Reigning champs looking strong again

Milltown 2-21, Killucan 1-2

A scoring frenzy once-again from reigning champions Milltown ensured that they continued their quest to retain the senior title as Killucan, despite their best efforts, suffered another heavy defeat on their own home patch on Thursday evening last. With conditions being generally windy throughout, the difficulties being faced by David Carr’s side were tough enough without mother nature adding to the woes.

Clodagh Dillon proved to be the early thorn in the side as she notched two and won a free for Leanne Slevin’s first score as the green team went into a quick lead. It could have been more had Rachel Dillon found the net after six minutes but her effort went wide (the first of four wides in succession). Ruth O’Connor pointed in reply but it was merely a minor riposte as Tom Dillon ensured his charges did not let up. Sinéad Boyce (created by Kelly Boyce-Jordan), Gráinne Byrne off her left and Bronagh Beglan all on-target inside ten minutes.

Milltown kept tackling and blocking across the pitch, forcing Caoimhe McCrossan and Aoife O’Malley to cover huge ground, while the industrious Maria Kelly was the key to create whatever few chances came the way of Killucan. Scores started being spread around with the runs from all positions coming in an unrelenting way. At one stage in the twentieth minute, Milltown had eight in attack – four of them from the back line. Approaching the break, Killucan earned themselves a spot-kick which Meadbh Monaghan’s effort well-saved by Karen Walsh. Monaghan was clever in her rebound, taking her time to find the corner of the net.

At half-time, Milltown were five ahead, 0-10 to 1-2.

Things might have looked closer on the scoreboard had Monaghan managed to finish her chance at goal but her effort sliced off her boot and wide. Mary Dunne, the talented corner-back for her county, was finding some joy cutting off attacks but the respite was minimal as they could not find the tricky Cailín Raleigh or dual-star Amelia Shaw for scores. Three-minutes into the half, Clodagh Dillon added to her tally by hitting the net before another 1-2 came in the next two minutes – Orlaith Sheerin, Gráinne Byrne and a goal from Nicole Feery made it 2-13 to 1-2.

It was essentially a-score-a-minute for the next little while as teamwork points were the order of the day. Byrne, Slevin and two Kate Whyte scores under pressure kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely. Substitute Sarah Dillon was denied a goal with her first attack as referee Vinny Cox penalised her for over-carrying in the act of scoring. She did, however, add two lovely scores before Feery and Byrne finished the rout in the last minutes.

Scorers - Milltown: C Dillon 1-3, N Feery 1-1, G Byrne, L Slevin (3 frees) 0-4 each, K Whyte, S Dillon 0-2 each, K Boyce-Jordan, T Dillon, B Beglan, O Sheerin, S Boyce 0-1 each.

Killucan: M Monaghan 1-0, R O’Connor, A Doyle 0-1 each.

Milltown: Karen Walsh; Tara Gunning, Emma Ballesty, Nicole Feery; Laura Kiernan, Kelly Boyce-Jordan, Rachel Dillon; Leanne Slevin, Tracey Dillon; Bronagh Beglan, Gráinne Byrne, Orlaith Sheerin; Clodagh Dillon, Sinéad Boyce, Kate Whyte. Subs used: Emma Murtagh for Gunning (40), Sarah Dillon for Beglan (51), Katie Smith for Sheerin (51), Sinéad Byrne for C Dillon (54), Rachel Maguire for Walsh (56), Jilly Ballesty for Feery (60+1).

Killucan: Aoife O’Donnell; Caoimhe Brady, Jade McKeogh, Aisling Keogh; Rachel Darby, Mary Dunne, Aoife Darby; Aoife O’Malley, Caoimhe McCrossan; Maria Kelly, Amelia Shaw, Aisling Doyle; Cailín Raleigh, Ruth O’Connor, Meadbh Monaghan. Subs used: Hannah Borthwick for A Keogh (41), Cathy Doyle for McCrossan (49), Orla Quinn for C Brady (49), Clodagh Carr for R Darby (54), Aoibhinn Lawlor for Raleigh (54).

Referee: Vinny Cox (Rosemount).

Examiner's Eye on the game

Player Of The Match

Rachel Dillon (Milltown): Defenders rarely get the plaudits when the attack is so solid but Rachel ‘Birdy’ Dillon is – like Boyce-Jordan and Slevin – so important and underrated in what she does.