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Moville and Milford must meet
again
25.11.09
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Gale force winds and heavy
showers destroy league final spectacle Moville 0-9 (S. O’Hare 0-3 (1 free, 1 sideline kick); J. Faulkner 0-3; G. Doherty 0-1; O. McDermott 0-2) Milford 0-9 (C. Barrett 0-3; P. Curley 0-2; D. Curley 0-2 (2 frees); C. Bradley 0-1; E. McHugh 0-1) by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at the Scarvey, Buncrana Moville and Milford must meet again after Sunday’s Division 4 League final between the sides ended level at 0-9 apiece. Not alone did the sides have to contend with each other, but also with a gale force wind, heavy rain showers and inevitably slippery underfoot conditions. Both teams battled manfully, but the wind and rain destroyed the game as a spectacle. Kickouts into the wind were virtually impossible, while keeping one’s feet was a lottery. Moville led by 0-9 to 0-2 at half time, but failed to find a score in the second period. Milford and the wind kept Moville penned back into their own half for most of the second period, but they struggled to find their range. Despite the lion’s share of possession, they didn’t draw level until the 55th minute when Pádraig Curley pointed from 30 metres. |
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Milford had the chances to
win it in the dying minutes but hit three wides, saw a
ball rebound of the upright, and dropped one final
effort into the grateful hands of Moville keeper Maurice
McGeady. Both teams seemed keen to play extra time and decide a winner, but referee Paddy McKeever and county board official Seamus O’Donnell were having none of it and the outcome of this Division 4 final will be decided by a replay. Despite playing into the wind, it was Milford who opened the scoring within moments of the first whistle. They won the ball in midfield and Christopher Barrett found Pádraig Curley who pointed from close range. |
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With the gale in their
favour, Moville were playing a direct brand of football
but were slow to find their range and they hit several
wides. Team captain Sean O’Hare opened their scoring
with a 40m free and points from John Faulkner and Graeme
Doherty had them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after 11 minutes. David Curley pointed a close-in free midway through the half for Milford, but Moville finally found their scoring boots and hit six points without reply – two each from John Faulkner, Oran McDermott and Sean O’Hare, one of which was a massive kick from the sideline outside the 45m line – to take a 0-9 to 0-2 lead into the dressing rooms at the break. Milford knew exactly the size of the task ahead of them in the second half and opened the scoring early on with a David Curley free. But they too found it difficult to gauge the wind and convert overwhelming possession into scores. With Enda McHugh and Paddy Peoples driving the light blues on from defence, Christopher Barrett pointed in the 37th and 41st minutes to reduce the deficit to four points. But Mother Nature once again stepped in to telling effect when a ten-minute cloudburst made football all but impossible with players misplacing passes, dropping the ball and sliding around like Bambi on ice. When the rain relented, Milford scored three points in as many minutes to reduce the deficit to a single point. Peter Doherty drove the ball out of defence for Barrett to run onto and his 50th minute point was followed up with a fine effort from Chris Bradley on the left wing. Having been beaten back after attacking down the left wing, Milford switched the point of their attack and swept the ball across the field to the unmarked Enda McHugh who pointed from distance in the 53rd minute. Pádraig Curley drew them level two minutes later, but while Milford had chances to win it and avenge defeat to the same opposition in the county junior final, a combination of good defending from Moville and wayward shooting saw the game end in a draw. Given that the difficult conditions had the outcome a lottery, that draw was the fairest result. Let’s hope the weather is kinder next time. Moville: Maurice McGeady; Eunan Hegarty, Michael Browne, Conor O’Donnell; Paul White, Seamus Hegarty, Danny Murphy; Sean O’Hare, Malachy McDermott; John Faulkner, Nigel McMonagle, Joe McBride; Oran McDermott, John McGeady, Graeme Doherty. Subs: Kevin Coyle for John McGeady; John McGeady for Joe McBride. Milford: Caolan McGettigan; Brian Sweeney, Barry McNulty, Conor McNulty; Enda McHugh, Peter Doherty, Paddy Peoples; Paul Sweeney, Dermot Friel; Christopher Barrett, David Curley, Kenny Sweeney; Pádraig Curley, Ciaran McHugh, Chris Bradley. Subs: Paul Shiels for D. Curley; Lorcan Friel for B. Sweeney. For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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