Brickeys motor past Modeligo to book final spot amid high tensions
A flashpoint early in the game between Brickey Rangers and Modeligo that saw a red card for each team during their Cappoquin Logistics Premier Intermediate Football Championship semi-final at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field on Saturday last. Photos: Eddie Dee
Brickey Rangers booked their place in the county Premier Intermediate football final with a facile victory against Modeligo at Fraher Field, in a game that was played with zero love lost - that won’t necessarily be remembered purely for the football.
Whilst abuse of officials can never be condoned, some of the decisions made on the night were eyebrow raising to say the least - none more so than the decision taken to red card Brickeys’ forward Paddy McCarthy, alongside Modeligo’s James Walsh, after an almighty fracas broke out in front of the Brickeys’ dugout.
Focusing on the football, the performance of Tom O’Connell was top class as he fired 2-7, while Cillian Ryan, David Nyhan and Conor Whelan also shone for Shane McGrath’s side.
It was Modeligo who hit the front early doors as Bernard Wright got them moving after a minute and a half before talisman James Walsh slalomed through to double the advantage. It didn’t take long for the game’s opening goal to arrive soon after, and it provided the perfect response from a Brickeys’ perspective.
Three minutes in, a clever short-free from Nyhan sent Ryan racing through down the right flank and his goalbound strike deflected past Tyler Walsh to the far left corner and the Brickeys lead.
A free from Walsh levelled matters, before a Cathal Curran point and an O’Connell free gave the Brickeys an 8th-minute lead that they would never again relinquish.
On 11 minutes, all hell broke loose. A coming together in front of the Brickeys’ dugout between Conor Browne and James Walsh led to an almighty brawl between the sides, and the scenes were far more reminiscent of a boxing ring as opposed to a GAA pitch. After lengthy consultation, referee Martin Freeman gathered together the respective 11s, Walsh and McCarthy - and both were shown red, to complete disbelief in the stands. It was no surprise that red cards were shown, but others were far luckier to escape reprimand while McCarthy was seemingly an innocent party as the black and amber continued to protest.
When matters finally resumed, Bernard Wright and Tom O’Connell exchanged frees, before Daithí Colleran was afforded acres to restore a three-point cushion for the Brickeys. An audacious goal attempt from Rian Reddy almost saw him lob Tom Gardiner off his line, but he was happy to settle for an orange flag as Modeligo continued to stay on their coattails.
Four of the next five scores before the break gave the winners further impetus, as two from O’Connell, and strikes from Sean Lennon and Callum Royale giving them a 1-9 to 0-7 advantage at the break - while a black card for Mickey Joe Curran meant Modeligo would play the opening ten minutes of the second period with thirteen men.
An unanswered 1-3 upon the resumption immediately killed all hopes of a contest. On 35 minutes, a moment of superb quality from Tom O’Connell saw him cut inside from the right and sit a defender down, before blazing to the top left corner and that was goodnight Modeligo. A Conor Whelan effort and two in quick succession from David Nyhan suddenly stretched the gap between the sides to eleven points.
Modeligo kept plugging away to their credit, a two-point free from Wright and a well-taken 42nd-minute goal from David Hickey gave them a small sliver of hope, but O’Connell (2) and Nyhan were in unforgiving mood at the opposite end, before substitute James Hahessy also got in on the act.
A great team move between Whelan, Ryan and O’Connell capped off a fine night’s work on 51 minutes - as Ryan squared to the latter to bury his second goal and his side’s third. Two orange flags in quick succession from Wright and Gus Nugent were merely consolatory for Modeligo, as there was still time for a fourth goal in stoppage time - the sea parting this time for Conor Browne to find the net, as the Brickeys ran out 14-point victors.
They now face Clashmore-Kinsalebeg for a place in the senior ranks next weekend, in a perfect opportunity to exact revenge for defeat in the decider of this grade’s hurling championship earlier in the year.
Tom O’Connell (2-7; 0-4f); Cillian Ryan and Conor Browne (1-0 each); David Nyhan (0-3); Sean Lennon (0-2); Cathal Curran, Conor Whelan, Daithí Colleran, James Hahessy, Philip Walsh and Callum Royale (0-1 each)
Bernard Wright (0-6; 0-5f; 2 tpf); David Hickey (1-0); Rian Reddy and Gus Nugent (0-2; 1tp each); James Walsh (0-2; 0-1f); Pa Walsh (0-1)
Tom Gardiner; Sean Lennon, Cormac Deevy, Johnny Cooney; Conor Browne, Conor Whelan, Cillian Ryan; Daithí Colleran, Cathal Curran; David Nyhan, Paddy McCarthy, Conor Keane; Conor McGrath, Tom O’Connell, Callum Royale.
James Hahessy for Conor McGrath (47); Nathan Brett for Callum Royale (53); Mark Cummins for Conor Whelan (53); Philip Walsh for Conor Keane (53); Scott Collins for Tom O’Connell (56)
Thomas Walsh; Leigh Dunford, John McGrath, Rían Reddy; Mickey Joe Curran, Sean O’Donovan, Eoin Hickey; Gus Nugent, Bernard Wright; Nicky O’Donovan, James Walsh, Pa Walsh; Niall Hickey, David Hickey, James Hickey.
Jamie Power for Leigh Dunford (36); Kevin Collender for Eoin Hickey (38); Oisin Quinn for Pa Walsh (56); Niall Dalton for Nicky O’Donovan (57); TJ Fitzgerald for Bernard Wright (60)
Martin Freeman (Ferrybank)
