Goals get job done for CFCW
With very little to play for by either side in Rochfortbridge on Sunday afternoon last, the men from CFCW and Ballynacargy served up a thoroughly entertaining game in sweltering heat for the substantial attendance at the venue.
It was the more clinical finishing of CFCW that won the day here, as they scored almost as many points as they did goals, with some wonderful scores to boot and all but one of them coming from play.
Bal’ on the other hand looked lethargic and in truth, like a team that couldn’t wait for the season to finish, while for CFCW it was a matter of letting loose the shackles and playing some of the football that won them the junior title last season.
Double scores probably reflects their dominance, and some of their play was of the top drawer variety, while for Bal’ it was the absolute opposite as their current malaise continues. They can have no argument with the end result.
CFCW opened with points from Joe Rabbitt and David Devine, but three in a row from Dylan Keena, Conor Byrne and full back Willie Murtagh had Bal’ back in front by the 15th minute, and we settled in for a ding-dong contest.
Charlie McCormack levelled matters again with a super point and then Oisín Gaffney, Rabbitt and Mark Cunningham combined for the latter to score a wonderful team goal.
Luke Price almost repeated the feat at the opposite end, but was denied by a marvellous save by CFCW goalie Gary Sullivan. Ryan Maher, however, did pull one back for Ballynacargy with a fine score after a Price through-ball.
That would be Bal’s last score of the half as the Finea men went about their business, and after two excellent points from Emmett Corrigan, Rabbitt found David Devine on his shoulder and he cracked in a second CFCW major just on the blow of half-time, when Finea led by 2-5 to 0-4.
Bal’s best performer by far, Dylan Keena, reduced the arrears immediately on the restart with a superb point, but seconds later that good work was undone when Mark Cunningham rifled in a third CFCW goal. This was followed by a fisted John McCarthy point, and the gap had now widened considerably.
When David Devine scored a quite sublime fourth goal for CFCW, the game was as good as over and the Green and Golds looked home and hosed.
Dylan Keena pulled one back with a lovely individual effort, and indeed Bal’ had numerous chances to narrow the gap further, but their shooting was awry and on the break Rabbitt netted a fifth with a fabulous solo effort for CFCW. A Conor Gaffney free thereafter only cemented what we had known for quite a while.
Bal’, to their credit, rallied defiantly to the end and yielded points from Ryan Maher, Jude McGuinness, Philip Price, Conor Byrne and Luke Price. But the goal they needed never materialised, despite sustained pressure and CFCW held on easily for an emphatic win that pleased their large and vociferous following.
Scorers – CFCW: D Devine 2-1, M Cunningham 2-0, J Rabbitt 1-1, E Corrigan 0-2, C McCormack, C Gaffney (free) and J McCarthy 0-1 each. Ballynacargy: D Keena 0-3, C Byrne and R Maher 0-2 each, W Murtagh, L Price, P Price and J McGuinness 0-1 each.
Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall: Gary Sullivan; Ryan Moore, Darragh O’Reilly, Pete Connors; Emmett Corrigan, Glen Plunkett, Charlie McCormack; Darren Kilcoyne, David Devine; Darragh McCormack, Mark Cunningham, Oisín Gaffney; Conor Gaffney, Joe Rabbitt, John McCarthy. Subs: Donnie Moore for D McCormack (37), Matthew O’Reilly for O Gaffney (49), Kevin Brazil for McCarthy (49), John Dermody for C Gaffney (58), Sean Dermody for Cunningham (58).
Ballynacargy: Tommy Nally; Kieran Sheridan, Willie Murtagh, Conor Keena; Dylan Keena, Senan Lynam, Eoin Nally; Luke Price, Tony Doran; Jason McKeon, Conor Byrne, Niall Peyton; Ryan Maher, Jack Doran, Philip Price. Subs: Danny Scally for McKeon (29), Jude McGuinness for Peyton (h-t), Timmy Mescall for Lynam (h-t).
Ref: Jim Rock (Coralstown/Kinnegad).
Man of the match: Mark Cunningham (CFCW).