MILLTOWN CASTLEMAINE

UNDER 14’s: A fantastic win for our U 14 side on Thursday night last as they took the trip along the Dingle peninsula to face An Ghaeltacht in Gallarus. After the first 12 minutes nobody could have predicted the final outcome as a strong start from the hosts saw our U14’s trail by 10 points after 3 quick goals. Then our Milltown/Castlemaine U14 side showed a maturity beyond their years with the resolve and skill to come back into the game. With the whole team working together, a fantastic effort saw our visiting side run out winners by a score line of 3-16 to 5-06. Well done to all of the players and coaches. Thank you for all the supporters for making the journey and to our hosts An Ghaeltacht for a fantastic game of football. Thanks as always to our Coiste na nÓg sponsors Foleys Spar. Next games Wednesday at 7 in Listry and Thursday at 7.30 in Keel. Under 12’s :Our under 12’s have a break until the 16th and got a lovely treat of ice creams from one of the parents the other evening after training. So thank you Katherine for your kindness.

Players and trainers were all delighted. Well done to Mike Quirke and his team of mentirs.. Tremendous work being done with the Green and White teams. Obair iontach ar fad. Under 10’s: Our under 10’s had great fun in Beaufort on Friday night. Fantastic numbers turned out on a beautiful evening and super football was played. Well done to you all and a special thanks to Gary and his team of coaches.

Under 6’s: Susan and her team of coaches continue their wonderful work with this academy. Great fun to be had by all on a Thursday evening. The work behind the scenes- particularly with this age group is huge. So we salute all those involved- giving tirelessly of your time for all our children. Mid Kerry Minors: Comhghairdeas to club players Jack Teahan, Anthony Kelliher, Conor Spillane, Cillian Burke, Liam Roche, Patrick O’ Sullivan and Brendan Casey who were part of the team that comprehensively beat Laune Rangers on Monday last on a scoreline of 2/22 to 2/12. Well done to their trainer Cathal Moriarty for his work with these footballers. We wish Cillian a speedy recovery from his injury. Hope to see you back real soon Cillian!

Under 10 girls: Well done to all on our U10 Girls Team on Wednesday evening last in Fossa. There was some fantastic football played by all teams. A huge thank you to our hosts Fossa GAA for a fabulous evening. Thank you also to all the players, their coaches and supporters. Mile buiochas as always to Foleys Spar our Coiste na nÓg sponsors. Farewell and Welcome: This week past, we said goodbye to Fr Kevin as he moved to Killorglin and we welcomed Fr. Danny Broderick to our parish. We hope you both will be very happy in your new environs. Children from our club made themselves available to sing at Fr Danny’s first Sunday mass. Congratulations to Sarah, Diarmuid and Aishling for their beautiful music and singing. Iarracht den chéad scoth. SENIORS: The old adage that goals win games rings through as Glenbeigh/Glencar secure top spot and a place in Intermediate Quarter-Final" Intermediate Club Football Championship Milltown/Castlemaine 1-14 Glenbeigh/Glencar 4-12. Report by Dara O’Connor. On a sun-soaked Sunday afternoon, the J P O’Sullivan Park, Killorglin was the venue as the scene was set for a Mid Kerry Derby as Milltown/Castlemaine, who were meant to be at home for this encounter but due to the pitch redevelopment works had to be content with neutral grounds, took on Glenbeigh/Glencar, now coached by John Evans. The Glenbeigh/Glencar side came into this contest with a 100% record having defeated Dromid Pearses and Waterville in Rounds 1 and 2 over the past few weeks whilst Milltown/Castlemaine came into today with one win and one defeat having beat Waterville and lost out to Dromid on the road. So with that in mind, it was straightforward enough permutations wise, Milltown/Castlemaine needed to win in the first instance and hope that would be enough to see them into the knockout stages (depending also on the result of the other game in this group which seen Waterville host Dromid Pearses there was the possibility of two or three sides finishing on the same points meaning score difference could have came into play). Glenbeigh/Glencar due to their two victories to this point were in a commanding position knowing that barring a major turn of results (Eg: a heavy defeat) they would be in the draw for the Quarter-Finals so it was more about who would join them from this group in advancing than anything else.Played before a reduced attendance due to Government restrictions on audiences, both sides would have been hoping to set the tone with a bright start, however it was Glenbeigh/Glencar who set the pace and who by the 10th minute had established a 0-4 to 0-1 lead through early scores from Tommy Cahill (0-2, one close range free and one mark which resulted in a 14 yard free), wing-back Caolim Teahan and wing-forward Daniel Griffin. Jonathan O’Sullivan who would be Milltown/Castlemaine’s Chief marksman for the second week in a row and finished the day with 0-8 in total was responsible for our only score in the opening quarter of the match from a 21 yard free. The middle period of the first half was Milltown/Castlemaine’s strongest spell in the game, it was also the only time they would go level with Glenbeigh/ Glencar for the remainder of the match as three Jonathan O’Sullivan frees, all from varying angles and with different degrees of difficulty following fouls on Gavin Horan by Colin McGillycuddy which was greeted with shouts for a black card from the crowd, David Roche and O’Sullivan himself out by the stand side. Matters were tied at 0-4 apiece after 17 mins when a water break was called. Following the resumption, Glenbeigh/ Glencar really hit a purple patch between here and the half time whistle outscoring Milltown/Castlemaine by 1-4 to 0-1 in this spell to subsequently carry a six point lead into the interval.

This included a wonderful personal cameo on the part of former Kerry player and multiple All-Ireland winner Darran O’Sullivan who added 1-2 on his own and in a row between the 19th and 24th minutes to open up a 1-6 to 0-4 lead. The goal came from a defensive mishap which the former county man ruthlessly capitalised on and finished to Cormac Leane’s net giving the Kilderry man no chance. This followed a positional switch which seen O’Sullivan move into the full forward line from the half-forward line and the switch worked wonders it must be said as he had an ocean of space to run into in the inside line which a man of his experience used to his advantage. Gavin Horan did point for Milltown/Castlemaine in the 25th minute after a great run through the Glenbeigh/Glencar rearguard to make it 1-6 to 0-5 but two points to finish out the half from Glenbeigh/Glencar through two Gavin O’Grady frees (one superbly slotted over off the ground from 45 metres) left the gap as previously stated at six points at the break. Milltown/Castlemaine were reduced to 14 men near the end of the opening half in a call which led to protestations in the dugout as it was felt the black card issued to Ciaran O’Connor was harsh but the decision stood as the referee adjudged it to have been an off the ball foul. Milltown/Castlemaine wasted no time in coming out of the blocks in the early stages of the second half and kicked four unanswered points between the 30th and 38th minutes with scores from Jonathan O’Sullivan (0-2, 1 free) and centre-back Gavin McKenna (0-2, both from play) seeing the scoreboard read Glenbeigh/Glencar 1-8 Milltown/Castlemaine 0-9 and it appeared as if at this stage the momentum had swung with Glenbeigh/Glencar failing to offer much going forward during this spell.

What was to follow ultimately proved pivotal and ultimately finished the game as a contest as Glenbeigh/Glencar struck for two green flags in the 40th and 43rd minutes which all but ended the oppositions chances of mounting any sort of comeback. Firstly, a terrific free-flowing team move unlocked the Milltown/Castlemaine defence before Darran O’Sullivan squared for youngster Adrian O’Connor to bury to the corner of the net whilst falling backwards, the other goal came from an attempt for a point which was dropping short, Jason McKenna anticipated it and rose above Cormac Leane to fist to the net and all of a sudden the lead was now gone from two points to eight points at 3-8 to 0-9, a devasting blow for Milltown/ Castlemaine who were really starting to grow into the game before the double concession. Substitute Jerome Flynn did reply for the Mid Kerry champions with a long range point immediately to make it 3-8 to 0-10 but you couldn’t help but feel that the ship had sailed at this stage heading into the last quarter unless Milltown/Castlemaine could raise a green flag or two of their own which to be fair all day didn’t really look like materialising despite no lack of effort or commitment. The icing was really put on the cake for Glenbeigh/Glencar in the 48th minute when Tommy Cahill got on the end of another attempt at a point, this time the initial effort coming from Gavin O’Grady which dropped short, wasn’t dealt with and Cahill showed his opportunism and got his fist on the end of it at the back post to make it a very commanding lead at 4-8 to 0-10, a lead which to be fair didn’t really reflect on how close this contest had been for the most part up to then.To Milltown/Castlemaine’s great credit when it would have been easy to lie down and drop the heads, they never gave in and battled gamely towards the finish. Cathal Moriarty tagged on a point to make it 4-8 to 0-11 before Glenbeigh/Glencar through a fisted point from Gavin O’Grady and close range scores from Daniel Griffin and Adrian O’Connor had matters at 4-11 to 0-11. A sweeping move from Cathal Moriarty then drew a number of defenders to him, he unselfishly played in Substitute Craig Counihan who composed himself before expertly finishing to the top corner of the Glenbeigh/Glencar net, 4-11 to 1-11 after 55 minutes. Whilst the contest was all but over, the scores kept coming. Gavin O’Grady who was a tricky customer all day calmly added Glenbeigh/Glencar’s last score of the day on 57 mins off his left boot to make it 4-12 to 1-11 but it would be Milltown/ Castlemaine who notched the final three points of the afternoon and each of them came from Jonathan O’Sullivan who was probably Milltown/Castlemaine’s main man on a day where it just didn’t quite happen for them as a collective.

Overall, Milltown/Castlemaine may look back on this contest and point to three of the four goals conceded being very preventable which will be a source of frustration and disappointment in equal measure.As Dromid Pearses beat Waterville by 12 points it will be them and Glenbeigh/Glencar who advance from Group 4 to the Quarter-Finals. Waterville fall into the relegation playoff semi-final as one of the four teams to finish bottom in the group stages. Milltown/Castlemaine finished 3rd.