Experience is key as Leixlip are final bound
Leixlip's Luke Mahon in battle with Milltown's Liam Kelly. Photo: Sean Brilly.
Experience won out over youth as Leixlip qualified for a first Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate Football Championship final since 2019 after a thrilling semi-final against reigning Junior Champions Milltown in Manguard Park on Sunday afternoon.
That certainly didn’t seem the likely outcome at half-time with Milltown three points ahead having played into a stiff wind. And played superbly at that.
Goals change games though and when top scorer Jack Barrett got the final touch after goalkeeper Omar Dunne was outjumped in the 38th minute, Leixlip were back within a point, and they never looked back.
Milltown won early possession and wasted little time in finding the back of the Leixlip net. With the clock just having ticked over the minute mark, wing back Shane Daly’s ball in bounced awkwardly in front of goalkeeper Niall McConnell and when he failed to bring it under his spell, Paddy Donoghue was first to react, and he buried the chance.
After five minutes Leixlip should have been level. Ronan Fitzsimons sent Ben Travers through, and he was pushed by Daly for a penalty. But from the resultant spot-kick, Tommy Moolick, with three successful penalties to his name in the competition to date, failed this time. He struck it well enough, but goalkeeper Omar Dunne made a fine save down low to his right.
The first half developed into a fine, attacking game of football, with Milltown’s younger legs and an inspirational midfield performance from veteran Colin O’Shea, seeing them turn around still leading by 1-7 to 0-7 as they made light of Leixlip’s wind advantage in that half.
Colin Sheerin’s brilliant free from the right wing stretched that lead to four at the start of the second half but Barrett’s goal followed and two more points from him and one from the impressive midfielder Fitzsimons made it 1-10 to 1-8 by the 50th minute.
Milltown thought they had a second goal when McConnell caught a high ball in from Donoghue but spilled it into the net under pressure from Alan Dignam. Unfortunately for Milltown, referee Damien Whelan indicated the tackle on McConnell was in the small square and ruled it out.
Still, Milltown were only a point behind heading into injury time, thanks to a brilliant point off the outside of the boot from O’Shea.
A magnificent flying save from Dunne denied Travers a clinching goal before Milltown engineered two late, late opportunities to level matters.
But Aaron Walker and corner back Jamie Cross were unable to find the range and Leixlip broke for Eamonn Murphy to fist an assurance point that puts them another step closer to a return to the Senior grade after an eight year absence.
Niall McConnell; Ciaran Fadian, Ryan Doyle, Kevin Conneely; Jack Quinn, Jack Travers, Darren O’Connor; Tommy Moolick 0-1, Ronan Fitzsimons 0-2; Ben Travers 0-2, Luke Mahon, Paddy Meagher; Jack Barrett 1-6 (34fs), Darren McDermott, Eamonn Murphy 0-1. Darragh Melville for Mahon 34, Rory Flynn for Fadian 40, Liam Mahon for Doyle 44, Ciaran Silke for McDermott 59, Sean Jeffrey for O’Connor 60+4.
Omar Dunne; Jamie Cross, Cian Buckley, Seán Murphy; Shane Daly, Liam Kelly 0-1, Aaron Jacob; Colin O’Shea 0-1, Conor Sheerin 0-2 (2fs); Ben Heuston 0-1, Hugh Hamilton, Patrick Donohue 1-1 (1f); Alan Dignam 0-2, Joe Dunne 0-2, Ben Curran. Aaron Walker for Heuston 44.
Damien Whelan.
