Molohan scores integral to Miltown win

A contribution of 1-3 from Dessie Molohan helped Miltown to a merited win over St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield in the opening round of the Clare Senior Football Championship at Kilmihil on Friday evening.
The game had been deferred from the previous weekend due to the untimely death of St Joseph’s player Niall White and before Friday’s game got underway a minute’s silence was observed as a mark of respect to the late St Joseph’s and Clare senior player.
This was a poor contest in which Miltown’s greater experience proved decisive. While they deserved their victory on the evening, St Joseph’s will look back on a game in which they missed some very easy chances, particularly in the opening half when they managed nine wides.
They managed just two scores from play during the course of the hour when four of their starting forward line failed to find the target.
While only two of Miltown’s forward line managed to get on the scoresheet, the others made a greater contribution while their half-backs, Brian and Gearóid Curtin and Gordon Kelly regularly came upfield to initiate attacks that caused problems for the Doora-Barefield outfit.
The game’s opening score came in the third minute when Eoin Curtin converted a 20m free for the winners, a free awarded after his brother Brian had been fouled.
St Joseph’s had to wait until the ninth minute for their opening score, a goal from Aidan O’Connor, who gave Niall Quinn no chance after winning possession on the 13m line. St Joseph’s should have extended their lead after this but they were guilty of some terrible shooting when in front of goal.
At the turn of the second quarter, the winners started a move on their own 13m line that ended with Dessie Molohan finding the net. Seven players were involved in the move, with centre-back Gordon Kelly playing a crucial part. Between here and the half-time whistle, each side managed just one point, with Aidan O’Connor landing a free for St Joseph’s while Micheál Malone kicked a fine effort for the winners.
Miltown, who returned with John Meade at wing-forward in place of Kevin Keavey, made the better start to the second half and they had points from Gearóid Curtin and Molohan, who converted a 13m free awarded for a late tackle on Gary Egan.
St Joseph’s hit their best spell after this and points from Cathal Duggan at either side of an Aidan O’Connor free from 40m levelled the tie at the turn of the final quarter. However, when it looked like the advantage might swing to the Doora-Barefield outfit, Miltown stepped up a gear.
With Eoin Curtin, as he has in the past, impressing in the role of an extra defender, Miltown piled on the pressure and regained the lead when Molohan landed a 45. Five minutes from time Eoin Curtin, after another good run, pointed from an acute angle before Molohan moved outfield to win possession and kick a good score from play.
In the final quarter, St Joseph’s replaced their three half-forwards but this failed to break Miltown’s dominance.
Impressive for the winners were David Cleary, Enda Malone, Gordon Kelly, Brian and Eoin Curtin, and Dessie Molohan while their midfield pairing of Micheál Malone and Darragh McDonagh dominated in this area.
Ger Fannin, Sean Flynn, Damian Kennedy and team captain Mark Hallinan did best for the losers whose attack struggled throughout.

Miltown: Niall Quinn; David Cleary, Enda Malone, Sean Meade; Brian Curtin, Gordon Kelly, Gearóid Curtin; Micheál Malone Darragh McDonagh; Kevin Keavey, Graham Kelly, Eoin Curtin; Dessie Molohan, Gary Egan, Joe Curtin.
Subs: David Talty for J Curtin (25 minutes); John Meade for Keavey (half-time); Michael Hehir for McDonagh (52 minutes), Kevin Burke for S Meade (57 minutes).
Scorers: Dessie Molohan (1-3, 0-1f, 0-1 45); Eoin Curtin (0-1f); Micheál Malone, Gearóid Curtin (0-1 each).
Frees for: 24; wides: 8; 45s: 1.
Bookings: Gary Egan (62 minutes).
“It was nip and tuck for the first half and they could have been four or five points up but saying that we lobbed four or five balls into the goalkeeper’s hands, which is criminal for any team. It was a tough battle and our lads turned it around in the second half when they played all the football. It’s a good position to be in but we are still a long way from a quarter-final,” John Fennell, Miltown coach.
n St Joseph’s: Declan O’Keeffe; Ger Fannin, Kevin Dilleen, Sean Flynn; Stephen Collins, Damian Kennedy, Keith Whelan; Mark Hallinan (capt) Mark Raftery; Greg Lyons, David O’Brien, Paul Dullaghan; Aidan O’Connor, Enda Lyons, Cathal Duggan.
Subs: Colm Mullan for O’Brien (50 minutes); Gavin O’Sullivan for Dullaghan (50 minutes); Cathal O’Sullivan for G. Lyons (52 minutes)
Scorers: Aidan O’Connor (1-2, 0-2f); Cathal Duggan (0-2, 1f).
Frees for: 35; wides: 11.
Bookings: Mark Hallinan (28 minutes); Mark Raftery (51 minutes); Stephen Collins (58 minutes).
“The first half cost us big time. We missed a lot of chances and had some awful bad misses. Miltown got scores early in the second half and built on that. Our workrate was good in the first half but we got tired. Our fitness at the end wasn’t up to Miltown’s,” John Halpin, St Joseph’s.
n Referee: Pat Cosgrove, Corofin.