Leinster adventure ends for Laragh men
Westmeath champions too strong for brave Laragh
MULTYFARNHAM 1-11 LARAGH 0-05
LARAGH’S amazing championship journey came to an end last weekend when they fell to a quality side in the shape of Westmeath champions Multyfarnham.
Given the atrocious conditions in Joule Park, Aughrim, on Saturday, the Laragh men needed everything to go their way but when news broke that Myles Conway was unavailable for selection before the throw-in it was a blow that the Wicklow champions certainly didn’t need.
One of the major factors in this game was the wind which blew straight down the field towards the town end. The funny thing about it, however, was that it wasn’t the case of how well a team played with the wind, but, rather, how well the teams played against it. And in that regard, it was the Multyfarnham men who came up trumps in the second half.
The 0-08 to 0-02 half-time score in favour of the Westmeath champions was a reasonable reflection on the game but Multyfarnham had kicked four wides and had struggled in the early stages to break down the Laragh set up.
They found their feet around the 20-minute mark and never looked back and against the wind in the second half they were quite simply superb, with Anthony McGivney’s goal after 16 minutes of the second period putting this tie to bed at 1-10 to 0-03.
Another of the major factors in this game was Multyfarnham’s powerful tackling and support play. On most occasions when a Laragh man found himself in possession of the ball he was hit hard and fair and he was more often than not surrounded by one, two or three maroon jerseys. They defended tenaciously and attacked rapidly and in numbers and were fully deserved winners and should go far in this competition on Saturday’s showing.
It was Laragh who enjoyed the brighter start with a point from full-forward Mark Miley who managed to get free of Paul Heavin to fire over a wicked score after 40 seconds.
The Wicklow men had accounted for Laois side Kilcavan in their earlier Leinster Junior clash but from early on you could see that the Multyfarnham challenge was going to be alot more difficult.
Max Brady got the visitors up and running with a pointed free after the rampaging Ronan Wallace had been felled on the end-linehaving been picked out with a cross-field ball by the adventurous Ian McGovern who had rumbled up the field.
There was a real fluidity to the Multyfarnham play and once they began stretching the Laragh rearguard which was populated by sweeper Steve Olohan they really began to grow in confidence.
There were 19 minutes on the clock when Anthony McGivney bagged their second point and the Multyfarnham men then started to move up through the gears.
Ciaran Madden increased the lead before David Wallace fired wide but Wallace – a man with the touch of a Denis Glennon about him – would go on to have a fine game in the full-forward line.
Adam Loughrey, James Green, Danny Loughrey, Wallace and Max Brady all pointed in an electric 10-minute spell for the Westmeath men to give them that 0-08 to 0-02 half-time lead with Aran Lynham grabbing Laragh’s second point after 26 minutes.
There was a feeling that Laragh could still ask the visitors ques- tions in the second half with the gale at their backs but they would need goals and it was looking fairly unlikely that Henry Reilly or his competent full-back line was going to concede any majors.
David Wallace grabbed the opening score of the second half as the rain and wind lashed down across Joule Park, Aughrim. He won a ball he had no right to win against Brendan Ward and fired over. Three wides followed, two for Multyfarnham, before a pick up by the visitors in defence allowed John Nolan pop over a free to make it 0-09 to 0-03 with 10 difficult minutes on the clock.
And then it was Wallace again who showed his attacking qualities when he stroked over with ease after a fine ball in from out the field.
Laragh had sent Steve Olohan back into the attack and with Multyfarnham crowding their defence it was Peter Merrigan who was sweeping for the Laragh men. However, sweeper or not, there was no stopping Anthony McGivney’s goal after 16 minutes.
A John Nolan free and a Peter Merrigan point from play was all they could harvest from a decent spell of pressure as they went in search of goals, but it wasn’t to be.
Scorers – Multyfarnham: Anthony McGivney 1-01, David Wallace 0-03, Max Brady 0-02 (2f), Ciaran Madden 0-01, Adam Loughrey 0-01, James Green 0-01, Danny Loughrey 0-01, Ronan Wallace 0-01 (45).
Laragh: John Nolan 0-02 (2f), Peter Merrigan 0-01, Mark Miley 0-01, Aran Lynham 0-01.
Laragh: James Molan; Brendan Ward, Peter Merrigan, Ciaran Byrne; Craig McCoy, Gary Cullen, Andrew Kenny; Davie McDonald, Damien Hanlon; John Nolan, Steve Olohan, Dan Power; Liam McEvoy, Mark Miley, Keith Lawler. Subs: Aran Lynham for D Power (22min), Ross Doonan for B Ward (51min), Eamonn Kennedy for C McCoy (55min), Stephen Curley for S Olohan (55min), Alan Smyth for M Miley (60min).
Referee: Fintan Pierce (Offaly)