Reds rejoice at Murray’s brace

Coralstown/Kinnegad 3-13 Garrycastle 3-12

A stoppage time brace from Coralstown/Kinnegad sub Colm Murray snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for the Reds in an absorbing Westmeath SFC battle with Garrycastle at TEG Cusack Park on Saturday evening.

The Athlone outfit’s third defeat in four games leaves them under pressure as the business end of the championship approaches, while Kinnegad are now safely through to the knockouts.

After a tempestuous first half in high temperatures, the sides were locked at 1-8 apiece, with a goal from Ger Leech (Coralstown/Kinnegad) cancelling out a major from Garrycastle’s James Sheerin moments earlier. Indeed, a decisive factor in this game was Kinnegad’s ability to promptly respond to setbacks, and in the fullness of match time, they had the hunger to claim the points.

Garrycastle led 0-4 to 0-2 by the first half water break, after an opening quarter which was generally poor and ill-disciplined. Points from Michael (a free) and Eoin Monaghan gave John Donnellan’s charges an early lead as they put the Kinnegad defence under pressure.

However, tempers flared in the ensuing five minutes, and Garrycastle’s Andrew Monaghan had to leave the field with a blood injury after an off-the-ball incident. Coralstown/Kinnegad equalised through scores from Ger Leech (a free) and Eoin O’Brien, but further breaches of discipline followed, with O’Brien (Kinnegad) and Garrycastle duo Bill Kelly and Neal Rattigan yellow-carded. At this stage, the game looked unlikely to end with 30 players on the pitch.

After some lethargic play in which the only rousing moment was a goal chance for James Dolan (blocked by some astute Kinnegad defending), Garrycastle led at the water break after scores by goalkeeper Sean Brennan (a free) and Cathal Mannion. On the resumption, the Athlone men extended their lead to three with a point from James Sheerin.

Within a couple of minutes though, Coralstown/Kinnegad cancelled their arrears with a quickfire trio of points from O’Brien (under pressure), Wayne Fox (a great score after cutting in from the right) and Josh Gahan (off his left boot).

No sooner had Kinnegad restored parity than their work was undone. In the 21st minute, a curling high ball from Garrycastle’s Eoin Monaghan saw Sheerin climb high to beat his marker and fist the ball to the net.

A minute later however, Coralstown/Kinnegad got back on level terms when a swift passing move involving Eoin O’Brien and Ciaran Daly led to Ger Leech getting a shot on target. The ball crashed off the frame of the goal, and Leech forced it over the line with his hand.

After the poor first quarter, the game began to take off in earnest, and for the remainder of the half the scoring was tit-for-tat. Sean Brennan (Garrycastle, a free) and Wayne Fox (a superb point for Kinnegad) traded scores, before the latter kicked a tremendous long-range effort to hand the Reds their first lead of the game (27 minutes).

At the short whistle, the sides were level after further scores from Michael Monaghan and freetaker Brennan (Garrycastle), and Coralstown/Kinnegad’s Ger Leech (a free).

Tensions were evident at half-time, but eased after the restart as entertaining football became the order of the day. Brian Cooney, who played a key role in Coralstown/Kinnegad’s second half fortunes, put the Reds in front, but they surrendered their lead again after 33 minutes, when Garrycastle’s James Sheerin netted from close range.

Michael Monaghan (Garrycastle, a free) made it 2-9 to 1-9 to the south Westmeath side, and Cooney had a couple of sniffs at goal before responding with a point for Coralstown/Kinnegad.

On 42 minutes, Cathal Mannion expertly slotted a difficult free from terrace side to restore Garrycastle’s one-goal advantage, but two minutes later, Kinnegad bounced back again. Gobbling up a loose ball in the semi-circle, an unmarked Cooney let fly with a shot that was brilliantly saved by Sean Brennan. But after Garrycastle failed to clear their lines, Cooney got a second bite and finished low to the net to level matters once more.

The pendulum swung Garrycastle’s way again after substitute Conor Cosgrove pointed to leave them ahead by the minimum at the water break. When play resumed, Cosgrove attempted to latch on to a high ball from Andrew Monaghan and was hauled down, winning a penalty for the Shannonsiders. Up stepped Sean Brennan, and his finish to the roof of the net put Garrycastle four clear with 50 minutes gone.

This might have broken Kinnegad’s resolve, but again they recovered. Eoin O’Brien left a goal between the sides again with a decent score, and on 54 minutes, a quick move involving Ciaran Daly, Eoin O’Brien (sub) and Brian Cooney ended with Cooney thumping a deflected kick at the posts. It fell short, and sub Jack Torpey stole in to fist the ball home from close range.

A brief lull in play followed before Eoin Mulvihill made it 3-12 to 3-11 in Garrycastle’s favour with a point on 58 minutes, and Conor Cosgrove could have wrapped up the win in stoppage time, but his shot on goal was spectacularly saved by Coralstown/Kinnegad netminder Stephen McNevin.

This was the lynchpin for Kinnegad to press on and get something out of the game, and sub Colm Murray’s cameo with two fine scores in stoppage time ensured that they got the maximum in a thrilling finale.

Scorers – Coralstown/Kinnegad: G Leech (0-2f) and B Cooney 1-2 each, E O’Brien (starter) and W Fox 0-3 each, J Torpey 1-0, C Murray 0-2, J Gahan 0-1. Garrycastle: J Sheerin 2-1, S Brennan 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), M Monaghan 0-3 (2f), C Mannion 0-2 (1f), E Monaghan, C Cosgrove and E Mulvihill 0-1 each.

Coralstown/Kinnegad: Stephen McNevin; Jason Lynch, David Giles, Ciaran Daly; Liam Daly, Josh Gahan, Eoghan Bracken; James Maxwell, Ciaran Daly (jnr); Darren Giles, Wayne Fox, Eoin O’Brien; Brian Cooney, Callum Cruise, Ger Leech. Subs used: Danny Woods for Maxwell (h-t, inj.), Eoin O’Brien (sub) for L Daly (38), Podge Quinn for Cruise (39), Jack Torpey for Darren Giles (46), Colm Murray for C Daly (jnr, 60 + 1).

Garrycastle: Sean Brennan; Mark McCallon, Jack Donohue, Gary McCallon; James Dolan, Doron Harte, Bill Kelly; Eoin Mulvihill, Justin Barrett; Neal Rattigan, Eoin Monaghan, Andrew Monaghan; James Sheerin, Michael Monaghan, Cathal Mannion. Subs used: Ger Heneghan for A Monaghan (4, blood sub), A Monaghan for Heneghan (14), Conor Cosgrove for E Monaghan (43), Heneghan for Rattigan (48), Jason Nugent for M Monaghan (55).

Ref: Mick Murtagh (The Downs).