a Marty Mulhall pointed free kick. Mulhall fisted over the bar after a fine run on 23 minutes and Bective’s support play looked the more threatening. Kilmainham also upped the tempo and broke through to shoot from close range however Mc Connell made up yards to pull off an outstanding diving block and the danger was cleared. Kilmainham drew level with a Newman pointed free and Keating fired over his second point on 29 minutes. Con Smith landed a left footed curled shot and Mc Connell pointed on 31 minutes before Newman converted a further free kick on 33 minutes to bring the half time scoring to Bective 0 – 6, Kilmainham 0 – 4.
Bective after having the better of the exchanges in the first half and still with only two points ahead knew they had to push on and widen the margin on the scoreboard. Donagh Garvey showed his pace and drove through the centre but shot low and wide on 1 minute. Tristan O’Neill, raiding from the wing, fisted forward to Keating who planted the ball in the back of the net on 2 minutes. Mark Dowdall added a point on 6 minutes but Newman pulled two back with pointed frees on the 10th and 12th minutes. Paul McCabe and Craig Roche came into the Bective attack. Midfielder Ciaran Mc Connell was gaining good primary possession with some fine fielding and Bective were now managing the ball well and ball carriers were stretching the Kilmainham defence. Smith pointed again on 13 minutes and Mathew Cully pointed after a lung busting run on 18 minutes. Colin O’Rourke and Brian Cantwell came on for Bective. O’Neill capped his first team championship start with a fine performance and he pointed on 29 minutes. Bective were defending well and Kilmainham had to wait until the 30th minute for a pointed free from Mickey Newman for their final score. Mark Dowdall pointed on 31 minutes to conclude the scoring.
Bective 1 – 11, Kilmainham 0 – 7.
Bective team: Scott O’Sullivan, Ben Malone, Jack Grant, Mark Dowdall, Neil Dowdall, Donagh Garvey, Tristan O’Neill, Mathew Cully, Ciaran Mc Connell, Con Smith, Mark O’Brien, Cathal Mc Connell, Marty Mulhall, Sean Keating and Declan McGuinness.
