Gahan nets three times as Monageer-Boolavogue seal District final place

APART FROM a ten-minute spell at the end of the first-half, Monageer-Boolavogue were in complete control of this Greenstar Enniscorthy District Under-21 football Roinn 1 championship semi-final in St. Patrick’s Park on Friday.

The victors seemed untouchable as they built a 2-7 to 0-1 lead after 21 minutes but looked a little vulnerable when Marshalstown-Castledockrell ran at them with intent as the game moved towards the interval.

It’s fair to say that half-time came at the wrong time for the Farmleigh crew. They just couldn’t regain the momentum they previously had after the interval and in the end the scoreline was a fair reflection of the game as a whole.

There was barely a minute on the clock when Monageer-Boolavogue hero Micheál Gahan found the net for the first of a classy hattrick. He only forced the opener in after a spot of pinball in the Marshalstown-Castledockrell goalmouth, but Gahan’s coolness in front of goal would turn out to be a feature of the game.

A couple of Cathal Walsh points helped his side into a 1-3 to nil lead before Mark Morris converted the first of six frees in the tenth minute. At the time it proved only momentary respite as Colm McGannon and Ian Hawkins put Monageer-Boolavogue further ahead.

The game looked to be getting out of hand when David Mernagh strode away on a soccer-style run down the left and drilled a shot off the deck past Ben Finn. His side could have had another moments later when Diarmuid Fenlon rattled the top of the post with a ferocious strike.

Marshalstown-Castledockrell responded late in the half when Mark Kehoe hared away through the centre and slotted home a composed finish. Scores from midfielders Morris and Diarmuid Doyle meant that just seven points separated the sides at the interval (2-7 to 1-3).

At the stage it looked like the second-half would provide the tiny crowd with a little excitement, but Marshalstown-Castledockrell managed just four Morris frees in the period. The game was up after Gahan side-footed his second major under pressure from Finn in the 40th minute.

Substitute Seán Roche added a new dimension for Monageer-Boolavogue, but it was Gahan who ended the game as the hero with his rocket of a third major wrapping up a final spot opposite Cloughbawn in the 60th minute.

Monageer-Boolavogue: Arran Breslin; Seán O’Leary, Shay Gahan, Karl Rowsome; Matthew Rochford, Michael Rossiter, Ciarán Rochford; Cathal Walsh (0-4, 2 frees, 1 ‘45), Ian Hawkins (0-1); Diarmuid Fenlon, Robbie Donnelly, Micheál Gahan (3-1); Pádraig Walsh (0-2), Colm McGannon (0-1), David Mernagh (1-1). Sub. - Seán Roche (0-2) for Rowsome, black card (36).

Marshalstown-Castledockrell: Ben Finn; Conor Hennessy, Ken Doyle, John Foley; Michael Kinsella, David Brennan, Finn O’Driscoll; Diarmuid Doyle (0-1), Mark Morris (0-6 frees); Seán McLoughlin, Mark Kehoe (1-0), James Farrell; Mark Quigley, Jordan Kelly, Thomas Lambert.

Referee: Aiden O’Brien (Cloughbawn).