Monageer men enjoy the edge
One-point winning margin
MONAGEER-B’VOGUE R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 1-6 1-5 DESPITE GOING the lion’s share of the second-half without working the scoreboard, Monageer-Boolavogue did just enough to hold off the persistent challenge of Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in an absorbing Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior football championship semi-final in Bellefield on Saturday.
When Mick Sweeney confidently dispatched a penalty in the 33rd minute it gave the Enniscorthy District outfit a 1-6 to 0-4 advantage, but it was to be their last score of the game.
However, they defended manfully and rode their luck on occasion to doggedly get over the line and leave Rathgarogue-Cushinstown crestfallen.
After Sweeney’s spot-kick, the New Ross District side did hit back four minutes later with a goal through Brian O’Neill, but they only managed to add one more point before the final whistle.
Monageer-Boolavogue started quite brightly with two placed balls from Cathal Walsh and a Matthew Dunne free helping them to 0-3 to 0-1 advantage, although they were hindered by the loss of both John Darcy and James Sweeney to injury in the opening seven minutes.
Daire Bolger had opened the Rathgarogue-Cushinstown account and Nicky Sinnott doubled their tally with a fine point to leave them one adrift midway through the half.
Three impressive scores then followed, with Damien Fenlon and Seán Roche firing over booming efforts either side of a Matthew Cody point, before Nicky Sinnott and Cathal Walsh exchanged frees to leave Monageer-Boolavogue with a 0-6 to 0-4 half-time advantage.
Turning around to face the breeze, Monageer-Boolavogue made the ideal start to the half as Matthew Dunne was fouled in the danger zone and referee Paul Browne pointed to the spot. Up stepped Mick Sweeney and he rifled the ball beyond goalkeeper Jonny Kelly.
The Rathgarogue-Cushinstown response was swift though, with Peadar Cody picking out Brian O’Neill with a handpass and he sweetly struck the ball to the corner of the net in the 37th minute.
With Rathgarogue-Cushinstown tails up and time on their side, it looked like they would kick on but they didn’t score again until Nicky Sinnott floated over a 60th-minute free.
Monageer-Boolavogue did have to endure a few nervous moments though, with Enda Doran hitting the angle of the post and crossbar with a snap-shot off the ground in the 42nd minute and Daire Bolger sending a difficult goal chance wide with five minutes remaining.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Niall Finn; Morgan Gahan, Chris Daly (capt.), John Darcy; Niall O’Reilly, Brian O’Loughlin, Paddy Breen; Conal Nolan, Seán Roche (0-1); James Gahan, Matthew Dunne (0-1 free), Mick Sweeney (1-0 pen.); Damien Fenlon (0-1), Cathal Walsh (0-3, 2 frees, 1 ‘45), James Sweeney. Subs. - Ian Hawkins for Darcy, Stephen Lacey for J. Sweeney, Ray O’Brien for Fenlon, Declan Kelly for Walsh, Robbie Donnelly for J. Gahan.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Jonny Kelly; Eoghan Whelan, Páidí McGrath, Patrick Murphy; Jason Dunne, Bryan Cody, Brian O’Neill (1-0); Matthew Cody (0-1), Bernard Furlong (capt.); Daire Bolger (0-1), Peadar Cody, Robert Murphy; Nicky Sinnott (0-3, 2 frees), Enda Doran, Aaron Ryan. Subs. - Danny Martin Carroll for Dunne, Tadhg Cody for Ryan, James Whelan for P. Cody.
Referee: Paul Browne (Clonee).