McGivney the Multy hero as Kilbeggan's positive run ends

Multyfarnham 2-16 Kilbeggan 1-9

Multyfarnham produced a dominant performance against Kilbeggan Shamrocks to book their place in the Westmeath Intermediate Football Championship quarter-finals at a sun-drenched TEG Cusack Park last Saturday afternoon.

In what was a winner-takes-all clash to see who would join St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge from Section B in the knockout stages, Multy – for whom a draw would have sufficed – were by far the better side as they maintained their unbeaten record in this year’s championship. Indeed, their winning margin would have been even greater but for a tally of 12 wides, which was twice as many as their opponents registered.

Kilbeggan had no answer to the power and pace of Anthony McGivney and county star Ronan Wallace who posted 0-11 between them. Full back Feichin Brennan and half-time substitute Ian McGovern also scored goals in either half for the winners who led from pillar to post and took a 1-6 to 0-3 lead into the break.

Their greater experience at this level was evident throughout, with Kilbeggan’s cause not being helped by a black card for corner back Martin Ward in the first half and the late dismissal of full back James Hanlon on a second yellow. While it was a disappointing end to Kilbeggan’s season, they fared better than most promoted sides by comfortably retaining their intermediate status thanks to two wins and a draw in their first three fixtures. This was achieved without half of last year’s team, while they were also hit by the absence of Conor Carroll and Darragh Coffey last weekend.

Wearing their alternative grey jerseys to avoid a clash of colours, Multy began with a stiff breeze which died somewhat in the second half. They signalled their intent with an early point from McGivney after Wallace – who was wearing number six but played most of the game at centre forward – won the throw-in. Wallace doubled their advantage from a free before Nigel Scally fired a goal chance wide at the other end after catching Brendan McMahon’s long ball.

Wallace kicked a 40-metre free from his hands as Kilbeggan had Ward black-carded in the 12th minute. Conor Delaney eventually opened their account from a free in the 16th minute, but the momentum remained with Multy as McGivney converted a mark. Brennan raised the first green flag via a wicked deflection after finding himself in acres of space bearing down on the Kilbeggan goal in the 18th minute. Scally slotted over a 13-metre free, only for Wallace to reply with two on the trot. Scally kicked Kilbeggan’s first score from play in the 29th minute to leave them six adrift at the short whistle.

The north Westmeath men scored again straight from the restart through Louis Greene before Scally responded with a brace of frees. Multy upped the ante again after that, outscoring last year’s junior champions by 1-6 to 0-2 in a fine spell which stretched out their lead to 2-12 to 0-7 and ended the game as a contest with ten minutes remaining.

Mark Reynolds started the scoring sequence with a fisted point and added another after Wallace nailed his third free. After Delaney and McGivney traded points, Kilbeggan ‘keeper Joey O’Neill made an excellent save to deny Gareth Mullaniff after Wallace had burst through the middle.

Westmeath star Wallace and Padraig Carton traded points before Multy’s pressure finally paid off when McGivney set up McGovern for an emphatic finish to the top left-hand corner of the Kilbeggan net.

To their credit, Niall O’Brien’s charges didn’t throw in the towel and responded with two excellent long-range scores from substitute Cathal Finn and Micheál Coffey before another replacement, Mel Kiernan, pulled back a goal in the 54th minute. It came after McGivney settled for a point with a goal at his mercy at the other end and Multy ‘keeper Craig Sweeney saved from Shaun Pidgeon.

Kiernan’s major left seven in it, 1-9 to 2-13, before Multy underlined their superiority with late points from McGovern and McGivney (two).

Scorers – Multyfarnham: A McGivney 0-6 (1 mark), R Wallace 0-5 (4fs), I McGovern 1-1, F Brennan 1-0, M Reynolds 0-2, L Greene and S Sweeney 0-1 each. Kilbeggan: N Scally 0-4 (3fs), M Kiernan 1-0, C Delaney 0-2, P Carton, M Coffey and C Finn 0-1 each.

Multyfarnham: Craig Sweeney; Ronan Greene, Feichin Brennan, Aaron Whelan; Niall McDermott, Ronan Wallace, Adam Bates; Gareth Mullaniff, James Greene; Louis Greene, Anthony McGivney, Stephen Sweeney; Cian Lee, Mark Reynolds, Jamie Coffey. Subs: Ian McGovern for Coffey (half-time), CJ Tighe for Reynolds (47 min, injured), Jude Auld for Whelan (52), Colm Hogan for L Greene (56).

Kilbeggan Shamrocks: Joey O’Neill; Martin Ward, James Hanlon, Josh Malone; Colin Draper, James Fox, Mark Wrafter; Brendan McMahon, Padraig Carton; Shaun Pidgeon, Nigel Scally, Micheál Coffey; Danny Scully, Conor Delaney, James Finnegan. Subs: Colm Heffernan for Finnegan (half-time), Mel Kiernan for Draper (46 min), Cathal Finn for Scully (48), Eoin Dixon for McMahon (58).

Referee: Mick Murtagh (The Downs).