Lissycasey edge out Miltown…again

Lissycasey 1-7   Miltown, St Joseph’s 0-8

LISSYCASEY and Miltown, St Joseph’s ended the 2012 season in a battle to save their senior status. After a replay, Lissycasey edged home, sending the Miltown men down to intermediate for the first time in the club’s history.

As the new competitive season got underway on Sunday, they clashed in Round 1 of the Cusack Cup and another tight contest was the order of the day. Indeed, for a long time, a share of the spoils looked the likely outcome but Lissycasey got the better of their visitors in the final quarter and edged through, with the game’s only goal playing a crucial part.

Physically stronger, the visitors had the better of the first-half exchanges but failed to translate this onto the scoreboard. They led by two points at half-time, 0-5 to 0-3, but this lead should have been greater.

Dessie Mollohan, Seanie Malone, Brian Curtin and their top scorer Conor Cleary kicked some good scores, while Lissycasey’s first-half replies came from Danny Clohessy (2) and Niall Kelly. Cleary came closest to getting a goal in the first half but his effort rebounded off the crossbar.

In the second half, Sean Hayes and Eoin Curtin swapped points, before David Considine and Curtin did likewise. David Considine then finished off an excellent Lissycasey move to give his side a one-point lead but Miltown levelled quickly through the impressive Cleary.

Lissycasey were putting greater pressure on Miltown at this stage and when they won a 45’, goalkeeper Joe Hayes came up field and converted to give his side a lead they held to the finish. In injury time, teenager Conor Finnucane sealed victory with a fine score.

For the winners, the defence did well, especially in the second half. Martin Moran, Martin O’Connor and Cyril Sheehan were particularly impressive.

Conor Cleary was Miltown’s best player on a day when Graham Kelly made his return to action following a back injury that has kept him out of the game for a number of months.

Lissycasey: Joe Hayes (0-1); Martin O’Connor, Gerry Moran, Martin Moran; Oisín Hanrahan, Cyril Sheehan, Dermot Nagle; Enda Finnucane, Danny Clohessy (0-1); Sean Hayes (0-1), Francis Hayes, Oisín Talty; David Considine (1-1), Niall Kelly (0-1), Conor Finnucane (0-1).
Subs: Alan Nagle for Hanrahan and Matt Kilroy for Considine.
Miltown: Niall Quinn; Enda O’Gorman, Graham Kelly, David Cleary; Seanie Malone (0-1), Gordon Kelly, Ian Sexton; Darragh McDonagh (0-1), Kevin Keavey (0-1); Conor Cleary (0-2), Joe Curtin, Micheál Malone (0-1); Dessie Mollohan (0-1), Brian Curtin, Eoin Curtin (0-1).
Subs: Colin McGuane for J Curtin, Michael Barry for Sexton and Brendan O’Brien for Barry.