Modeligo captain Pat Fitzgerald holds the County JFC cup high following the presentation by County Board Chairman Paddy Joe Ryan.
Modeligo will travel to Cooraclare in Clare for a 2pm throw-in on Saturday next for a Munster Junior Football Semi Final against Banner champions Coolmeen after easily overcoming Roanmore at Fraher Field in last Saturday’s County Junior decider.
Played in a strong wind which blew towards the road goal and on a pitch clearly showing signs of a long season with what must be a record amount of games played on the surface, this was far from a County Final classic.
Modeligo had first use of the strong wind and turned around with a six-point advantage on the scoreboard.
Normally in such conditions you would have expected that the side that lead at the break to go in with a double digit lead, but Roanmore simply didn’t do themselves justice and could well have lost by more than 10 points come Timmy Organ’s full-time whistle.
Modeligo got off to the best possible start in this game as brothers Michael (from a free) and Jamie Troy landed points inside two minutes.
However, the expected rush of subsequent scores didn’t follow for the men in green.
Man of the Match, former inter county hurler Pat Fitzgerald, kicked his first score of the game on seven minutes. Six minutes later, Michael Troy struck his second white flagger of the game from a free.
Despite playing with a very strong wind at their backs, Modeligo failed to score again until three minutes from the half hour mark, through another Michael Troy free.
Two minutes into added time at the end of the first half, Pat Fitzgerald landed his second of the game to give his side a six point cushion as the sides headed to the dressing rooms.
With a strong wind at their backs for the second half, Roanmore were expected to put it up to Modeligo after the break but it never transpired.
Michael Troy put over another free midway through the third quarter to give his side a seven-point lead, before Brian Nolan finally ended Roanmore’s wait for their opening score of the evening in the 42nd minute.
Michael Troy cancelled out Nolan’s effort 14 minutes from time as he all but secured the victory for his side.
Six minutes from time Roanmore, in a crowded Modeligo goal, tried to plunder a three-pointer but they were unable to steer the ball beyond goalkeeper Thomas Walsh.
A minute later, if there was any doubting the final outcome of the game, Michael Troy got the party started out west as he blasted past Colm Burke for the game’s only goal.
With both sides beginning to empty their benches in the final minutes, the closing minutes proved something of a non-event but two minutes into stoppage time, Shane Troy added his name to a scoresheet that already featured both of his younger brothers.
Modeligo: Thomas Walsh; Nicky O’Donovan, Brian McCarthy, John McGrath; Sean Hennessy, Kieran McCarthy, Sean O’Donovan; Patrick O’Donovan, Shane Troy; Rian Reddy, Pat Fitzgerald, Robbie Buckley; Michael Troy, Patrick Walsh, Jamie Troy.
Subs: Cian O’Byrne for Robbie Buckley (56 mins), Paudie McCarthy for John McGrath (59), Mike Bumster for Rian Reddy (60), Michael Power for Patrick Walsh (63).
Scorers: Michael Troy (1-5; 0-4f), Pat Fitzgerald (0-2), Jamie Troy and Shane Troy (0-1 each).
Roanmore: Colm Burke; Johnny Walsh, Tommy Aldridge, Tim O’Byrne; Frank McGrath, Emmet O’Toole, Charlie Chester; Darragh Swaby, Brian Nolan; Dale Sheridan, David Barrett, Dean Reidy; Paul O’Toole, Paul O’Sullivan, Shane Nolan.
Subs: Keith Kennedy for Darragh Swaby (38 mins), Cein Chester for Dean Reidy (41), Dale Hayes for Dale Sheridan (46), Conor O’Byrne for Johnny Walsh (58), Robbie Kelly for Paul O’Sullivan (60).
Scorers: Brian Nolan (0-1f) and Paul O’Sullivan (0-1).
Referee: Timmy Organ (Ballinacourty).
