IFC: Molloy’s class gets Shandonagh over the line

Writech Intermediate Football Championship semi-final: Shandonagh 1-12, Milltown 1-11 (after extra-time)

Today’s Writech IFC semi-final between Shandonagh and Milltown took a long time to get going, but when it eventually caught fire in the final quarter, patrons at TEG Cusack Park were treated to a grandstand finish.

The fare was generally poor until the 45th minute, when Milltown, 0-5 to 0-3 down, levelled matters with two quick-fire points before the lead began to change hands repeatedly like a never-ending relay race.

A scrappy own goal handed Milltown a two-point lead with four minutes to go, and Shandonagh’s bacon was saved by scores from key forward Tom Molloy, as well as a brave last-minute kick from sub Adam Treanor. Had Treanor missed, Milltown would now be one step away from an historic return to senior grade.

Extra-time was fiercely contested, but in the end Shandonagh prevailed with three consecutive scores in the second period. At the death, Ben McGauran – who, up to that point, had hardly put a foot wrong for Milltown – had a chance to force penalties with a late free, but was unlucky to strike the upright.

Michael McNamee’s charges will look back at this one and wonder how they lost it. They were given every chance by Shandonagh, who more than matched their opponents for wayward kicking, but ultimately the men in green and white left it behind one too many times.

Caution reigned in the first half, with both sides defending efficiently and neither making much inroads on the scoreboard. Shandonagh led 0-3 to 0-2 at the break, thanks to an early free from Brian Kavanagh, and – much later in the half – a brace of scores from the lively Ryan Norris. Ben McGauran kicked two points (one from a free) in response.

Shandonagh played into the teeth of a breeze for the first half, and were forced to patiently move the ball inside instead of risking it from long range. Milltown duly shut them down on the flanks, with Tommy Lynn, the Murtaghs and Conor Dillon then instrumental in creating opportunities. Like their opponents however, they failed to make it count on the scoreboard.

Both McNamee and his Shandonagh counterpart, Kevin Hickey, made some very canny substitutions in the second half, with the arrival of Ryan Donnelly, Adam Treanor and Kevin Boyle (Shandonagh) and Milltown trio Conor Gibney, Sean Somers and Ja Boyle (the latter recently returned from Canada) cranking up the quality.

However, with the breeze no longer working against them, it was Shandonagh who made the early gains. Alan Hickey kicked a classy point from a tight angle on the terrace side, before Boyle found his range to open up a 0-5 to 0-2 lead. But the men in sky blue continued to miss as much as they converted.

In subsequent minutes, Milltown took advantage and restored parity through McGauran (two frees) and Matthew Gunning. On 46 minutes, the introduction of Ja Boyce paid dividends when he collected a deflected point attempt from Daire Hynes, turned and struck it over the bar to put Milltown in front (0-6 to 0-5).

The game took off from there, and on 49 minutes all of Milltown’s good work was undone when Brendan Treanor teed up Tom Molloy, who followed up a mazy run with a pass across the face of goal. Ryan Donnelly stole in and palmed the ball to the net.

This was a body blow for Milltown, but they worked hard to reverse its impact. Hynes almost found the net with a fisted effort on 52 minutes, before McGauran pointed a free moments later to reduce the arrears. The free came after Shandonagh sub Maitiú Scully deliberately hauled down Milltown’s Jack Murtagh; Scully was lucky to pick up a yellow card instead of a black one.

On 56 minutes, the pendulum swung Milltown’s way again, when Conor Gibney picked out Ja Boyce with a sublime long-range pass. Boyce turned to shoot and was blocked; Ben McGauran’s rebound was deflected by Shandonagh ‘keeper Conor Craig, and in the ensuing confusion, the ball ricocheted off Craig and into the net. Milltown led 1-7 to 1-5.

Things could have gone very badly for Shandonagh from here but for Tom Molloy’s leadership. The no. 11, always a threat, converted a free before levelling matters on 59 minutes with a superb shot following a neat passing move.

As stoppage time arrived, both sides missed chances, but Milltown (initially) got the rub of the green. Shandonagh sub Mickey Boyle was sin-binned after being black carded for a poor challenge, and when Daire Hynes divided the posts in the 62nd minute, Milltown looked home and hosed.

Shandonagh needed bravery at this stage, and four minutes into stoppage time sub Adam Treanor duly delivered, finishing off a patient move with a magnificent kick from the right wing to force extra-time.

The momentum was with the Ballinea men, but their first-half profligacy returned when Kevin Boyle mishit an early free. Milltown led by one at the half thanks to points from Gary Byrne and Ben McGauran (a free). Tom Molloy, however, kept Shandonagh in touch with a sublime score off his left.

In the second period of extra-time, McGauran showed his class with a lovely bit of skill before kicking Milltown into a two-point lead (1-11 to 1-9).

From there however, the men in green and white went off the boil. Molloy’s goalbound kick fisted over the bar by Milltown ‘keeper Damien Byrne, before Conor McCrossan took advantage of some slack Milltown marking and drove the ball straight down the middle to equalise with five minutes left.

Conor Dillon, a tireless worker for Milltown throughout, appeared to have found Ja Boyce for a goal moments later, but the ball had gone wide before Boyce collected. Then, with a minute to go, Shandonagh took the lead when Ryan Donnelly lined up the inrushing Kevin Boyle, who fired over the bar.

Milltown battled for an equaliser, and at the very death, they were awarded a free after a foul disrupted their slow and steady build-up, giving them a chance to force penalties.

The resultant kick placed huge pressure on Ben McGauran’s shoulders, and though it was well struck off the ground, it clipped the upright and went wide.

It was a painful end for Milltown, denied an historic tilt at the Peter Geraghty Cup, while Shandonagh progress to a stern test against the winners of tomorrow’s second semi-final between Tubberclair and St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge.

Scorers – Shandonagh: T Molloy 0-4 (1f), R Donnelly 1-0, R Norris and K Boyle 0-2 each, B Kavanagh (free), A Hickey, A Treanor and C McCrossan 0-1 each. Milltown: B McGauran 0-7 (5f), C Craig (Shandonagh) 1-0 (o/g), M Gunning, J Boyce, D Hynes and G Byrne 0-1 each.

Shandonagh: Conor Craig; Danny Scahill, Daire Conway, Jenson Nagle; Gareth Carr, Adam Cronin, Brendan Killian; Alan Hickey, Aaron Craig; Brendan Treanor, Tom Molloy, Cormac Gordon; Brian Kavanagh, Ryan Norris, Conor McCrossan. Subs used: Kevin Boyle for Gordon (h-t), Maitiú Scully for B Killian (inj., 42), Ryan Donnelly for Norris (47), Mickey Boyle for Kavanagh (53), Adam Treanor for Carr (55), Kavanagh for Hickey (1, e-t), Carr for Conway (9, e-t), Killian for B Treanor (12, e-t).

Milltown: Damien Byrne; Paul Mahon, Bernard Kiernan, Matthew Gunning; Diarmuid Maguire, Patrick Somers, Tommy Lynn; Jack Murtagh, Dylan Murtagh; Conor Dillon, Frank McLoughlin, Gary Byrne; Luke Gunning, Ben McGauran, Daire Hynes. Subs used: Conor Gibney for Mahon (h-t), Sean Somers for Lynn (h-t), Jarlath Boyce for McLoughlin (42), Wayne Smith for D Murtagh (9, e-t), Alan Geraghty for Maguire (13, e-t), McLoughlin for J Murtagh (17, e-t).

Ref: Enda Kelly (Castledaly).