Milltown/Castlemaine win back Mid Kerry title

MID KERRY SFC FINAL Milltown/Castlemaine 2-11 Laune Rangers 0-16

AN UNANSWERED five-point scoring burst, during a 20-minute second half period that saw their opponents reduced to fourteen men, was just about enough to propel Milltown / Castlemaine to the narrowest of victories in an absolutely absorbing Mid Kerry SFC Final at Fr Kelly Memorial Park in Glenbeigh on Sunday.

In tremendous underfoot conditions on a beautiful, sunny day, both sides captivated the spectators with spellbinding passages of attacking football, but that will no consolation for Laune Rangers, who are left to rue that barren second half spell, the sending-off of centre-back Shane McSweeney, and the fact that they kicked eight wides to just three from the victors over the hour.

All of those factors contributed significantly to the final outcome of the contest, as did the two green flags raised by Milltown / Castlemaine in a first half that showcased everything that is special about the game of Gaelic football. A total of 19 scores in the opening 30 minutes (with only four wides) tells us everything we need to know about the quality on offer.

With Fiachra Clifford making an early impression in attack, Laune Rangers led by 0-4 to 0-2 before Milltown / Castlemaine struck for their opening goal in the 15th minute. The always inspirational Pa Wrenn set up Cathal Moriarty on the run for a shot at goal that was halted by a leg block from McSweeney (receiving his first yellow card) and the referee had little option but to award a penalty that was rocketed to the net by Moriarty.

The standard of the score-taking continued to be of the highest order and both sides added two more points before the winners stunned the men from Killorglin with a second goal in the 23rd minute, with Wrenn and Dylan O’Neill involved in the build-up before the ever-dangerous Moriarty thundered a left-footed drive to the roof of Jason Browne’s net to make it 2-4 to 0-6.

However, with Jack O’Connor and John Tyther edging a fascinating midfield battle, Laune Rangers were far from cowed by these setbacks, and with Clifford continuing to prompt and probe up front, they had succeeded in reducing the deficit to the minimum, 2-6 to 0-11, by the interval.

Indeed, they hit the front when Clifford notched the first two scores of the second period, but amazingly, Laune

Rangers would not register again for 22 minutes, as Milltown / Castlemaine gradually gained a stranglehold on the midfield sector through captain Donal Dennehy and, in particular, David Roche, crucially reducing the supply line to dangerman Clifford.

Jonathan O’Sullivan also became more influential in the Milltown / Castlemaine forward unit and they moved two points clear, 2-9 to 0-13, before their cause was aided by Shane McSweeney receiving his second yellow card (for a high tackle on the aforementioned Roche) in the 45th minute. The Laune Rangers man, walking a tightrope from earlier, could have no complaints.

Sensing that this was their moment, Paul Fitzmaurice’s charges added another point through an O’Sullivan free and when the increasingly prominent Roche fired over an inspirational score in the 54th minute, Milltown/Castlemaine looked to be home and dry, 2-11 to 0-13.

Far from it, however. Even with a numerical disadvantage, Laune Rangers refused to throw in the towel as they took control of the closing stages, firing over three points to reduce the deficit to the very minimum once again and, with a bit more composure in attack, they could well have retrieved the situation before the finish.

In the end, however, Milltown / Castlemaine breathed a huge sigh of relief when the ever determined Roche vitally plucked the final kick-out out of the clouds, preventing Laune Rangers from launching one final rescue act as referee Paul Hayes blew the final whistle to end a monumental collision of two great rivals that will not be forgotten by those who had the privilege of witnessing it.

MILLTOWN/CASTLEMAINE: Cormac Leane; Ciaran O’Connor, Tadhg McCarthy, Stephen Roche; Jeremiah Hayes, Pa Wrenn (0-1), Kieran Carroll (0-1); David Roche (0-1), Donal Dennehy (0-1); Craig Counihan, Jonathan O’Sullivan (0-4, 1f), Killian Kerins; Cathal Moriarty 2-2 (1-0 pen), Jerome Flynn, Dylan O’Neill (0-1) Subs: Gavin Horan for Flynn, 45, Gavin McKenna for Roche, 51, Damian Murphy for Counihan, 60

LAUNE RANGERS: Jason Browne (0-1 free); David Costelloe, Sean Arthurs, David Mangan; Cormac Johnston, Shane McSweeney, Patrick Carey (0-2); Jack O’Connor, John Tyther (0-1); Mark O’Connor, Kieran Doona (0-1), Darragh O’Sullivan (0-1); Fiachra Clifford (0-8, 5f), Roan Moriarty, Shane Doona (0-1) Subs: Daire Cleary for S Doona, half-time, Shane Daly for O’Sullivan, blood, 41 to 45, Daragh O’Connor for K Doona, 50, Jonathan Carey (0-1) for Moriarty, 57, Colm O’Mahony for P Carey, 60

REFEREE: Paul Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys)

* There was a minute’s silence before the game in memory of Pat Griffin, the former Glenbeigh/Glencar and Kerry player, who passed away recently.