Spirited fightback secures Mullinahone victory in Tipperary Intermediate Football Championship semi-final

Mullinahone 0-12 Golden/Kilfeacle 1-5

A stunning second half revival saw Mullinahone surge into the FBD Insurance County Intermediate Football Championship final at Littleton on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing Golden/Kilfeacle in the semi-final by double scores at the break, 1-5 to 0-4, they went on to hit eight points without reply in the second half, the west side remarkably failing to raise a flag in that period.
The brilliance of their second half display will give Mullinahone great heart for the final, where they will face a stern test against Ballina, who proved too strong for Grangemockler/Ballyneale in the second game in the Littleton double bill.
The men from Kickham Country matched Golden/Kilfeacle on possession stats in the first half but lacked the killer touch in front of goal. The west side were more clinical with their chances, with a superb individual goal from Sean Hayes proving the decisive score midway through the half.
But harsh words must have been said to the Mullinahone players at the turnover, as they were a completely different side in the second half. It’s often said that a team in arrears at half- time needs a good start to the second half and that’s just what the south side got.
Just two minutes in, a great ball from Mikey O’Shea put Eanna Ryan clear and when Ryan was fouled, he pointed the free to reduce the deficit.
It took another seven minutes for the next score but when it came it was significant. The outstanding Kevin Walzer put Daire O’Brien clear and when his way was blocked by Johnny Wade, the Golden player was black carded.
Ryan pointed the free to reduce the deficit to two points and with the west side down to fourteen players for ten minutes, Mullinahone upped the tempo further. They nearly took the lead when Eanna Ryan shot for goal but Golden netminder Jack Currivan pulled off a brilliant save – Currivan was outstanding throughout with a series of point-blank saves, including one in the first half to deny Eoin O’Dwyer.
But the Mullinahone train was now on full throttle and Kevin Walzer hit a superb free from near the touchline to bring the Golden lead down to the minimum. Walzer was then wide from play, Currivan brought off another superb save from Martin Kehoe, Ryan was wide from a 45 and Mikey O’Shea off target from play, before Walzer intervened again to tie the scores at 0-8 to 1-5 eight minutes from time.

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The game was played at Golden this afternoon

Despite playing a fine brand of football in the first half, Golden/Kilfeacle could not get a handle on the game now. Ronan Hayes was busy around the middle of the field with Sean Hayes, Ben Currivan and Seanie O’Halloran probing for openings, but their attacks fell short against a resolute Mullinahone defence in which Colin Shelly was outstanding.
The inevitable happened when Riain O’Halloran put the CJ Kickhams ahead five minutes from time for the first time since the sixth minute.
Walzer pushed the lead out to two approaching the end of normal time and two more points in added time confirmed their superiority - O’Shea ending a long period of Mullinahone keep-ball with a fine score, and Daire O’Brien pointing from an Eanna Ryan pass when he might have gone for goal.
Golden/Kilfeacle will ask questions of themselves as to how they failed to score in the second half after playing the better football in the first. Shane O’Connell gave them the lead three minutes in from a Niall Heffernan pass and although Mullinahone went ahead with points from an Eanna Ryan free and Mikey O’Shea from play, the west men quickly regrouped.
A superb point from Seanie O’Halloran tied the scores after eleven minutes and they regained the lead with a brilliant individual goal from Sean Hayes. There appeared no great danger as he soloed up the standside but as he cut in for goal, the Mullinahone defence appeared to stand off and he finished in style to the net past Graham Horan.
O’Halloran pointed a free to push the lead out to 1-3 to 0-2. However, Mullinahone’s county men, Martin Kehoe and Mikey O’Shea, were helping to keep them in the game and a great move involving Kehoe and Danny Dunne saw O’Shea kick a fine point.
Jack Lonergan, from an O’Halloran pass, replied for Golden and then they had to rely on their goalkeeper to maintain their advantage. A flowing Mullinahone move involving Daire O’Brien and Eanna Ryan looked certain to produce a goal but Currivan made a diving save to deny Eoin O’Dwyer.
Colin Shelly followed up with a Mullinahone point but Golden completed the first half scoring, with Ronan Hayes hitting a fine score to leave it 1-5 to 0-4 at the break.
It was remarkable that it was their last score of the game.
A combination of the black card and an improved Mullinahone display can explain some of their malaise but thirty-plus scoreless minutes was never going to see them through to a county final.
The second half dominance will be a huge encouragement for Mullinahone, although too many wides in both halves will be a concern.
Their big names stood up on the day and they were then able to call on the experience of subs such as Paul and Alan Curran to steady the ship.
Mullinahone: Graham Horan, Michael Cody, Cillian White, Daire O’Brien 0-1; Colin Shelly 0-1; Sean Curran, Conor O’Brien, Enda Keane, Martin Kehoe, Danny Dunne, Mickey O’Shea 0-3; Riain O’Halloran 0-1; Kevin Walzer 0-3, 1 free; Eoin O’Dwyer, Eanna Ryan 0-3 frees.
Subs: Jack Shelly for Enda Keane; Paul Curran for Eoin O’Dwyer; Alan Curran for Danny Dunne.
Golden/Kilfeacle: Jack Currivan, John Wade, Aidan O’Connell, Daithi Bargary, Eoin Murnane, Shane O’Connell 0-1; Cian O’Connell, Ronan Hayes 0-1; Niall Heffernan, Ben Currivan, Sean Hayes 1-0; Jack Lonergan 0-1; Sean O’Halloran 0-2, 1 free; Keith Landy, Shane Stapleton.
Subs: JJ Byrnes for Sean O’Halloran; Eoghan Ryan for Eoin Marnane.
Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne/Templetuohy).