Bective played host to Kilmainham GAA for this round 5 div. 3 league match on a bright Saturday afternoon. The Bective pitch was yielding but in good shape and a lively game was expected. Kilmainham opened the scoring with a point from play and Marty Mulhall replied with a pointed free kick after Luke Heneghan was fouled on 6 minutes. Kilmainham showed more vigor and scored 4 more points before Mulhall again converted a free kick on 12 minutes. Bective lost midfielder Mathew Cully to injury on 14 minutes and Finn Murray came into the Bective defence. Kilmainham were creating chances and found the net on 23 minutes. Bective realized they needed to step up to the pace of the game and worked hard to carry the ball forward and Finn Murray pointed on 26 minutes. Gary Brennan was finding his man with the kick outs and with strong running from Luke Heneghan, Mark Dowdall, Con Smith, Paul Lyness and released to Mulhall who found space to fire over from play on 28 minutes. Tristan O’Neill fielded well and went on his trade mark run and with quick interchange carried the ball into the big square and blasted to the Kilmainham net on 30 minutes.
Half Time score Kilmainham 1 – 5, Bective 1 – 4.
Bective brought on David Donnelly for the second half and he immediately showed his availability and speed and Bective continued to take the game to Kilmainham. Mark O’Brien also came into the midfield area and made his ball winning ability felt. Con Smith fired over in the 7th minute. Donnelly gained possession on the left wing and sped forward into space avoiding all tackles and booted to the Kilmainham net on 9 minutes giving Bective a 3 point lead. Kilmainham pointed on 10 minutes and Smith replied with a fine point on 11 minutes. O’Brien showed powerful running along the left wing to point on 15 minutes. Mulhall converted a further free kick and Kilmainham maintained their resolve in this game with a point on 20 minutes. O’Brien pointed again on 21 minutes and Kilmainham, now finding the Bective defence much tighter, again fired over on 23 minutes. Bective managed their kick outs well and controlled the ball into attacking positions and O’Brien again pointed on 26 minutes. Kilmainham kept the pressure on the Bective backs but they only conceded one more point on 30 minutes and held out for a fine win.
Bective 2 – 10, Kilmainham 1 – 9.
Bective team: Gary Brennan, Jack Grant, Simon Heneghan, Jamie O’Neill, Cormac Gorman, Paul Lyness, Kevin Brennan, Ciaran Reilly, Mathew Cully, Marty Mulhall, Tristan O’Neill, Sean Keating, Marc Dowdall, Luke Heneghan and Con Smith.
