Farragher saves the day for Monivea-Abbey

Milltown denied victory by late, late penalty stop

Monivea-Abbey 0-16

Milltown 0-15

IF it's drama you're after in this season's Galway Senior Football Championship, Monivea-Abbey are the team to follow.

They posted 5-13 - 4-8 alone in the second half - before losing by the minimum in a madcap finale with Dunmore MacHales. A bounce back victory over Naomh Anna Leitir Móir came with another gripping endgame and a stoppage time winner, this time in their favour. Getting overran but scoring 19 times in a 19-point defeat to champions Maigh Cuilinn represented something of an outlier when rounding off their group campaign.

On Sunday evening in Tuam Stadium, it was back to nail-biting, high wire finishes as Glenn Kelly's nerveless free from the edge of the 40-metre arc took them to a winning total against Milltown in the last of four preliminary quarter-finals.

Yet, it was a championship match that will forever be remembered for Monivea-Abbey 'keeper Denis Farragher's heroics, saving a 66th minute Mike Martin penalty at the town end to send his side through to the last eight after a chaotic finish.

Farragher's prowess with spot-kicks is the stuff of legend out Monivea-Abbey way. Denying Shane Walsh proved a decisive moment in their 2016 Intermediate final win over Kilkerrin-Clonberne. Another memorable stop came when defeating Kilmeena in Connacht back in 2023. Last year's relegation semi-final with Bearna Na Forbacha was decided on a Farragher save in a shootout. The Monivea-Abbey 'keeper has form and Sunday was just the latest entry on an already lengthy list, diving to his left to parry away Martin's attempt.

Monivea-Abbey had to overcome plenty of adversity, too. The luckless Cillian McDaid pulled up with hamstring trouble after only nine minutes. Some players are dealt a far worse hand than others when it comes to injuries and the Craughwell native most certainly falls into that category.

Jamie Burke was also forced to depart in the second half. Lee Kenny, so dangerous in joining attacks from his wing-back post, was forced off but came back on. Another pillar of their side, Darragh Burke, picked up a straight red card in added time. Quite where all that leaves Monivea-Abbey ahead of a last eight derby with Corofin is unknown.

For Milltown, this was a championship exit that came with plenty of regrets. Farragher's save may have signalled the end of their campaign but was of one several goal chances that went unconverted in a wasteful second half.

Glenn Kelly's go-ahead two-pointer on 61 minutes came after Milltown were punished for a breach. They had battled back from a 0-14 to 0-9 deficit to lead by the minimum thanks to six unanswered points with levelling and lead scores coming from Dara Costello.

Wind-aided, Monivea-Abbey led by 0-5 to 0-3 after the opening quarter following points from Cillian McDaid, Brian Moran, Lee Kenny, Niall Mannion and sub Paddy Mullins. Liam Costello and Eoin Mannion (two) provided the replies for Milltown.

Peter Maher's side stretched their advantage out to 0-9 to 0-6 by half-time with Glenn Kelly (two frees) and the second points of the evening from both Kenny and Niall Mannion. Liam Costello and Mike Martin (two) kept Milltown in touch while both sides came close to scoring goals. Eoin Mannion's dipping effort struck the Monivea-Abbey crossbar, while Darragh Burke was denied by Cathal Blake at the opposite end.

Eoin Mannion was foiled superbly by Farragher after spinning his marker and breaking through one-on-one early in the second half. Trevor Mullins' ball-winning at midfield was another major factor in Monivea-Abbey's win and they continued to maintain a decent buffer as Moran (two) and Niall Mannion topped up their tallies and Darragh Burke swung over another. Scores for Milltown from Martin, Colin Brennan and Eoin Mannion (free) meant it was 0-13 to 0-9 on 43 minutes.

That preceded a costly spell in front of the posts for Eoin Godwin's side. Monivea-Abbey defender Keith O'Reilly did brilliantly to get back and keep out Niall Costello's seemingly net-bound strike. Costello and Monivea-Abbey's Brian Moran then saw goal chances go unconverted at either end. A Mike Martin chance later went begging when he lost his footing.

Glenn Kelly's latest free left five points in it but Milltown soon started to close the gap through Martin (free), Mark Hehir (two-point free) and Eoin Mannion before the lively Dara Costello sent over back-to-back scores.

That left Milltown in the box seat, but their advantage was soon lost when a breach was ruthlessly punished by Kelly in the 63rd minute. And in a dramatic turn of events, Milltown's fifth goal chance of the half saw Farragher emerge the hero with his late, late penalty save.

MOINIVEA-ABBEY: D. Farragher; K. O’Reilly, J. Burke, C. Mannion; L. Ryan, C. Cooley (captain), L. Kenny (0-2); T. Mullins, D. Burke (0-1); C. Dolan, C. McDaid (0-1), G. Kelly (0-5, one 0-2 free, 0-3 frees); B. Moran (0-3), A. Ryan, N. Mannion (0-3). Subs: P. Mullins (0-1), for McDaid inj., 11 mins; C. Maher, for J. Burke inj., 38 mins; J. Collins, for Kenny inj., 51 mins; Kenny, for Dolan, 57 mins; J. Finn, for L. Ryan, 60+2 mins.

MILLTOWN: C. Blake; P. Godwin, S. Feerick, K. Mannion; J. Kirrane, S. Blake, J. Kavanagh; T. Godwin, A. Kehoe; M. Martin (0-4, 0-1 free), M. Hehir (0-2, 0-2 free), N. Costello (captain); L. Costello (0-2), E. Mannion (0-4, 0-1 free), D. Costello (0-2). Subs: C. Brennan (0-1), for Hehir, 23 mins; Hehir, for Feerick, 47 mins; S. Kirrane, for K. Mannion, 55 mins.

REFEREE: James Molloy.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Denis Farragher (Monivea-Abbey).