Milltown momentum proves timely as Rosemount denied

Milltown 3-18, Rosemount 1-15

Milltown looked rejuvenated in the end, Rosemount dejected as they saw an eight-point lead wiped out at Kinnegad on Saturday evening.

A 17-point turnaround, courtesy of a stirring second-half performance, means Milltown are through to the knock-out stages of the Intermediate Football Championship, joining Shandonagh and Tubberclair with the order yet to be determined. Rosemount are in a battle with Multyfarnham for qualification.

Conditions were a major factor in an enthralling contest, the strong breeze favouring Rosemount in the first half and they used it pretty well, scoring 1-12 to Milltown’s 1-6. However, Milltown’s greater firepower ensured they added 2-12 in the second half and two scores were never going to sustain Rosemount’s effort.

Rosemount were eight clear (1-14 to 1-6) when Lorcan Daly's two-pointed free sailed over 90 seconds after the restart, but they could add just a free from Ben Cox in the final minute. In the interim, Milltown dominated, their grip at midfield eventually telling, and Luke Gunning and Jack Duncan made it count with two vital goals in the 39th and 52nd minutes.

Rosemount were still leading by a point after 50 minutes and had a half-chance when Andrew McCormack’s sideline delivery landed in the square, but Shane Boland's snap-shot flashed wide of the target. A minute later, Ben McGauran’s free dropped in the square and Jack Duncan got a hand to the ball, guiding it to the net. Those were the fine margins in this keenly contested affair and after that, Rosemount were treading water. Milltown added four points without reply per Daire Hynes and McGauran (0-3, including a two-pointed free) and went from one down to six up in the space of six minutes.

McGauran added two further two-pointers, the final one from play in the fifth minute of added time, and substitute Nathan Creagh Dillon was denied a goal in the same period.

Rosemount got the perfect start, going five clear when David Tone finished low to the net before Luke Gunning’s first major got Milltown motoring. Jack Duncan’s quality delivery set up the chance. But Ben Cox was outstanding as Rosemount led by 1-8 to 1-2 at the end of the first quarter. Milltown midfielder Jack Murtagh served 10 minutes in the sin-bin when he collided with McCormack, but Rosemount failed to score with the extra man, rendered insignificant by Milltown’s impressive work ethic.

McGauran and Hynes each pointed, but Ben Cox’s two-pointer and a single from the unmarked Tone had the Roses six clear again in the final minute and that’s what separated the teams at the interval. Although Rosemount went eight clear, the inevitable resurgence followed, a great goal by Luke Gunning the catalyst. Jack Murtagh, McGauran and Duncan all combined to set up Gunning, who finished with aplomb.

Duncan added three points, the second of which should have been a goal, leaving it 1-14 to 2-10 at the end of the third quarter. Milltown’s momentum gave them an unanswered 1-4 and from here, only one team looked like winning. The third Milltown goal inevitably came with eight minutes of normal time to play as the influence of McCormack and Boidu Sayeh began to wane in the face of a collectively superior opposition.

Remarkably, when the sides met in the Leinster League final earlier this season, Milltown scored 4-15, the same total as Saturday, and won by 11 points. Rosemount scored 1-13 in that April encounter in Tullamore, which proved a very accurate form guide.

Scorers – Milltown: B McGauran 0-10 (2 tp frees; 1 tp; 3f), J Duncan 1-4 (0-2f), L Gunning 2-0, D Hynes 0-3, P Somers 0-1.

Rosemount: B Cox 0-8 (2 tp frees; 1 tp), D Tone 1-1, L Daly 0-3 (1 tp free; 1 ‘45), A McCormack 0-2 (1 tp), P Geoghegan 0-1.

Milltown: Alan Geraghty; Diarmuid Maguire, Bernard Kiernan, Seán Dillon; Tommy Lynn, Conor Gibney, Peter Ballesty; Jack Murtagh, Dylan Murtagh; Daire Hynes, Paddy Somers, Matthew Gunning; Jack Duncan, Luke Gunning, Ben McGauran. Subs: Seán Somers for D Murtagh (51), Nathan Creagh Dillon for L Gunning (51), Paddy Kiernan for Ballesty (59).

Rosemount: Cathal Elliffe; Andrew Geoghegan, Cathal Byrne, Luke Kelly; Eamon Boland, Boidu Sayeh, Lorcan Daly; Andrew McCormack, Shane Boland; Eoin Geoghegan, Ben Cox, Adam Keane; David Tone, Padraig Geoghegan, Matthew Cox. Subs: Cathal Geoghegan for Tone (35), Seán Conlon for M Cox (40), Greg Keaveney for Keane (inj., 47), Shane Tone for E Geoghegan (55), Jason McHugh Dolan for E Boland (56).

Referee: Declan Nugent (Maryland).