A highly impressive kicking performance from Cathal McGettigan proved to be vital as Milford earned a five point victory over Cloughaneely.
Milford 1-12 0-10 Cloughaneely
The Milford wing-forward produced eight points and didn’t kick a wide all day in what was as good a display as you could see from an attacker.
Despite going in two points down at the break, Milford rallied with a counter-attacking set-up in the second half which proved to be crucial.
Shaun Maguire scored the first point of the game before McGettigan tapped over two quick free-kicks. Maguire was as important as ever for Cloughaneely and he fended off three men to assist John McGarvey with the leveller.
Denis Boyle nailed a free-kick from just inside the 45 metre line to move his side back ahead but then Milford flicked the switch. Firstly Darragh Black hit the post from a goal chance after very quick hands from the Milford forwards.
Then Pauric Curley fisted into the net after getting in front of Cloughaneely goal keeper Shaun McClafferty. There was a lot of dispute between the umpires and referee as to whether it crossed the line but the goal was awarded.
Milford had another massive goal chance moments later when Tony MacNamee squeezed in front of Michael Fitzgerald but Shaun McClafferty came to Cloughaneely’s rescue by saving with his foot.
A long range effort from Martin Maguire and another free-kick from Denis Boyle brought Cloughaneely within a point of Milford after twenty-five minutes.
A strong showing in the last five minutes of the half from Cloughaneely put them two ahead at the break with Denis Boyle hitting two points and Kevin Mulhern notching one.
Milford had to come out strong in the second half and they did. MacNamee pointed inside sixty seconds before McGettigan scored two free-kicks giving them a one point lead after forty minutes.
A Shaun Maguire free along with a driven point from Ciaran McGeady put Cloughaneely briefly in front but McGettigan hit a further two points to turn things around instantly.
Two Luke Barrett scores and a Tony MacNamee point at the end of the game added to the lead and it proved to be one Cloughaneely couldn’t come back from.
A resilient defence performance was imperious to Milford getting the points and they now move above Cloughaneely in the table. Two points in the second half from Cloughaneely wasn’t a high enough return and it meant that they couldn’t get close enough to Milford in the last ten minutes.
Milford: Caolan McGettigan; Gavin Grier, Barry McNulty, Thomas Evesson; Gary Merritt, Patrick Peoples, David Curley; Joseph Cullen, Luke Barrett (0-2 1f); Caolan McGettigan (0-8 7f), Christopher Barrett, Kyle Black; Darragh Black, Pauric Curley (1-0), Tony MacNamee (0-2).
Cloughaneely: Shaun McClafferty; Michael Fitzgerald, Martin Ferry, Ciaran McFadden; Mark Harley, Kevin Mulhern, Paddy Cannon; Martin Maguire (0-1), Lee O’Brien, Aidan Doohan, Denis Boyle (0-3 1f, 1 45), John McGarvey (0-1); Shaun McBride, Shaun Maguire (0-3 2f), John Harley. Subs used: Michael Mulhern for Cannon (16), Ciaran McGeady (0-1) for John McGarvey (HT), Cillian Gallagher for Sean McBride (38), Darren Ferry for Lee O’Brien (55).
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