It won't be lonely around the football fields of Athenry

By NOEL CARNEY Athenry .2-8 Dunmore MacHales .0-11 It was a shock result and a major one as Dunmore's hopes of regaining senior football status have to be put on hold for another year. Their championship season came to a very disappointing end at Tuam Stadium last Saturday evening when they fell to a surprise defeat at the hands of an Athenry side that rose to the occasion magnificently against all the odds. The sides produced an exciting battle in the quest for a ticket to the intermediate football semi-finals of this year's Claregalway Hotel and Bon Secours Hospital competition and in the end victory was fully deserved and it was Athenry who were celebrating a famous win that leaves them only one game away from a county final. This result for the winners was fully earned as they worked extremely hard all through. They dominated the proceedings for long periods against a Dunmore side that never really showed the form expected of them. Apart from the second quarter of the match when former Galway All-Ireland minor hero Damien Redington converted four frees and kicked a point from play to tie the match and a brief period late on it was Athenry who were in control. [private] It should, of course, be remembered that the Dunmore club was recently devastated by the tragic death in a car accident of brilliant forward James O'Toole and as a mark of respect for him they did not use the number 10 jersey with right half-forward Ronan Cleary wearing number 17 for this game. In the circumstances it was hard for the team to play with the passion and spirit one would normally associate with the MacHales whose name has always been a byword for class and elegance. They have fallen from those heights in recent years of course and the past counts for nothing when out on the field of play. Despite great work by a number of recent backroom teams, including the current one of Gerry Redington, Brendan McDermott and Tom Ryder, they are finding it very difficult to get back to the top. They suffered a blow before this match when key defender Kieran Redington was unable to start although he was pressed into service during the first half. Although playing second fiddle for long periods they did, in fairness, did put in a great late rally but over-elaboration in attack and some wonderful do-or-die tackling and hassling by the Athenry defenders kept them at bay and in the end they could not begrudge their conquerors their rare day in the sun. Now, after this victory, there could well be more success to follow for the winners. To make this victory sweeter it was achieved without their star player, county senior midfielder Thomas Flynn, who has a knee injury. They overcame that particular blow though by virtue of an industrious and passionate display. Fast out of the blocks, they snatched a 1-1 to 0-0 lead after five minutes as Ronan O'Reilly raised the white flag by driving over a free and they were really flying when Cathal Fahy blasted a superb goal at the end of a fine move. They went close to another goal when a low shot by Michael Farrell cannoned off a Dunmore defender and went just outside a post at the expense of a 45 which was cleared. The MacHales suffered a real blow when talented forward John Culkeen fell awkwardly and needed several minutes treatment for a shoulder injury that ended his participation in the match. It came only seconds after Damien Redington had opened the Dunmore account from a free. As often happens, a long break in play broke the momentum of the team that was leading and even though Ronan O'Reilly landed another point from a free after Niall Gibbons was fouled, Dunmore took up the running. With Damien Redington in deadly accurate form from placed balls, David Cronin playing his heart out at midfield and Pa Glynn roaming to great effect they had drawn level by the interval, 1-2 to 0-5. Redinton had accounted for all the Dunmore tally with one effort coming from play and the four frees coming from 30-45 metres range including a super kick with the outside of his boot from the right wing. It looked then as if they might have weathered the Athenry storm but the outsiders who are guided this year by Tim Rabbit, Garvan McDaid, Peter Melia and Tom Flynn had no intention of giving way in the second half. Their team captain Ronan O'Reilly was out of luck with a long distance free but their dynamic midfielder Niall Gibbons drove over an inspirational long range point and when Michael Farrell collected an Emmett Caulfield delivery and drove low to the Dunmore net they were four points up and the MacHales knew they had a real job on their hands. To their credit Gerry Redington's men got their act together and three points in a row by Pa Glynn (2) and Ronan Cleary cut the deficit to the minimum, 2-3 to 0-8, and they again appeared ready to drive on. Athenry had other ideas however and another Ronan O'Reilly free settled their nerves only for Damien Redington to respond with a pointed free. Dunmore were attacking in waves but full-backs Shane Healy, Matthew Monaghan and Galway junior star Richie Hynes stood up manfully to the pressure with their half-backs also in resilient mood. With Niall Gibbons and Dara Glynn regaining control of their midfield domain Athenry regrouped and Cathal Fahy (0-2), Ronan O'Reilly (free) and sub Conor Lane after a great burst through the defence from midfield all drove nails into the Dunmore coffin in the final ten minutes with corner-back Darragh Gleeson notching a superb one for the MacHales and Martin Cleary also got on the score-sheet. But it was too little, too late and Athenry had moved into the last four as Dunmore bowed out. Athenry: T. Dolan; S. Healy, M. Monaghan, R. Hynes; J. Gibbons, P. Farrell, M. Healy; N. Gibbons (0-1), D. Glynn; M. Farrell (1-0), E. Caulfield, C. Cannon; C. Fahy (1-2), R. O'Reilly (0-4, all frees), D. Fahy. Subs: D. Beirne for Caulfield, C. Lane (0-1) for D. Fahy, M. Fahy for J. Gibbons, K. Kilkelly for M. Farrell. Dunmore MacHales: R. Byrne; D. Fallon, David Rattigan, D. Gleeson (0-1); D. Mullins, Declan Rattigan, B. Redington; D. Cronin, J. Burke; R. Cleary (0-1), A. Fallon, P. Glynn (0-2); J. Culkeen, M. Cleary (0-1), D. Redington (0-6, 5 frees). Subs: K. Redington for D. Fallon, B. Collins for Culkeen (inj.), P. Gleeson for Burke, B. Bowens for Mullins. Referee: Gerry Guinan (Tuam Stars). Herald Sport Man of the Match: Niall Gibbons (Athenry).[/private]