Second half shift in gear sees Mullahoran win Division 1 Reserve final

Damian McCarney

At Cornafean

A scintilating five-minute spell by Mullahoran’s Finnan O’Reilly in the second half was key in settling Friday evening’s Division 1 Reserve final. In that time the livewire full forward registered a goal and two points, and set up a third point to give Mullahoran a five point cushion that ultimately gave them a deserved title.
However, Mullahoran still endured a minor scare right at the death when Lacken, lagging three points behind, and with just the scrapings of injury time remaining, had the chance to sneak an equalising goal. Shane Moynagh lumped the size five into the Mullahoran square, and after ricocheting amidst the mass of players the ball ended up in the hands of Lavey substitute Mark Wilson, who unleashed a goalbound shot that was repelled by the densely populated the Dreadnoughts’ backline. Lacken were effectively defeated by the time Mullahoran captain Daniel Smith capped his fine personal performance with the final score of the game to leave a four point winning margin.

 

Goal
The Mullahoran victory was established through a short sharp shock at the commencement of the second half when Finnon O’Reilly registered 1-02 in quick succession, all coming from frees.
With a minimum of fuss O’Reilly lofted over what looked like a softly awarded free from the right, and a minute later wellied over another free from 40 metres out, this time from the left. Mullahoran’s momentum was sustained by a fortuitous, and game-defining goal. Shane Shiels claimed a great catch from the kick out and fed the ball to Kevin Fitzsimons who drove at the Lacken defence and with two men on him drew a free. From pitchside the ball appeared to be smashed from his grasp fairly, but referee John Emmo, with the benefit of proximity, judged it a foul. Again O’Reilly stepped up. He seemed to groan as his undercooked shot looked to fall short, but surprisingly it sailed into the top left hand corner of the net, with the Lacken goalkeeper presumably unsighted. Silence momentarily greeted the goal until the umpire flagged to confirm the puzzled crowd’s suspicions.

If there was a dollop of luck in the goal, the following point from Mullahoran was pure class. The ball was fizzed down the right hand channel, again to O’Reilly who showed amazingly deft control to kill the speed of the pass with his foot and then turn on to gather the tamed ball. Looking up he spotted teammate Kieran McGee charge up from wing halfback and zinged a delightful pass crossfield with all the pace and precision of an expertly executed shot. McGee did well to gather and under close attention smuggled his shot over the bar, and stretched Mullahoran’s lead to six points, while a punchdrunk Lacken were still to register their first score of the second half.

Possession
Mullahoran’s early second half blitz was all the more impressive since Lacken had looked the more composed of the two teams in the first half, although there was never more than a point between them. Lacken’s first five points were scored from play against a Mullahoran team who, out of possession, retreated defensively in large numbers, but failed to sufficiently pressure the ball. Lacken patiently recycled possession to work higher percentage shots. Stephen ‘Jack’ Brady, an ever willing outlet in full forward, and his team’s dangerman, scored a first half brace, while midfielder Philip Moynagh matched his tally. Meanwhile Michael Shanaghy, who wore number 26 despite starting the match also scored from play.
Finbar O’Reilly, had been named at full forward in the programme but started between the sticks. Nevertheless, he retained principal free-taking responsibilities and notched Lacken’s final point of the first half to make it 0-06 to 0-05 in their favour at the break. Three of Mullahoran’s first half scores came from the boot of O’Reilly, including two frees, while Sean McKeogh and Shane Shiels also registered points for the Dreadnoughts.
Penalty
Lacken finally broke their second half duck after ten minutes through a well taken free from Finbarr O’Reilly, who was by then redeployed in his natural position of full-forward with management bringing on keeper Jimmy Smith. With Mullahoran more tenacious in the tackle in the second half, Lacken grew correspondingly wasteful in possession. All of their second-half scores (1-03) resulted from frees and the penalty spot.
Lacken did however craft a good goal opportunity when hardworking midfielder Damien McKiernan fed a lovely ball through to Karl Clerkin, who had come on as a halftime sub for captain Pauric Leddy, and his on-target shot pulled a great save from Mullahoran’s net minder William O’Reilly. The keeper’s namesake in the full-forward line scored yet another free, this time after a lung-busting solo run from Tomas Nannery drew a foul from a Lacken back.

 

Composure
Lacken finally regained a little composure and after great play from fullback Shane O’Reilly he offloaded to Shane Moynagh who delivered a clever ball into Killian Galligan who was fouled. Finbar O’Reilly again dispatched the free.
O’Reilly repeated the trick a minute later after superbly fielding a great ball from over his marker’s head, and drawing the foul. His conversion put a goal between the teams.
However three successive Mullahoran scores - a long range effort from Derrick Dalton, an audacious free from all of 50 yards by Shane Shiels and a point from play from a jinking O’Reilly - again made it a six point game.
A penalty award however set up some late drama. Finbar O’Reilly secured a high ball he had to right to claim and was seemingly taken down by one of the Mullahoran backs. Nerveless, Galligan drove the penalty in near the left hand post, which gave hope of an unlikely reprieve, but Mullahoran’s determined backline refused to concede any further scores and saw out the final two minutes plus stoppage time.

Lacken: Finbar O’Reilly (0-4, 4f), Gary Cronin, Shane O’Reilly, Johnny Sheridan, Daryl Buckley, Declan Brady, Killian Galligan (1-0, pen), Damien McKiernan, Philip Moynagh (0-2), Pauric Leddy, Martin Brady, Mark Hyland, Shane Moynagh, Michael Shanaghy (0-1), Stephen Brady (0-2).
Subs used: Karl Clerkin, Joe Crowe, Jimmy Smith

Mullahoran: William O’Reilly, Oisin O’Reilly, Daniel O’Reilly, Colm O’Reilly, Kiran McGee (0-1), Sean McKeogh (0-1), Derrick Dalton (0-1), Tadgh McGahern, Kevin Fitzsimons, Daniel Smith (0-1), Damien McArdle, Tomas Nannery, Shane Shiels (0-2, 1f), Finnon O’Reilly (1-7, 1-5f) Niall McGahern.
Subs used: Matthew Hynes, Tommy Maguire, Paddy Brady, Fergal Brady

Referee: John Emmo (Butlersbridge).