Cloughaneely Secures Impressive Victory over Milford with Dominant Display
In a thrilling match at Falcarragh, Cloughaneely demonstrated their dominance with an impressive victory over Milford. The final score stood at Cloughaneely 3-7 Milford 0-7, but the match was much closer than the scoreboard suggested.
After a disappointing performance in last year’s SFC, where they only managed to secure a single point from four outings, Cloughaneely has turned their fortunes around this year. With this win, they now have two points in the competition and can start looking upwards instead of downwards in the standings. It was their first victory in the SFC since 2011 when Ardara was defeated.
The home team got off to a strong start, enjoying the advantage of the blustery conditions. They established a commanding lead of 1-2 to 0-1 within the first 15 minutes of the game. Shaun Curran and Ciaran Coll were the point scorers for Cloughaneely, while Kane Barrett opened the scoring for Milford. However, a crucial moment occurred in the 13th minute when Shaun McClafferty made an impressive save to deny Milford a goal-scoring opportunity. Cloughaneely quickly capitalized on this momentum shift, as Blake McGarvey’s precise cross found John Fitzgerald, who effortlessly rounded the goalkeeper and found the back of the net.
In their opening match, Cloughaneely showcased their resilience against Kilcar, and Milford themselves were unlucky to lose to Dungloe. The return of Jason McGee, fresh from winning the Boston GAA Championship, provided a significant boost for Cloughaneely. Playing at full-forward, McGee presented a constant threat to the Milford defense. However, as the game progressed, he was gradually pushed further back.
Cloughaneely extended their lead with points from Darren Ferry and Conor Coyle, making it 1-5 to 0-2 in their favor. Milford managed to stem the tide temporarily with a point from Barrett, but Coyle responded with a sensational long-range point from the right side, ensuring Cloughaneely’s seven-point advantage heading into halftime. Ferry added to the lead with a point just before the whistle, leaving the score at 1-7 to 0-2 in Cloughaneely’s favor at the break.
Milford struggled to find their rhythm at the start of the second half, but they soon mounted a comeback. Four consecutive points from Cathal McGettigan, Kane Barrett, Connor Gormley, and Kyle Black narrowed the gap to 1-7 to 0-6, with more than 20 minutes left to play.
However, Cloughaneely regained control and managed to keep Milford at bay for eight minutes. But they couldn’t find the scores they needed to extend their lead. Milford took advantage of this lull, as Kyle Black found the target once again, reducing the deficit to just three points. With the score at 1-7 to 0-7, Milford seemed to have the advantage.
However, the tide turned yet again when Cloughaneely was awarded a penalty. John Fitzgerald stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty into the net, securing a crucial score for his team with only four minutes remaining. As if that wasn’t enough, Conor Coyle sealed the victory for Cloughaneely in injury time with a well-taken goal.
Final Score: Cloughaneely 3-7 Milford 0-7
Cloughaneely Scorers: John Fitzgerald (2-0, 1-0 pen), Ciaran Coll (0-2), Conor Coyle (1-2), Darren Ferry (0-2), Shaun Curran (0-1, 1f).
Milford Scorers: Kane Barrett (0-3), Kyle Black (0-2), Cathal McGettigan (0-1, 1f), Connor Gormley (0-1).
Cloughaneely Lineup: Shaun McClafferty; Michael Fitzgerald, Shaun Curran, Cian McFadden; Mark Harley, Ciaran Scanlon, Daire Ferry; Jason McGee, Darren McGeever; Conor Coyle, Darren Ferry, Ciaran Coll; Blake McGarvey, Ethan Friel, John Fitzgerald.
Milford Lineup: Shea McBride; Shaun Coffey, Shay Durning, Finn Coll; Ronan Docherty, James Doyle, Kyle Black; Connor Gormley, Rory O’Donnell; Darragh Black, Caolan Bolton, Lorcan Friel; Cathal McGettigan, Kane Barrett, Shane Black.
Despite the comfortable victory on the scoreboard, Cloughaneely had to work hard for their win. Milford showed great resilience throughout the match, and a six-point loss would have been harsh on them. Nevertheless, Cloughaneely’s clinical finishing and ability to capitalize on key moments ultimately secured them a well-deserved victory.
