Bane inspires Caherlistrane to surprise first round win

Caherlistrane 0-13

Milltown 1-8

This much-anticipated first round clash delivered on some of its promise with Caherlistrane producing a stirring fightback in the second half. With Cormac Bane in fine form, Stephen Faulkner’s side defied the pre-match odds to get the better of their local rivals.

Milltown were six points up early in the second half but they allowed their opponents to claw their way back into the contest and by the time Diarmuid Blake was sent off with ten minutes to go, Caherlistrane’s momentum was all-but-impossible to break.

It was Milltown who stormed out of the blocks at the beginning, opening the scoring with a goal inside 24 seconds. Former intercounty player James Kavanagh won the throw-in and played a one-two with Diarmuid Blake before finding himself through on goal. The midfielder scuffed his shot but the ball landed right at the feet of Cathal Blake, who stabbed it past Rory Conlon.

Blake’s height was also causing problems for the Caherlistrane defence early on and the full-forward turned provider a couple of minutes later as Mike McWalters put Milltown four points to the good.

Three scores in as many minutes brought Caherlistrane back into the contest by the ten minute mark with Cormac Bane at the centre of much of the good work. Conor Faulkner opened his side’s account with a half-volley after a Bane free had dropped in around the square. Bane then kicked the next two scores himself, including a fine effort after cutting in from the left-wing.

Milltown pulled away again, however, hitting the four points without reply, Mark Hehir and Damien Brennan sharing the scoring duties. Both of Hehir’s scores came from placed balls while Brennan was proving a threat from deep, attacking from midfield to land both of his points.

Caherlistrane had gone nearly 20 minutes without scoring at this stage but, while Pat Madden put a decent goal chance wide on 28 minutes, Barry McCabe popped up to land a much needed score just before the break, leaving four points between the sides, 1-5 to 0-4.

Michael Martin had been relatively subdued in the first 30 minutes but he opened his account 30 seconds into the second half and when another Mark Hehir free put Milltown six points up a minute later, they looked to be on their way to victory. The tide of the game switched soon after, however, and Miltown would only score another point in the remaining 28 minutes of the half.

Two Cormac Bane frees, from the exact same spot 21m out, got the Caherlistrane comeback going before Conor Faulkner bagged his second point of the day in the 40th minute. Milltown then lost John Martin to a black card for a trip with Eric Monahan pointing the resulting free from the right-wing.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.