Irish World (12th August 2006)

Robert Emmetts 0-13 Kilburn Gaels 1-7

Robert Emmetts eventually overcame a plucky Kilburn Gaels side but will need to play better o progress further in this year's championship.

Without manager Mick O'Dea, who has been banned from the touchline for eight weeks following an incident in a match two months ago, Emmetts looked very ragged at times but upped their performance slightly as the match progressed to come out on top.

Fergus McMahon opened the scoring for the men in blue and gold in the opening minute with a point when a goal shot was also on before team-mate Kevin McMullen dissected the posts from a free to extend Emmetts' lead.

Kilburn got on the scoreboard in the fifth minute when Mick Hayes kicked the sliotar over the Emmetts bar when under pressure and Shane Linnane leveled the scores on fourteen minutes.

Michael O'Dwyer then put Gaels in front for the first time a couple of minutes later when he scored a fine point when off balance but Jim Ryan got Emmetts back on par with a good point three minutes later.

Emmetts had the chance to go in front twice in two minutes but shot wide on both occasions. However, McMullen made no mistake when he pointed from a free with seven minutes remaining in the half.

John Joe Burke quickly leveled things up with a point and as half time approached Burke collected a pass from Dwyer before firing the sliotar into the bottom corner of Colm Buckley's net to put Kilburn in control.

Jim Ryan pulled two points back for the Emmetts in first half injury time and McMUllen should have equalised but missed his point attempt. Gaels took full advantage and pointed just before the interval to give themselves a lead of 1-5 to 0-6.

Following a rollicking from their coaches at half time, Emmetts came into the second half looking a different team and pointed immediately through Kelly and also struck Colm O'Meara's crossbar through Mark Trainer.

Kilburn eventually found their feet as Francis O'Dwyer saw his goal bound effort tipped over the bar by Buckley before the two sides each pointed from 65s.

Emmetts now started to take control of the match as they upped their game and quickly found themselves on level terms with points from Trainer and Kelly (free) after Sean Quinn had been fouled.

Emmetts then took the lead for the first time in the second half after nineteen minutes when McMullen split the posts with a free before Kennedy wasted a good chance to equalise for Kilburn when he shot wide a minute later.

Three wides were hit in the space of two minutes but Quinn found his range with three minutes left with a point after good work from Brian Foley to extend the Emmetts' lead.

Kilburn had now left themselves with too much to do as they faltered under the Emmetts pressure and Emmetts completed the scoring in injury time to seal their three point win.

Team: C. O'Meara, L. Mullan, B. Forde, D. Fahy, S. Stakelam, K. Kennedy, H. English, S. Linnane, G. Glynn, F. O'Dwyer, M. Hayes, B. Aherne, JJ. Burke, M. O'Dwyer, O. Noonan.