RADLEY ENGINEERING WESTERN INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI FINAL
MODELIGO QUALIFY FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WESTERN FINAL
MODELIGO 1-6 DUNGARVAN 0-8
Modeligo qualified for the Western IFC final against Ballinameela with a thrilling 0-1 victory over reigning champions Dungarvan at the Fraher Field last Friday evening.
The deciding score came in the 61st minute from a John Devine pointed free after the teams were level since the 43rd minute at 1-5 to 0-8. Dungarvan had the better of the first half at the end of which they led by 0-6 to 0-4 while Modeligo were very much to the forefront in the final quarter and indeed had the opportunities to win by a bigger margin.
Compared to some recent games between these sides, who are very familiar to each other, this was a very sporting encounter throughout which helped the standard of play with both sets of players giving their all throughout the hour.
Dungarvan started well with a second minute Joe Allen goal opportunity in the town end before Cathal Curran opened the scoring from play two minutes later. Modeligo’s first score was a James Walsh fisted point in the 10th minute and a similar score by Niall Browne one minute later gave the winners the lead.
Dungarvan then took a firm grip on the scoring with points from play by Colm Curran and Joe Allen, both in the 12th minute and a second Cathal Curran point five minutes later, 0-4 to 0-2.
Bernard Wright was wide with a free attempt before Modeligo had a good goal scoring opportunity initiated by Sean O Donovan. Dungarvan punished their opponents’ miss by working the ball up the field straight away for Joe Allen to kick his second point on 21 minutes. Michael Kiely kicked a pointed free and with 24 minutes played, Dungarvan looked comfortable on a scoreboard reading 0-6 to 0-2 in their favour.
Credit Modeligo, they importantly finished the half strongly resulting in pointed frees by James Walsh and Shane Troy to keep themselves very much in the hunt at the break just 0-2 in arrears. Dungarvan kicked five first half wides to Modeligo’s three.
SECOND HALF
The key score in the second half and, indeed, in the game was Modeligo’s 35th minute goal when David Hickey finished a breaking ball to the town end goal. Two minutes prior to this Eoin O Callaghan had placed Cathal Curran for his third score after Dungarvan had missed some scoring opportunities, but Hickey’s goal changed the direction of the game. It gave Modeligo the ideal spur and from this stage on, they dominated in general play.
A 41st minute Kieran McCarthy point gave Modeligo the lead for the first time since the 11th minute but two minutes later, Michael Kiely restored equilibrium from a free, 1-5 to 0-8.Both teams gave their all in the last quarter though no scores materialised up to the end of normal time.
Modeligo had the greater opportunities but James Walsh was wide from a 56th minute free following a free on David Hickey while in a superb Modeligo team move two minutes later, Hickey’s shot at goal agonisingly hit the butt of the town end goalpost.
Dungarvan didn’t have any scoring chances in this period and it looked as if the game was heading to extra time as the game ebbed. Modeligo were awarded a 61st minute free from a distance and with it the opportunity to take the lead and gain the honours which John Devine grasped to score the winner of a very enjoyable hour’s football.
Dungarvan had an opportunity to send the game to extra time but Jamie Nagle’s 63rd minute effort went narrowly wide and the final whistle sounded on the kick out. Modeligo will return to the same venue for the final game in what has been a very competitive and enjoyable championship when they play Ballinameela. Both teams are guaranteed Premier Intermediate championship placings in 2023.
Modeligo’s Top Three : John Devine, Sean O Donovan, Jamie Power.
Dungarvan’s Top Three : Cathal Curran, John Curran, Colm Curran.
Observer’s Man of the Match : John Devine.
Number of Scorers : Modeligo : 6. Dungarvan : 4.
Scores From Play : Modeligo : 1-3. Dungarvan : 0-6.
Frees For : Modeligo : 20. Dungarvan : 18.
Wides : Modeligo : 7. Dungarvan : 8.
Score of the Match : John Devine’s 63rd minute pointed free for Modeligo.
Scorers :
Modeligo : David Hickey 1-0, James Walsh 0-2(1f), Niall Browne, Shane Troy(f), Kieran McCarthy and John Devine(f) 0-1 each.
Dungarvan : Cathal Curran 0-3, Joe Allen 0-2, Michael Kiely 0-2f, Colm Curran 0-1.
Teams :
Modeligo : Thomas Walsh; Kieran McCarthy, Pa O Donovan, Mickey Joe Curran; John McGrath, Rian Reddy, Niall Browne; Sean O Donovan, David Hickey; John Devine, Jamie Power, Shane Trot; James Walsh, Bernard Wright, Darragh Reddy. Subs : Nicky O Donovan for Darragh Reddy(41), Pa Walsh for Shane Troy(50).
Dungarvan : Mark Boland; Sean Hyslop, Kealan Daly, Conor Sheridan; Michael Kiely, Jack Fitzgerald, John Curran; Jack Lacey, Colm Curran; Jamie Nagle, Joe Allen, Joe Duggan; Eoin O Callaghan, Cathal Curran, Darren Duggan.
Referee : Tadhg Tobin (Brickey Rangers).
