Milltown make it two from two with impressive Monasterevan win

Milltown 0-13

Monasterevan 0-8

It was a convincing victory for last year’s Junior Football Champions Milltown over Monasterevan when they met on Friday night.

It was actually the eventual losing side who scored first in this game when DJ Earley knocked over a score three minutes in.

Still in the third minute, Milltown responded with a slick attacking move that finished off the boot of Ben Curran. The nature of the eventual winners’ opening score would be a sign of things to come.

It was tit for tat in the opening stages with Milltown having more of the ball, but failing to nail that final pass into the forward line. 

The sides remained level at 0-4 to 0-4 after 20 minutes of action.

The first time these teams were separated by more than a single point was, after Alan Dignam gave them the lead, when Milltown’s Patrick Donohoe registered a superb point from range to make this game 0-6 to 0-4.

Monasterevan hit back through Ryan Moran, who somehow managed to fire over under serious pressure.

Alan Dignam got his second with the score of the game to that point when he went on a bursting run before slotting over cleanly off his left side.

Milltown took a deserved three-point lead into the break when corner-back Jamie Cross produced a wonder score. Cross, after a break forward from deep, looked all out of options at an extremely tight angle, but converted brilliantly to draw a considerable crowd reaction.

Milltown led 0-8 to 0-5 at the break.

There were missed chances at both ends to start the second half, but Monasterevan got the umpires back involved with a free from Conor Hennessy.

Joe Dunne earned every bit of Milltown’s reply with the towering winning a superb high ball before being fouled and converting himself.

Monasterevan looked like they had to work harder to score in this game.

Adam Kavanagh’s excellent high and curling effort would have undeniably lifted spirits, but Milltown always seemed to have one in the chamber down the other end.

They were coming from various sources as Cian Buckley became the second member of the full-back line to point for Milltown. The full-back burst through the middle of Monasterevan and fired over in the 45th minute. Buckley’s score made it 0-10 to 0-7.

Despite Milltown being the better side, they were just three clear coming down the home straight. Monasterevan substitute Charlie Doyle made that two when he pointed in the 50th minute.

After some missed Milltown chances had increased anxiety among the crowd, Aaron Walker’s cool popping over of a score in the 56th minute was a welcome tonic.

From then on, Milltown kept the ball superbly and battled well when they didn’t. They pushed that all important four points clear through Patrick Donohoe who curled over a lovely free from in front of the stand.

The game would be put to bed a minute into injury time when Alan Dignam got his third point of the evening. Last year’s Leinster Junior Championship winning goalkeeper cut inside superbly and again fired over off his left side.

Milltown have now ensured their status in Intermediate football for this year and while they look well above relegation fodder, Darren O’Shea’s team can breathe easier going into their next game.

Milltown, Patrick Donohoe 0-3 (0-1 frees), Alan Dignam 0-3, Joe Dunne 0-2 (0-1 frees), Aaron Jacob 0-1, Ben Curran 0-1, Jamie Cross 0-1, Cian Buckley 0-1, Aaron Walker 0-1

Monasterevan, Conor Hennessy 0-2 (0-2 frees), DJ Earley 0-1, Gary Morrissey 0-1, Sean Kavanagh 0-1, Ryan Moran 0-1, Adam Kavanagh 0-1, Charlie Doyle 0-1.

MILLTOWN: Omar Dunne; Jamie Cross, Cian Buckley, Sean Murphy; Liam Kelly, Colin O'Shea, Aaron Jacob; Conor Sheerin, Joe Dunne; Hugh Hamilton, Calum Murphy, Ben Curran; Shane Daly, Patrick Donohoe, Alan Dignam. Subs: Karl Heuston for Calum Murphy (45 minutes), Aaron Walker for Conor Sheerin (50 minutes), Ben Heuston for Joe Dunne (58 minutes).

MONASTEREVAN: Darragh Foley; Keelan Meredith, Eoin Stapleton, Gavin Farrell; Gary Morrissey, Cormac Stapleton, Adam Kavanagh; Sean Kavanagh, DJ Earley; Eric Morrissey, Conor Hennessy, Ryan Moran; Evan Nash, Michael Donoghue, Tristan Kennedy. Subs: Charlie Doyle for Sean Kavanagh (Half-time), Cormac Brady for Eric Morrissey (45 minutes), Daryll Dunne for Cormac Stapleton (50 minutes), Mark Kelly for Ryan Moran (51 minutes).

Referee: Eamonn Kelly