Moriarty toast of Milltown-Castlemaine

A goal from Cathal Moriarty inspired Milltown/Castlemaine to a narrow victory over Clare’s Clondegad in the Munster Club IFC quarter-final at Milltown yesterday.

With just five minutes left, and Milltown-Castlemaine trailing 0-9 to 1-5, Moriarty weaved his way inside the Clondegad square before coolly finding the net to set-up a semi-final date with Newmarket next weekend.

But Milltown/Castlemaine can consider themselves very lucky to have survived as they were second best for long stretches. Indeed, they needed 40-year-old keeper Joe Daly to save a first-half penalty from Shane Brennan while the Clare side also had a goal disallowed early in the second half.

As well as that, Cathal Moriarty’s 10th minute goal for Milltown/Castlemaine was highly fortuitous, his point attempt dipping under the crossbar to push them 1-1 to 0-3 ahead.

With Gary Brennan lording midfield alongside his brother Shane, and with wing-back Kieran Browne driving on, Clondegad’s fast and direct style caused Milltown/Castlemaine a host of problems, and the Kerry side were lucky to be level at half-time, 1-4 to 0-7.

With scores hard to come by in the second half, Clondegad led 0-9 to 1-5 with just five minutes left. But then came Moriarty’s matchwinning goal.

Scorers for Milltown/Castlemaine: C Moriarty 2-0, G Wrenn 0-4f, J O’Connor 0-1.

Clondegad: G Brennan 0-4f, P McMahon (2f, 1 45) 0-3, T Kelly, S Brennan, F Neylon 0-1 each.

MILLTOWN-CASTLEMAINE: J Daly; K McKenna, D Murphy, J Blennerhassett; P Carroll, M Mangan, J O’Connor; M Burke, B Delaney; S Murphy, D Kelliher, G Wrenn; J Flynn, C Kerins, C Moriarty.

Subs: I Twiss for D Kelliher (35); I Twiss for B Delaney (48); P Wrenn for G Wrenn (53); K McKenna for J Flynn (60).

CLONDEGAD: D O’Loughlin; B Murphy, P O’Connell, C Ryan; K Browne, F Neylon, C Gavin; S Brennan, G Brennan; G O’Connell, F O’Reilly, T Kelly; E Donnellan, P Coffey, P McMahon.

Referee: Brian Tyrell (Tipperary).