Milltown peaking at the right time for shot at glory

Date Published: {J}

Milltown 1-14

An Cheathrú Rua 0-8

FRANK FARRAGHER

IN PEARSE STADIUM

MILLTOWN are like a good each way bet in the Galway Plate. They mightn’t have the favourites tag stuck on their backs but they’re well placed in the dip with just the final charge at the big hill remaining . . . the only spot to be at this stage of the race.

It’s three decades ago since Milltown took the second of their two county titles and even though they won’t get carried away with this quarter-final win over Carraroe at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, they can still dare to dream of going the whole way this year.

There is a good balance to this Milltown outfit – solid in defence, strong in midfield and blessed with three or four forwards not shy of shooting but also unselfish enough to make that last vital pass. They play a simple game of moving the ball quickly to their forwards and it works well.

Severe disappointment for An Cheathrú Rua last Sunday after their demolition of Annaghdown in their last outing and although they did show plenty of spark and enterprise, plus a fair measure of pace too, they just didn’t have the overall equilibrium of this Milltown side.

Essentially, Carraroe’s forward threat was concentrated on the shoulders of full forward Niall Ó Briain who shot four very impressive points from play, but by contrast the Milltown threat was far more omnipresent.

Mark Hehir did a lot of scheming on the ‘40’; former Cortoon clubman Michael Martin made his presence felt with an early goal; Fergal Nicholson was the epitome of the clinical corner forward, while big John Devane showed a deceptive level of mobility and a good nose for making that final, clinching pass to a forward in a better position.

A fresh wind blew in across The Prairie and it rippled the numbers on the backs of the Milltown players as they put a lot of early pressure on the Carraroe posts during during the course of the first half – by the time Gearóid Ó Conámha sounded the interval whistle, Cathal Sheridan’s side had constructed a decent 1-7 to 0-5 interval lead.

The goal came in the 5th minute after good preparatory work by Diarmaid Blake and Mark Hehir made the opening for Michael Martin to fairly belt the ball to the back of the Carraroe net.

It was a settling score for Milltown as before that they had missed a couple of point chances while Damien Brennan had blasted wide with the goal at his mercy. But from there on, the men in blue seldom looked back.

Fergal Nicholson picked off three three bullseye points from play, while John Devane, Michael Martin (free) and the inspirational Darren Mullahy also found the target.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.