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Moville hang on to clinch victory
17.09.09
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Moville...1-9 (Nigel McMonagle 0-2, PJ Barr 1-1, Malachy McDermott 0-4, Oran McDermott 0-2) Milford...0-10 (PJ Hagan 0-1, David Curley 0-3, Christopher Barrett 0-4, Pauric Curley 0-1, Mark Flood 0-1) by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent, at O’Donnell Park MOVILLE survived two last-gasp goal scares deep into added time on Sunday afternoon to hang on to victory in the Junior A Championship final against a Milford side who could have been dead and buried by half-time. That they weren’t, was testimony to the courage and determination of the Milford men, but it must be said they were aided in a strong second half comeback by some easily bought frees that were at best questionable. Indeed, even those two late goal scares came as the clock headed towards six minutes of added time - even though the board had been raised to say four. And, while that is an indication of the minimum added time, there really weren’t that many stoppages. Having dominated the first half, Moville struggled to work the ball up the pitch in a second half where they could hardly buy a free and where the tide seemed to be constantly flowing against them. |
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With 1-6 notched up by the
break, they managed just three points in the second half
and one of those came in the last minute. That said, this was an all round terrific performance from a Moville team who could have killed Milford off by the break with a storming first-half display. Coming into the game there was little to separate the sides with each having claimed one victory apiece from their league encounters but while they went behind to the first score of the game in the third minute, it didn’t take long for Moville to stamp their authority on the first half. Indeed had it not been for a string of excellent saves from Milford keeper Caolan McGettigan, the game could have been over as a contest at half time. Three times in the first half McGettigan made brilliant saves to deny Sean Doherty certain goal chances, and add in a Malachy McDermott penalty that blazed over the bar and the score-line could have been very different at the break. Moville also hit five wides in the first half to Milford’s two, yet Moville still went in at the interval six points to the good and they certainly looked the hungrier side in that first half. |
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The impressive Malachy
McDermott had levelled the game in the 9th minute after
PJ Hagan had given Milford the lead in the 3rd minute.
McDemott’s point coming from a 45 after a fantastic
double block by McGettigan had prevented a goal for Sean
Doherty. A minute later the lively Nigel McMonagle fired over an excellent point but a free from an acute angle from David Curley in the 12th minute had the sides back level again. After that it was all Moville. With Malachy McDermott, Paul White and PJ Barr winning all the ball around the centre of the pitch, Milford were on the back foot and every time the ball was worked in to the Moville forwards a goal looked on the cards. It wasn’t really a surprise that they found the net in the 13th minute when Sean Doherty retrieved a high ball on the end line and fisted across goal for the inrushing PJ Barr to fist to the net. Two minutes later Moville were awarded a penalty when Cormac Friel tripped Oran McDermott as he bore down on goal. Malachy McDermott stepped up to hit the kick, and opting for power saw his shot rise just inches over the bar. Two minutes later Malachy McDermott’s long range free extended the Moville lead and Oran McDermott added another from long-range in the 25th minute as the Inishowen men continued to dominate. They might have had another goal in the 27th minute when Malachy McDermott’s shot almost deceived McGettigan, but the Milford keeper who seemed to lose the ball in the sun, reacted well to keep the ball out and then brilliantly saved twice to deny Sean Doherty who had picked up the loose ball, albeit with the side of his post on the second occasion. At the other end Milford’s Pauric Curley tapped over with a free on the half hour, but Moville responded with another good point from Malachy McDermott to go in at the break six points to the good. However any thoughts they had that the game was in the bag were put to rest when Milford stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half. Donegal minor Christopher Barrett who had been quiet in the first half, fired over three points in the first five minutes of the half, two from frees to pull the difference back to just three points. PJ Barr responded for Moville with a good point from play after a pass from John McGeady, but Milford had the bit between their teeth and Barrett pointed again from a free following a foul on PJ Hagan to once again leave just three points between the teams. Nigel McMonagle hit back with a great point from play for Moville, but two minutes later David Curley’s free left it 0-8 to 1-8 in Moville’s favour and once again the teams were separated by just three points. Curley fired over again to leave just two points between the teams – this time with a point from play - and a nail-biting finish was in prospect. But that score which came in the 19th minute of the second half was the last until the final minute from either side until the final minute. And it turned out that it was Moville who raised the flag on that occasion, when Oran McDermott fired over and it looked as if that score might ease the Moville nerves. Instead, with four minutes of added time, there were enough seconds left on the clock to get that nail-biter after all. Moville had the bulk of the possession in the first three minutes of those added minutes and tried to run down the clock keeping the ball in the corner, but when Milford won it back they almost levelled the game. With time running out PJ Hagan almost found the net but saw his shot flash inches wide of the post and then second later substitute Mark Flood fisted inches over the bar. The point wasn’t enough though for Milford and having weathered the second half storm Moville held on to clinch a well-deserved junior title and make it a truly memorable day for the club. Moville: Maurice McGeady; Sean Doherty, Enda Faulkner, Conor O’Donnell; Eunan Hegarty, Michael Brown, Seamus Hegarty; Malachy McDermott, Paul White; Nigel McMonagle, PJ Barr, John McGeady; Oran McDermott, Sean O’Hare, John Faulkner. Subs: Danny Murphy for John Faulkner (48mins), Joe McBride for PJ Barr (57 mins), Tony McGeady for John McGeady (60 mins). Graeme Doherty, Gearoid McQuillan, Anton Hegarty, James O’Kane, Niall Cavanagh, Jason Reynolds, Michael McLaughlin (not used). Milford: Caolan McGettigan, Brian Sweeney, Barry McNulty, Cormac Friel; Enda McHugh, Paddy Peoples, Conor McNulty; Paul Sweeney, Lorcan Friel; Paul Shields, Pauric Curley, Kenny Sweeney; David Curley, PJ Hagan, Christopher Barrett. Subs: Seamus McDaid for Brian Sweeney (18 mins), Mark Flood for Kenny Sweeney (35 mins) For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the Inishowen Independent. |
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