This article is from page 71 of the 2011-06-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 71 JPG
St Joseph’s Miltown 1-7 – St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-4 at St Michael ’s Park, Kilmihil
IT was emotional for Doora-Barefield players after the death of their team-mate Niall White, but honouring his memory and contribution to football in The Parish by way of a victory wasn’t to be on Friday night as Miltown ground their way to the two points in this battle of the two St Josephs’.
The Josephs’ from Doora-Barefield were left to rue what could have been – they hit seven very bad wides when playing against the wind in a first half they dominated for periods, a profligacy they paid a high price for at the game’s end.
Meanwhile, in celebrating a winning start to their 2011 campaign the Miltown St Joseph’s were left to praise the left boot of Dessie Molohan – the one that ignited their challenge in the first half with a brilliant 18th minute goal; the one that thumped over three points in the second half, with the final one from play in the 59th minute finally killing off the limited DooraBarefield challenge.
If you haven’t guessed already, this was a turgid, low-quality affair, one that was only illuminated by Molohan’s goal that came eight minutes after Aidan O’Connor had marked his first senior championship game in eight years (he played with Éire Óg in the 2003 campaign) with a tenth minute goal when he latched onto a David O’Brien centre and lashed to the net from five yards.
It should have been the spark for Doora-Barefield to drive home their early supremacy that was built on Mark Hallinan’s aerial ability in midfield and an impressive defensive unit in which Kevin Dilleen and Sean Flynn were outstanding.
However, the Doora-Barefield forwards were lamentable and a point via a 22nd minute free from O’Connor was all they had to show for their labours as Miltown amazingly found themselves 1-2 to 1-1 up at the break.
A Gordon Kelly burst from centre back helped tee up Molohan’s goal that he drilled to the net from a very tight angle, while Micheál Malone, who grew into the game made a burst in the 23rd minute and landed a fine point.
Those scores and the way they came about were a portent of things to come, because on the turnover it was Miltown who showed the greater resolve – Gordon Kelly carried from deep, they dominated midfield, while sub John Meade made a telling contribution as they forged 1-4 to 1-1 clear by the 35th minute thanks to points from Gearóid Curtin and a Dessie Molohan free.
After points by Cathal Duggan (2) and Aidan O’Connor had DooraBarefield level by the 45th minute it Dessie Molohan who showed the way for Miltown when drilling a 45 in the wind and over the bar in the 47th minute.
Miltown never looked back; Barefield waited too long to bring on subs in the forwards and paid the price when captain Eoin Curtin and Molohan closed out the game with points from play.