Milltown/Castlemaine    1-09       Austin Stacks  0-12

Milltown/Castlemaine were up against Austin Stacks in Division 1 - Round 8 of the Co. League.  Played in Milltown /Castlemaine GAA Grounds in wet conditions, it was the home side who got the first score, a pointed 45 by Jack McCarthy.  Milltown/Castlemaine were very unfortunate to lose their captain Jeremiah Hayes to injury in the fourth minute – he was replaced by Eoin O’Brien.   Austin Stacks got their first score with a pointed free by David Mannix. The ninth minute saw a cracking goal off the boot of Shane Murphy of M/C – following a great move between Alan Hickey and Cathal Moriarty.  M/C were guilty of some passing errors as well as missed scoring chances. However, a free from Donal Dennehy off his left boot gave them a four point lead at the end of the first quarter.  In the 18th minute, Cathal Moriarty for M/C was heading for goal, after brilliantly intercepting a short kick out from Austin Stacks David Hennessy.  He had to be content with a point after it went over the crossbar, giving Milltown/Castlemaine a score line of 1-03 to AS 0-01. Austin Stacks were guilty too of poor kicking, missing an easy free in the 18th.  They redeemed themselves immediately, when David Mannix popped over a point and in the 22^nd minute, Darragh O’ Brien gave Austin Stacks another point.  Austin Stacks grew in confidence and were causing lots of problems for the Milltown/Castlemaine back line.  Despite the tight marking of David Roche, Shane O’ Callaghan managed to pop over a point and in the 25th minute, Stacks added another point, which came from a mark. (Milltown/Castlemaine 1-03, Austin Stacks 0-5).   After a gap of ten minutes without scoring, M/C seemed destined for a score by way of solid work by Alan Hickey, but a final stray pass gave possession back to the visitors.  The home side grafted hard and were rewarded in the 29th minute with a well taken free by Jack McCarthy.  Stacks did have a chance to score before half time by way of a free, but it went wide of the posts. Half time score: Milltown/Castlemaine 1-4, Austin Stacks 0-5.

Alan Hickey made way for Nigel Wrenn at half time for the home side.  Despite a lot of possession, it was the visitors who notched up the first two points of the second half. Jonathan O’ Sullivan was very unlucky for Milltown/Castlemaine when he tried to chip the Stacks’ keeper David Hennessy, but he was denied by a great save.  A resultant 45 was kicked wide by M/C’s Jack McCarthy.   Jack Morgan pointed for Austin Stacks in the fourth minute and David Mannix added another to his tally, by way of a free soon after. In the eighth minute, a good move by Gavin Horan resulted in Cathal Moriarty kicking a superb point for the home side, giving them a one point lead.  Gavin McKenna  and Jonathan O’ Sullivan linked up well together and a free for a foul on Gavin was converted by Jack McCarthy, to give a score line of Milltown/Castlemaine 1-6, Austin Stacks 0-7.  David Mannix added another point for Stacks and this was quickly followed by another point from Fiachna  Mangan and a further point in the 12th minute from play gave Austin Stacks the lead for the first time in the game.  Shane Guthrie received a black card and Austin Stacks had to adjust their midfield setting.  Milltown/Castlemaine introduced Pa Wrenn in the 16th minute, having just completed his shift as a paramedic. A fisted point by young Eoin O’ Brien brought the sides level once again. The home side were guilty of some bad errors in passing and scoring opportunities and so Austin Stacks punished them with two quick points from play. M/C suffered another blow, when goal scorer, Shane Murphy, had to withdraw due to injury.  Kieran O’ Carroll came in replace him.  The game was delayed for several minutes, due to an injury to Gavin Horan from Milltown/Castlemaine.  On resumption, Jack McCarthy pointed a free for M/C to bring them to within one point of their opponents.  A copious amount of coloured cards were issued in the closing stages of the game and a free to M/C was calmly popped over by Jack McCarthy to level the scores at full time.  Milltown/Castllemaine 1-9, Austin     Stacks 0-12.  Well done to all of the players on both panels and their respective management teams.