Disappointing end to great campaign for Milltownpass

Gerry Buckley reportsMilltownpass bowed out at the penultimate hurdle in the Leinster junior football championship at Páirc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon last, their forgettable afternoon ending with just a dozen black and white-clad players remaining on the pitch and Ballinabrackey deservedly through to the provincial final by a three-point margin.Referee, Fergal Barry had to be escorted from the pitch as he was the subject of much verbal abuse from some Milltownpass players and many of their large contingent of fans in the stand. The game was closely contested throughout but never remotely dirty, and three sendings off for Billy Flanagan's charges (including, most significantly, his son Shane, just before the half-time whistle) is a grossly unfair reflection of the losers' efforts.The game was evenly balanced when midfielder Flanagan received a straight red card in the second minute of added-time in the first moiety, with most observers feeling that he would be brandished just a yellow card for what was undoubtedly a robust challenge on an opponent.On the change of ends, the extra man enabled Ballinabrackey to effectively double mark Milltownpass' marquee forward, Andy Devine and the Westmeath champions' failure to score from play throughout the hour is partly a reflection of this tactic.There were just three points between the sides in the 55th minute when Fintan O'Reilly was sent off for a second yellow card offence.Despite this double setback, there was still the chance of a match-saving goal for the losers when Seamus Faulkner also saw red in the 59th minute, apparently for verbal abuse of the referee. To their great credit, the determined dozen from Milltownpass refused to throw in the towel but Kevin Reid's last-gasp lobbed free into the winners' goalmouth was cleared and the Meath champions survived a very strange encounter to reach the Leinster decider, where they will face St. Andrew's from Carlow on Sunday week, also at Páirc Tailteann.The Navan pitch was in resplendent shape for Sunday's game and, despite the very cold weather, it was a lovely day for football. However, the prevailing wind was deceptive and its advantage to Ballinabrackey was evident in the early stages when Andy Devine's free was held up as the ball seemed to be heading over the winners' crossbar. The same player most untypically lost possession in the fourth minute and a Ballinabrackey counterattack yielded the contest's first score courtesy of Andrew Munnelly. In the seventh minute, Meath senior star Chris O'Connor did well to pop up in defence to block Shane Flanagan's attempt for a point at the expense of a ‘45', from which John Curry advanced smartly from his line to impressively pluck Kevin Reid's place kick from the skies.After Neville Brazil overcarried the ball, Andy Devine again saw a free from his hands being held up by the wind blowing from the scoreboard side of the ground. In their next attack, Ballinabrackey doubled their advantage, Danny Quinn cutting in smartly from the stand side before firing over a fine score. In the 11th minute, Milltownpass were awarded quite a soft free after Kevin Reid was impeded and, on this occasion, Andy Devine judged a difficult kick to perfection to open the Lake County representatives' account.Dubious freeJust before the midpoint of the first half, another dubious free to the losers was converted from the ground from 25 metres in front of the posts by Kevin Reid. At the other end, Gary Brady did well to hold Seamus Curry's shot before Milltownpass spurned an opportunity to take the lead when Andy Devine was fouled, but Kevin Reid was wide from a scoreable free. Soon afterwards, full back Paddy Kenny held Andy Devine's inswinging free taken from near the stand sideline.In the 20th minute, Danny Quinn replicated his earlier heroics with a very well-taken point. The losers' defence then did well to keep out a promising move from the green and gold-clad forwards. Damien Carroll was wide from a very tricky free, but Kevin Reid had better luck with his placed ball from 30 metres, albeit in front of the posts, with five minutes of normal time remaining in the first half.Andy Devine soon made space in his trademark style but his shot was off target, while David Wright was caught in possession in a promising position as Billy Flanagan's men went all out in search of the lead. Disaster struck for the losers in the 32nd minute when Shane Flanagan was red-carded, with most observers of the opinion that a yellow card would have sufficed given the match officials' earlier interpretations of the rules. Seconds later, the referee Barry blew the half-time whistle with the scoreboard reading: Ballinabrackey 0-3 Milltownpass 0-3.When the teams returned, Seamus Faulkner had moved from attack back to midfield for Milltownpass. Some 40 seconds after the resumption of play, a half-volley from Damien Carroll was wide of Gary Brady's goal. However, Carroll soon compensated with a composed point from 25 metres giving Ballinabrackey a lead they would never relinquish.When the winners added two further points - a neat effort from Andrew Munnelly and another classy score from Danny Quinn - by the fifth minute of the half, it looked like Milltownpass might be in for a drubbing. However, the losers reduced the deficit in the 40th minute courtesy of a terrific free from almost 45 metres by Kevin Reid.The same player was unlucky with another free from slightly further out, a ‘square ball' call being the correct decision in its aftermath. Reid was perhaps a little casual with his next placed ball, a ‘45' awarded after his own probing ball caused some consternation in the winners' rearguard.Corner back Mark Gorman was involved three times in an eye-catching move which ultimately came to nothing as a gallant Milltownpass outfit continued to play with admirable determination. Kevin Reid was well wide in their next attack before the Meathmen restored their three-point lead when substitute Finbarr Bannon kicked a fine left-footed point, with seven minutes of normal time remaining.Then came Fintan O'Reilly's second yellow card and, to add insult to injury, Damien Carroll converted the resultant free to put Ballinabrackey four points to the good. Kevin Reid kept the black and whites in touch with another free, this time from 25 metres, in the 57th minute. Pat Loftus struck the woodwork from a good position for the winners before Dermot Faulkner was penalised for overcarrying at the other end.Astonishingly, Milltownpass were soon reduced to 12 men with the straight red-carding of Seamus Faulkner. However, they still had one last chance to force an unlikely draw when Kevin Reid lobbed in a late, late free, but a massed Ballinabrackey defence managed to clear the ball. Moments later, the final whistle sounded and Fergal Barry left the pitch to a chorus of boos.When the dust settles on this very peculiar game, Milltownpass players and mentors will feel pleased with most aspects of their Leinster campaign. However, it is a real pity that it ended in such controversy and that their numerical disadvantage, caused by a mixture of their own indiscipline and some erratic refereeing, prevented them from playing to their full potential last Sunday.Ballinabrackey: John Curry; Nicky Judge, Paddy Kenny, Kevin Darby; Neville Brazil, Ray Kearney, Derek Flynn; Trevor Bannon, Brian Lucey; Danny Quinn (0-3), Seamus Curry, Pat Loftus; Damien Carroll (0-2, 0-1 from a free), Chris O'Connor, Andrew Munnelly (0-2). Subs: Finbarr Bannon (0-1) (for Lucey, 27 mins), Joe Bannon (for S.Curry, 60 mins).Milltownpass: Gary Brady; Paul Brady, Damien Loran, Mark Gorman; Stephen Treacy, Fintan O'Reilly, Shane Gleeson; Shane Flanagan, Dermot Faulkner; Seamus Faulkner, Noel O'Reilly, Kevin Reid (0-4, all from frees); Andy Devine (0-1, from a free), David Wright, Emmett Brennan. Subs: Stephen Burke (for Loran, inj, 26 mins), Shane Donoghue (for Wright, 35 mins), Paul O'Reilly (for Treacy, 37 mins), Dara O'Connor (for Brennan, 46 mins).Referee: Fergal Barry (Kildare).