Dardis drives Kinnegad men into Junior B final
Coralstown/Kinnegad 1-14, Milltown 2-5
In the end it turned into a higher-scoring affair than it could have been as 1-3 from the lively Dan Leech helped Coralstown-Kinnegad to the Junior B Final of 2023 as they overcame an improved second-half effort from Milltown, in the cold and breezy conditions in Seán Doolin Park, Milltown on Sunday morning.
The visitors were without the services of Ciarán Daly Jnr following his red card last week, but the altered line-up did not falter in their goal of making the decider and five scores without reply in as many minutes with the game in the melting pot made the difference.
It took until the fifth minute for the opening score to arrive and it was certainly an eye-catcher. With both sides registering misses, Leech took control of a mishit shot in the far corner before opting to strike off the left with no support forthcoming. Seconds later, Jack Torpey was fouled (potentially inside the square) allowing Jack Cole to continue his fine form from last week by knocking over the free. With both sides ultra-defensive in their methods without the ball, scores were hard-earned.
Milltown’s main shining light, Frank McLoughlin, pointed their first before Fergal Dardis cancelled it with a fine effort of his own from long-range with the wind at his back. Despite McLoughlin lording the high-balls in the middle, the setup meant a lack of attacking options for the green jerseys. A tetchy half saw four yellow cards issued and yet at one point the game was literally at a walking pace. Jack Duncan reduced arrears to one before Dardis and Cole added their second scores just as the half ended to leave it 5-2 entering the dressing rooms.
The rainbow followed the drizzle after half-time as both sides went in search of their 'pot o’ gold' in the rising wind. Cole and Peter Ballesty squared-up before the former tapped over a free after being fouled himself. A fine move ended with Torpey’s effort (originally given) being ruled a wide. The small crowd in attendance could sense the openings for Kinnegad as they looked to press home. Even with scores from Cole (free), Dardis once again, and Leech putting them 0-9 to 0-4 up, Milltown responded when it looked like they were done.
A quick free from Alan Geraghty found Duncan who soccer-styled it across the danger-zone where Wayne Smith fired home.
Duncan then reduced it to one with eight remaining on the clock but this was merely the signal for the Kinnegad purple patch.
A fast breakout from the back ended with Leech hammering home, the first of five in quick succession.
The goalscorer could have added another from the next attack but the point sufficed after Milltown played themselves into trouble. Substitute Clive Kiernan had the freedom of the pitch to take aim out wide and he did just that, drawing the ball from very far left (something McIlroy or Tiger Woods would be more akin to doing!).
Torpey’s superb one-handed grab allowed him space to add another and when Cole took a brilliant mark to leave the gap at eight points, the tie was done.
Frustration was evident as Brendan Lynn tackled Cole who was attempting to run away from the defender. Kinnegad will be a little disappointed to have conceded another goal in stoppage time – Stephen Somers on-hand to palm a long-ball into the net past Damien ‘Boot’s Molloy.
It was not enough as the beaten senior football championship side will now contest yet another final in 2023, highlighting the great resurgence in Coralstown-Kinnegad in recent times across all grades.
While it is the end of the road for the Rathconrath outfit, they will return again, no doubt.
Man of the match: Fergal Dardis (Coralstown/Kinnegad). Frank McLoughlin was the best for Milltown. However, both Fergal Dardis and Dan Leech were central to Kinnegad taking the win. Four points for Dardis, along with some excellent fielding, puts him in front.
Score of the match: Substitute Clive Kiernan used every bit of the breeze to curl a left-footer from out to in and over to push his side six ahead with time nearing the end. The hand raised in celebration said it all!
What’s next: A final against Tubberclair awaits next Sunday, with the final piece of silverware of the season on offer.
Scorers - Coralstown-Kinnegad: D Leech 1-3, J Cole 0-5 (3f, 1 mark), F Dardis 0-4 (1f), J Torpey, C Kiernan 0-1 each. Milltown: W Smith, S Somers 1-0 each, F McLoughlin 0-3 (2f), J Duncan 0-2.
Coralstown-Kinnegad: Damien Molloy; Michael Leonard, Brian McGrath, Cillian Curran; Luke Lacey, Jason Macken, John Kiernan; Paddy Leydon, Stephen Bracken; Fergal Dardis, Ronan Foley, Jack Torpey; Aidan Gorry, Jack Cole, Dan Leech. Subs used: Clive Kiernan for Gorry (51), Enda Leonard for Foley (54).
Milltown: Damien Byrne; Diarmuid Maguire, Bernard Kiernan, Pádraig Heduan; Paul Heduan, Peter Ballesty, Anders Kiernan; Wayne Smith, Frank McLoughlin; Paul Mahon, Seán Dillon, Alan Geraghty; Brendan Burke, Jack Duncan, Michael Kiernan. Subs used: Nathan Creagh-Dillon for Paul Heduan (h-t), Harry Pendred for M Kiernan (57), Stephen Somers for B Burke (57), Brendan Lynn for Padraig Heduan (58).
Referee: Kenneth Gunning (Rochfortbridge).