Powerful second half sees Milltown home

The first game in TEG Cusack Park on Sunday evening last saw literally a game of two halves in at times torrential rain, as Milltown came back from a poor display in the first half where they trailed by six points to turn the game on its head and win pulling away by 12 and were good value for that win.

Multy dominated the opening moiety and boosted by two wonderful first half Ronan Wallace goals they looked as if they had recovered from their opening heavy defeat to St Malachy’s and would get their season up and running but after the break Milltown were a team transformed and Barry Downey’s charges laid down a marker that they are serious contenders for the Peter Geraghty Cup, scoring a quite amazing 4-10 and by the finish they were in cruise control.

Jack Duncan was undoubtedly the catalyst and his display was as good as seen in Cusack Park in many a long day and if he wasn’t scoring he was setting up the score while some positional changes worked a treat for the Green and Whites who remain undefeated in championship 26. For Multy it’s what might have beens and they now are virtually in the last chance saloon for a knockout place heading into round three against Shandonagh.

The game started in a torrential downpour but was a real end to end contest as both teams looked for the ideal start and it was Milltown who got off to the flyer with two superb Jack Duncan points that lit up the dismal surroundings and the Green and Whites held sway early doors. Multy came roaring back though and after great work by Mattie Thornton and Gareth Mullaniff , Ronan Wallace found himself 12 yards out and alone and he smashed the ball to the net followed almost immediately by a fine point from Thornton.

Luke Gunning narrowed the gap to the minimum with a lovely score but Anthony McGivney negated that at the opposite end with a beauty. Jack Duncan hit the score of the half for Milltown to get them back in it but a marvelous two pointer from Adam Loughrey and a Wallace free saw Multy edge out four clear after 20 minutes. Luke and Matthew Gunning combined for the former to narrow the gap momentarily but after missing a couple of early frees, Wallace was on hand to convert from 47 meters for a two pointer to keep the Friary town ahead.

Ben McGauran with a free and an outlandish two pointer from Jack Duncan brought the gap back to two as we headed for the break but Loughrey pointed at the opposite end and from the kick out, Thornton intercepted and fed Adam Bate who then shipped to Wallace allowing him to rattle in a second major on the stroke of halftime to see Multy lead by 2-8 to 0-8 at the short whistle.

Milltown needed a solid start to the second half and they went after it with Conor Dillon pointing after a field long move and moments later a lob ball from Conor Gibney was fisted brilliantly to the net by Jarlath Boyce and it was now game on. Anthony McGivney got Multys first point of the second half with a beauty and Thornton almost had a third major for the Maroons but pulled his shot wide and on the break another speculative high ball from McGauran this time was knocked down again by Boyce who somehow rounded the keeper soccer style and netted a second Milltown goal and it was all square.

A fisted point from Jack Duncan put Milltown ahead for the first time since the second minute but it merely rose Multy from their slumbers and they hit the next three in a row from sub Ian McGovern, Wallace after a patient build up and Adam Loughrey from some poor Milltown defence and it this stage they looked as if they had weathered the storm but that was 47 mins and amazingly it would be their last score of the game.

Milltown went into stealth mode and after super support work by McGauran and Conor Lynn it was Jack Duncan who netted a third Milltown major with a fine finish and points followed from Lynn, Duncan again, McGauran from a free and then from play. Matthew Gunning, named at two but now playing as a forward then went on a rampage with two excellent points and then a fourth Milltown goal that settled the affair once and for all and late points from Conor Dillon and sub Frank McLoughlin merely gilded the lily as Milltown cruised to a facile win in the end of what was a thoroughly entertaining game of football

Scorers

Milltown: Jack Duncan 1-7 1 2 pointer, Jarlath Boyce 2-0, Matthew Gunning 1-2, Ben McGauran 0-3 2 frees, Conor Dillon and Luke Gunning 0-2 each, Conor Lynn and Frank McLoughlin 0-1 each

Multyfarnham: Ronan Wallace 2-4 1 2 pointer, Adam Loughrey 0-4 1 2 pointer, Anthony McGivney 0-2, Mattie Thornton and Ian McGovern 0-1 each

Teams

Milltown: Alan Geraghty, Matthew Gunning, Ian Burke, Diarmuid Maguire, Sean Dillon, Conor Gibney, Peter Ballesty, Conor Dillon, Dylan Murtagh, Jack Duncan, Jarlath Boyce, Henry Duncan, Ben McGauran, Conor Lynn and Luke Gunning subs: Paddy Somers for Luke Gunning H/T, Gary Byrne for Burke 43 mins, Frank McLoughlin for Ballesty 52 mins, Paul Mahon for Jack Duncan 58 mins

Multyfarnham: Craig Sweeney, Jude Auld, Sean Brennan, Jack Leavy, Cian Lee, Feichin Brennan, Ronan Greene, Brian McLoughlin, Ronan Wallace, Anthony McGivney, Mattie Thornton, Adam Loughrey, Adam Bate, Gareth Mullaniff and Aaron Whelan subs: Ian McGovern for Whelan 36 mins, Tommy McGivney for McLoughlin 50 mins, CJ Tighe for Mullaniff 54 mins, Donal Hannon for Bate 56 mins, Robert O’Connor for Sean Brennan 60 mins

Referee Sean Carroll