Dugdale’s early goal decisive in narrow win for Brownstown

Brownstown 1-13

Delvin 0-12

Gerry Buckley

A seventh-minute goal from midfielder Robbie Dugdale ultimately proved to be the decisive score in drizzly conditions in Joristown last Friday evening, where Brownstown overcame their neighbours from Delvin in a hard-fought opening round tie of the Westmeath Senior ‘B’ Hurling Championship.

Both teams will fancy their chances of winning the Mickey Power Cup come the autumn, but Friday’s game never reached any great heights. Brownstown were better balanced overall, with the Valley men heavily dependent on Westmeath panelist Darragh Clinton for scores.

A crossfield wind appeared to favour neither side, but it was Delvin who started the brighter with the aforementioned Clinton firing over a brace of points in the opening six minutes (a fine score from play and a free). However, hard-working midfielder Dugdale soon pounced for a scrambled goal, and Brownstown were never headed thereafter.

The same player was then wide with another goal attempt before Philip Gilsenan doubled the winners’ advantage, the sliotar going over via Stephen Reilly’s hurley. Exchanges were robust at this juncture and frees were hard earned. From one of them, Jamie Fitzsimons opened his account at the start of the second quarter, but the maroon and white-clad outfit wiped out the deficit by the 19th minute with a quickfire hat-trick from Clinton – the first from open play followed by two frees.

Brownstown were quite wasteful, but they eventually found the range with three points between the 25th and 30th minutes, from the sticks of Dugdale (two) either side of a great strike from Conor Rice. Clinton was untypically wide from a ‘65’, but soon made amends from another free. In the last action of the first moiety Jack Gavin pointed under pressure, leaving his side ahead by 1-6 to 0-6 at the interval.

Scores were at a premium in the early stages of the second half, with three Fitzsimons frees by the 40th minute the only addition to the resplendent electronic scoreboard. Points from Killian Murphy (play) and Clinton (a free, following impressive work by recently introduced sub Dean Ennis) reduced the gap to four points (1-9 to 0-8).

A mini-shootout from frees ensued between the respective number 13s, Clinton (three) edging out Fitzsimons (two) by the 52nd minute to leave the deficit at a goal (1-11 to 0-11). Crucially, however, Aaron Fenlon had picked up a second yellow card for the losers in the 45th minute.

Two outstanding points for Brownstown, courtesy of Rice and Conor Shaw, increased their lead. Clinton brought his tally to 0-11 with the last score of an ordinary contest in the 55th minute. Delvin sub Ollie Cassidy whipped the ball wide with time almost up, and it was Brownstown who emerged as worthy winners.

Scorers – Brownstown: J Fitzsimon 0-6 (6f), R Dugdale 1-2, C Rice 0-2, P Gilsenan, J Gavin, C Shaw 0-1 each.

Delvin: D Clinton 0-11 (9f), K Murphy 0-1.

Brownstown: James Moore; Kenny Higgins, Shaun Smith, Darren Dugdale; Tiernan Purcell, Philip Gilsenan, Conor Shaw; Conor Rice, Robbie Dugdale; Oisín Kiernan, Emmet Cunneen, Jack Gavin; Jamie Fitzsimons, Cormac Foley, Niall Leonard. Subs used: Danny Henry for Foley (inj, 10), Rory Carolan for Kiernan (inj, 60+3), Gary Smith for Henry (60+3).

Delvin: Stephen Reilly; Sebastian McPherson, Adam Ennis, Francis McGrath; Liam Carolan, Aaron Fenlon, Ross Gaffney; Patrick Poynton, Paddy Farrington; Eoin Carolan, Patrick Clune, Johnny Ivory; Darragh Clinton, Killian Murphy, Steven Cassidy. Subs used: Dean Ennis for Cassidy (35), Fintan Cox for E Carolan (41), Ollie Cassidy for Ivory (55).

Ref: Matt Shaw (Clonkill).