Godwin stars as Milltown advance to last 12
Double-digit win over Bearna Na Forbacha
Milltown 0-19
Bearna Na Forbacha 0-9
WHAT ranked among the weekend's most competitive and intriguing Senior Football Championship ties on paper turned into a one-sided affair as Milltown led from pillar to post against a disappointing Bearna Na Forbacha side lacking cutting edge in Athenry.
Group 2 was set up for a tense finale with both teams and Caltra in the mix to fill the two remaining qualification berths behind dominant group winners Salthill-Knocknacarra. What evolved was a runaway win for Milltown inspired by outstanding performances from Terry Godwin, the Costello brothers - Liam, Niall and Dara - and the ageless Cathal Blake who took over the goalkeeper's gloves in the absence of the injured Conor Nolan.
Eoin Godwin’s side were superb from start to finish and brought an energy and intensity that Bearna Na Forbacha fell well short of matching. Time and time again, they forced their opponents into turnovers and pressured shots while steadily building a match-winning lead before the break.
Milltown's superiority was so pronounced that Bearna Na Forbacha only narrowly avoided a scoreless first half when Donnacha Naughton opened their account in injury-time. Sean Dunne, their best player, swiftly added a second before the break but Milltown’s interval lead remained significant at 0-9 to 0-2.
An early Mike Martin free was followed by efforts from play from Liam and Niall Costello before the winners struck a telling blow on 15 minutes when Andrew Kehoe - like Dara Costello, having an impressive debut championship campaign - claimed kickout possession and set Terry Godwin away for a wind-aided two-pointer.
Bearna Na Forbacha were struggling to create space up top though they came close to what would have been their first goal of the championship. Cathal Blake did brilliantly to smother Darragh Costello's close range effort when the net seemed destined to dance in the 18th minute.
Matters were compounded for Bearna Na Forbacha soon after as Liam Costello added his second before Dara Costello and Mark Hehir added their names to the scoresheet, making it eight unanswered Milltown points by the 22nd minute.
Bearna Na Forbacha, who were without county star Cian Hernon, simply couldn't get anything going against a fired-up and well-organised Milltown rearguard in which Jack Kirrane stood out. Their other Galway panelist Sean Fitzgerald had goal on his mind when running onto a Darragh Costello pass, only for Cathal Blake to read his intentions and cut out the danger.
Bearna Na Forbacha 'keeper James Keane also earned his corn with a sharp stop to deny Eoin Mannion, but the West Board side were caught napping from the resulting 45 as Terry Godwin had the freedom of Kenny Park to make it a nine-point game and cap his brilliant first half showing.
Naughton and Dunne finally ended Bearna Na Forbacha's scoring drought and with news of Salthill-Knocknacarra's handsome half-time lead over Caltra, it meant that Milltown and Bearna Na Forbacha would fill the second and third knockout places barring an unlikely turnaround.
Godwin's fourth point of the day, this time off his left, and a second from the excellent Dara Costello re-restablished Milltown's nine-point buffer as Bearna Na Forbacha were unable to deal with the pace and movement of their opponents.
Fitzgerald had another promising situation snuffed out by the retreating Milltown defence before Sean Dunne swung over the first of his three second half two-pointers for Bearna Na Forbacha. The winners were always in control, though, and while sub Jack Walsh also found the range to make it 0-12 to 0-5 on 43 minutes, the prospect of a comeback never gained traction.
A half dozen unanswered points followed from Milltown with Mike Martin, Niall Costello and Eoin Mannion on target. A margin of 13 divided the teams entering the closing stages before Dunne underlined his two-point threat with back-to-back scores from outside the arc.
Mannion, who finished with five points from frees and open play, completed Milltown's tally in between. A last 12 clash against Monivea-Abbey comes next following their best display of the championship.
With returns of 0-14, 0-13 and now 0-9, Bearna Na Forbacha were the lowest scorers in the group phase, an area they must address ahead of a preliminary quarter-final with Claregalway.
MILLTOWN: Cathal Blake; K. Mannion, J. Kirrane, P. Godwin; S. Feerick, S. Blake, J. Kavanagh; T. Godwin (0-4, one 0-2 score), A. Kehoe; M. Martin (0-3, 0-2 frees), M. Hehir (0-1), N. Costello (captain, 0-2); L. Costello (0-2), E. Mannion (0-5, 0-3 frees), D. Costello (0-2). Subs: C. Brennan, for Hehir, 40 mins; D. Brennan, for Martin, 57 mins; S. Kirrane, for K. Mannion, 57 mins; J. Hynes, for S. Feerick, 57 mins; J. Feerick, for S. Blake, 59 mins; S. Glynn, for N. Costello (temporary), 60+2 mins.
BEARNA NA FORBACHA: J. Keane; C. Friel, J. Kennedy, D. Forde; D. Cox, S. Fitzgerald, A. Kavanagh; D. Mahon, C. Malone; D. McComiskey, T. Curran (captain), D. Naughton (0-1); S. Dunne (0-7, two 0-2 scores, one 0-2 free), P. Linehan, D. Costello. Subs: P. Dillon, for McComiskey, 28 mins; J. Walsh (0-1), for Cox, 36 mins; C. Kelly, for Kennedy, 49 mins; L. O'Shea, for Costello, 58 mins.
REFEREE: Thomas Murphy.
HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:
Terry Godwin (Milltown).