No repeat of 2017 heroics as Multy’s Leinster bid founders

AIB Leinster Club junior football championship semi-final: St Abban’s, Adamstown (Wexford) 0-8, Multyfarnham 0-7 (after extra-time)

Multyfarnham’s hopes of repeating their 2017 Leinster and All-Ireland club JFC odyssey ran aground in a slogfest against Wexford side St Abban’s, Adamstown in a rain-soaked TEG Cusack Park yesterday.

Deep into extra-time, a superbly-executed free from St Abban’s full forward Conor Hickey proved the difference between the sides – one of the stand-out moments in a game hampered by miserable conditions.

A greasy ball and surface made for a sometimes error-strewn 80+ minutes with no shortage of fumbles and hospital passes.

Defensive rigour was the order of the day, with both sides difficult to break down, and Adamstown’s Michael Curtis operating effectively as a sweeper. Going forward, the teams were cautious about their shot selection and when they risked a punt at the posts, the conditions often had the last word.

The result was that with 59 minutes gone, Multy – reliant mainly on dead ball efforts from Ronan Wallace and Shane Williams – led by the remarkably low score of 0-6 to 0-4. In the dying embers, Hickey conjured up two points, including a magnificent equaliser from play, to force extra-time.

The slog continued in the additional 20 minutes, and after Adamstown had a goal controversially disallowed, Multy led by 0-7 to 0-6 and looked like Lady Luck was smiling on them. But that little bit more hunger got the visitors over the line.

Scorers – St Abban’s: C Hickey 0-4 (3f), M Furlong 0-2 (1f), R O’Brien and C Feeney 0-1 each. Multyfarnham: S Williams 0-3f, R Wallace 0-2 (1f, 1 ’45’), A Loughrey and E Feerick (free) 0-1 each.

St Abban’s, Adamstown: Alan Bradley; Ciaran Finn, Lorcan French, Kevin Dunleavy; Andrew Boland (capt.), Michael Furlong, Páraic Wickham; Colum Feeney, Tony French; Dean Kehoe, Paudie Barden, Sean Barden; Michael Curtis, Conor Hickey, Ruairí O’Brien. Subs used: Graham O’Reilly for Kehoe (52), Mervyn Moloney for P Barden (52), James Dunleavy for T French (57), Tadhg McDonald for Finn (57), Finn for Curtis (10, e-t), P Barden for O’Brien (12, e-t),

Multyfarnham: Craig Sweeney; Thomas McGivney, Paul Heavin, Aran Whelan; Adam Bate, Cian Lee, Feichin Brennan; Anthony McGivney, Ronan Wallace (capt.); Adam Loughrey, Steven Sweeney, Shane Williams; Sean Rock, David Wallace, Ciaran Madden. Subs used: Jamie Coffey for Brennan (inj., 11), Ian McGovern for S Sweeney (51), Emmet Feerick for D Wallace (59), Brian McLoughlin for Loughrey (h-t, e-t), James Greene for Bate (h-t, e-t), D Wallace for Rock (inj., 19, e-t).

Ref: Colm McCullough (Louth).