Cosgrove’s class buoys Garrycastle
ACFL Division 4 final: Garrycastle 1-11, The Downs 0-12
After what was a very tough week and a half for all Garrycastle Gaels, their Division 4 team eased the burden on the club with a well-merited win against The Downs in TEG Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon last, writes Paul Doolin.
The number 7 jersey was retired for this game in memory of Enda Mulvihill, who sadly passed away last week and indeed he would have been so proud of the skill, heart and guile that his clubmen displayed against a dogged but wasteful Downs side.
Led impressively by Conor Cosgrove, the Athlone-based side were always in control of this game and while the scoreline suggests it was tight, at no time did it look as if The Downs would get the better of them.
Afterwards, team captain Anthony Larkin dedicated the win to his former teammate Enda, who toiled for many years in the green and red. Nobody in the ground, not even The Downs faithful, would have begrudged the ‘Castle this win in these circumstances.
Garrycastle started with great intent and had the ball in the net after barely 90 seconds when a high looping Conor McKiernan effort evaded everyone and nestled in the back of the net.
Cosgrove added a free and superb point from play from a very acute angle, while The Downs replied with two from Jack Carroll (a free and a fine long-range effort) before Ger Heneghan and Cosgrove again extended the Garrycastle lead.
Carroll continued his one-man recovery mission with another excellent point from distance before veteran Brendan Murtagh narrowed the gap further with a lovely individual score.
Cosgrove was causing mayhem however, and he restored the four-point cushion with another eye-catching point. Two more Carroll frees and another from downtown brought the gap back to a single point, and indeed The Downs might have led had Adam Loughlin’s goalbound shot not rattled the post instead of nestling in the onion bag.
Cosgrove ended the first half scoring with a quite incredible point with the outside of his boot – a score worth the admission money alone – and at the break, Garrycastle led 1-6 to 0-7.
Heneghan increased that lead upon the restart with a marvellous point from well outside the ‘45’, but that was negated when some poor defending allowed Ben Harte to nip in and narrow the gap once more.
The game hit somewhat of a lull however, and it was Heneghan with two needlessly conceded frees that next troubled the score keeper, as Garrycastle made a bid for home early. But to their credit The Downs refused to lie down, and after Philip Martin pointed with an opportunist strike, Harte reduced the arrears again with another after a mix-up in what was a tiring Garrycastle defence.
Alas, The Downs could not sustain that momentum, and it was Cosgrove again who made them pay, first with a free after he was hauled down himself, and then a brilliant score from play which only solidified his man of the match credentials. Now the game looked done and dusted.
Again, The Downs rallied and took the fight to their opponents with sub Tom Tuite looking set for a goal only to be dragged down by Neal Rattigan who saw black. Even though Jack Carroll pointed the free and another very late one, the black and ambers simply could not breach the gap, and Garrycastle held on to claim the title for 2022.
At full-time, Garrycastle captain Anthony Larkin was presented with the trophy by Frank Mescall, chairman of Westmeath GAA’s county committee.
Scorers – Garrycastle: C Cosgrove 0-7 (2f), G Heneghan 0-4 (2f), C McKiernan 1-0. The Downs: J Carroll 0-8 (5f), B Harte 0-2, B Murtagh and P Martin 0-1 each.
Garrycastle: Shane Moran; Brian Ruane, Fergal McKiernan, Cathal Redmond; Gary Mullery, Fergal O’Reilly, Neal Rattigan; Johnny McGuire, Conor McKiernan; Enda Keena, Ciaran O’Neill, Ben Donegan; Conor Cosgrove, Ger Heneghan, Anthony Larkin. Subs used: John O’Shea Sharkey for Ruane (38), Killian Lyons for Keena (52).
The Downs: Senan O’Driscoll; Keith Carroll, Oisín Murphy, Shane Egerton; Oisín Loughlin, Brendan Flynn, Eoghan Moore; Oisín Murray, Brendan Murtagh; Tadhg Nolan, Philip Martin, Ben Harte; Adam Loughlin, Jack Carroll, Shane Carroll. Subs used: Tom Tuite for Nolan (29), Cian McCourt for Egerton (h-t), Oisín Raleigh for S Carroll (40), Josh Murtagh for Murray (46), Alan Colgan for Harte (57).
Ref: Ken Daly (Loughnavalley).
Man of the match: Conor Cosgrove (Garrycastle).